Minolta AF mount lenses

All DSLRs and SLTs of the Sony α system have an autofocus lens bayonet that is downward compatible to all lenses of Minolta's 35mm AF System. On a DSLR with APS-C size sensor like the Sony α300 the crop factor is 1.5. image by Wayne Young (Image rights)

Minolta AF lenses where named Maxxum AF lenses in the USA. They all were made for Minolta's autofocus SLR system for 35mm film which was launched in 1985 with the Minolta 7000 which was the first autofocus system camera for the mass market and gave Minolta an advantage in the camera market for several years.

Minolta AF lenses in 1985

AF    24mm f/2,8 AF    28mm f/2,8 AF    50mm f/1,4 AF    50mm f/1,7 AF    50mm f/2,8 Macro AF    85mm f/1,4 AF   135mm f/2,8 AF   300mm f/2,8 Apo

AF 28-85mm f/3,5-4,5 AF 28-135mm f/4,0-4,5 AF 35-70mm f/4 AF 35-105mm f/3,5-5,6 AF 70-210mm f/4

Minolta AF lenses in 2001

G lenses are high-end lenses of Minolta's optics palette.

(D) means usability for Minolta's ADI type TTL flash photography.

Apo means "almost apochromatic color correction",
i.e. should be better than the common achromatic correction.

wide angle lenses AF 16mm f/2.8 Fisheye AF 20mm f/2.8 AF 24mm f/2.8 AF 28mm f/2 AF 28mm f/2.8 AF 35mm f/1.4 G AF 35mm f/2 normal lenses AF 50mm f/1.4 AF 50mm f/1.7 AF 50mm f/2.8 Macro (D) AF 50mm f/3.5 Macro portrait lenses AF 85mm f/1.4 G (D) AF 100mm f/2.8 Macro (D) AF 100mm f/2.8 Soft Focus STF 135mm f/2.8 T4.5 telephoto lenses AF 200mm f/2.8 Apo G (D) AF 200mm f/4 Macro Apo G AF 300mm f/2.8 Apo G AF 300mm f/4 Apo G AF 400mm f/4.5 Apo G AF Reflex 500mm AF 600mm f/4 Apo G

zoom lenses AF    17-35mm f/3.5 G AF    20-35mm f/3.5-4.5 AF    24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 AF    24-105mm f/3.5-4.5 (D) AF    28-70mm f/2.8 G AF    28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 (D) AF    28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 AF    35-80mm f/4-5.6 II AF    70-210mm f/4.5-5.6 II AF    75-300mm f/4.5-5.6 (D) AF    80-200mm f/2.8 Apo G AF   100-300mm f/4.5-5.6 Apo (D) AF   100-400mm f/4.5-6.7 Apo AF   Macro Zoom 3x-1x f/1.7-2.8 converters AF 1.4x Tele Converter II Apo AF 2x Tele Converter II Apo

In 2003 Minolta launched the first SAM/SSM-type lenses which have an internal autofocus motor drive instead of being focused by the camera's AF motor. SSM is the silent variant. The Sony α system took over the two conceptions, moving lens production more and more towards SAM/SSM lenses.

Konica Minolta

In 2003 Minolta joined forces with Konica.

New were the following:

• Minolta AF 28-100mm f/3.5-5.6 (D)
• Minolta AF 70-200mm f/2.8 Apo G (D) SSM
• Konica Minolta AF 17-35mm f/2.8-4 (D)
• Konica Minolta AF 28-75mm f/2.8 (D)

The Konica Minolta DSLRs 7D and 5D and the first products of the DT series of lenses for APS-C image frame format probably were already planned by Minolta.

• Konica Minolta AF 11-18mm f/4.5-5.6 DT
• Konica Minolta AF 18-70mm f/3.5-5.6 DT
• Konica Minolta AF 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DT

The last camera of that series was the Sony Alpha DSLR-A100 of 2006. Some call it "the last Minolta". From then the whole system was continued as digital camera system, as Sony α system, i.e. its DSLR and SLT cameras. Sony's system comprises beside common Sony lenses two high-end lens lines, the Sony G lenses and the Zeiss lenses.