garyak

I feel so fortunate. I shopped around for a 18-135 and found a new listing for one on ebay. New in box including 2 new sealed Hoya NXT uv and a cpl filters for $120.00 delivered. Here's a couple pics..

 

Thank you, Colin, for taking the time to answer my questions and to make some good suggestions. I was so stuck on the 24-105 business that I never noticed more practical solutions were available like the Sony 18-135 you mentioned. My lens lineup is a Minolta 11-18..then my 24-105 void..then a Minolta 100-300 D and a Minolta 500mm mirror lens. I read many favorable reviews on the 18-135, It fills my gap and with 30mm upper end buffer, weighs half as much as the Sigma, costs a lot less money and uses the same filters I already have. I'll shop around a bit and likely order one. So again, thanks for helping me out. On another note, the world's largest flying anything..Antonov 225 Mriya visited Anchorage several times recently hauling corvid 19 supplies to Canada. This one was taken with my Minolta 24-105. Thank God for spot remova l tool.

I had a Maxxum 7D and now, a 2nd hand Sony A77. My Minolta AF 24-105 /3.5-4.5 D finally failed. I got another one on ebay that's full of dust and fungus. It was my most often used lens but the images seemed a little soft. So I'm looking for suggestions. Sony made a 24-105 so that would have to be newer than a Minolta, but better? I've been reading good things about the Sigma 24-105 A mount art lens. Almost 2 lbs...not a deal breaker..but that seems way heavy. Is there anything else out there in A mount that takes a sharp image and doesn't break the bank. I just can't afford "G" glass.

Possibly 16g is too much for the camera. I can report that I have the DSC-HX1 with 8g, no problem, yet I'm unable to find specifics on maximum size accepted on the camera, sounds like this could be the case. I also have one adapter (Memory stick to Micro SD) but haven't tried a card that size (16g), BTW yes, you can use those adapters to use Micro SD cards instead of Memory Stick).

 

BTW, just a question, will appreciate if you can give me some help. Do you happen to have a CPL (Polarizer) filter? does it work with your Sony Cybershot DSC-HX5??

 

My CPL filter and my Sony DSC-HX1 doesn't get along, it produces zero polarize effect. Already tried backwards. Situation described here:

Polarizing filter not working - Sony Cybershot DSC-HX1

 

I got a 16g SDHC card and it works fine. The other 16g I initially tried/failed was not SDHC. I don't know about using a cpl with this camera. Mine is not threaded to accept any add ons. Maybe a person could hand hold a filter in front of the lens..??

I just did a quick search. The manual for your camera is here:

https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/res/manuals/4172/41726732M.pdf

and there's a handbook available here: https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/res/manuals/4172/41726681M.pdf

 

Take a look in particular at the handbook page 3, section "Notes on the types of memory card that you can use".

 

Note that "SD card" covers a family of different memory card technologies, which are not always backwards compatible. The original cards were just called "SD cards", but they've since been retrospectively named "SDSC cards". These have a maximum capacity of 2GB. Newer SD cards (in chronological order) are called SDHC, SDXC and SDUC. See also the Wikipedia article on SD cards: SD card - Wikipedia

 

Thanks, Colin. That's a big help. I'll order the appropriate card, spare battery and charger...should be set.

Hoping for some assistance. Acquired a dsc-hx5. I dropped in a blank 16gb sd card and it says "no memory space on memory card". Walmart guy said I might need a smaller card. Anyone here know what card I'd need for sure? Will I need a different card to do videos?

Thanks for all the contributions. It's not a "must have" so I might just look around a little more before I buy.

I've always read that this is one of Minolta's "best" lense values

and have found a clean first edition crossed X model for $250.00.

Is that a good deal? Are the optics on later models of this lense

better..worse..same? Since this would be a lense that I would use I

am more interested in image quality than the collectors aspect.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Thanks to all for their answers. Actually,I was just as curious for myself as I was for buyers as I have bought several used KM lenses in like new condition and have always wondered when they were born. Oh well, if ignorance is bliss then that explains why I'm such a happy guy.

Does anyone know how to determine lense age from the serial number?

I have a pair of used non D 100 2.8 macros that I may sell and would

like to provide potential buyers with approximate age information.

Maybe there's a link or site out there somewhere. I emailed Minolta

but received no reply.

Gary Schneider

In answer to your latest question, I've never needed any service for my KM stuff so can't speak to how service used to or will be in the future. Some of the KM dslrs on ebay have 2 and 4 yr 3rd party warrantys available..taking KM out of the picture. I can't imagine KM/Sony just no longer providing service..and to that end I recieved my $200 rebate from KM today for a 7D purchased early in Dec., 05. I also talked to a rep at BH Photo earlier today who said that KM production facilities were still in operation but due to new mgmt. implementation are experiencing slower output. I've been trying to aquire a D model 100/2.8 macro with no luck. I hope any of the above is useful.

Gary L.Schneider

Thanks to all for the responses. So far, I don't think its a calibration problem as my optio 550 pics usually come out very true to as I viewed the subject...and I certainly need to read the manual in more detail. Checked the EV..its at zero. I have transferred the few images I have via the same reader that I use for the 550 but will get the usb cable out and try that to see if that might make a difference. I seem to not be intelligent enough to figure out how to resize and upload images..have tried many times but just don't get it...could be genetic? Fortunately, even though I'm using picassa which is very limited, I have been able to lighten images to a tolerable level. My hard drive crashed and was replaced a month ago so I haven't reloaded my other software..MS Picture It Suite 9 or some such thing. This is the first time something didn't work pretty well out of the box..if it were an airplane or a D9 cat etc. I'd be fine but none of this computer based stuff has ever been even slightly intuitive for me. Would be great to be locked in a room with the gear and someone competent for a day or two!

I've had my 7D for a few days and have only had time for a few test

shots both indoors and out. I'm using default settings and have not

really learned the camera yet. Everything I have downloaded is

coming out VERY dark. I hope this is a "me" problem but wanted to

ask if anyone has had this "worked this way out of the box"

experience. I wanted to take it on a holiday trip but if I can't

get better results I'll just take my Optio 550 which, inspite of its

limitations, takes great pictures.

Are dslr's and film slr's the same in that if tripod mounted the

view finder must be shaded to prevent light infiltration?