SLT compatibility and dyxum lens database

Phil Wood wrote: I have a Sigma lens which is not in the database - an old 60-200mm f4/5.6 zoom. Works fine with my A58 but the A350 doesn't recognise that it's there. It's a push/pull zoom which doesn't really creep - it runs.

This is weird. Some Sigma lenses are known to have SLT issues, but I never heard any DSLR to have any issues with any A-mount lens, except focus hunting.
Are you sure there is not any kind of malfunctioning involved?

overeema wrote: Phil Wood wrote: I have a Sigma lens which is not in the database - an old 60-200mm f4/5.6 zoom. Works fine with my A58 but the A350 doesn't recognise that it's there. It's a push/pull zoom which doesn't really creep - it runs. This is weird. Some Sigma lenses are known to have SLT issues, but I never heard any DSLR to have any issues with any A-mount lens, except focus hunting. Are you sure there is not any kind of malfunctioning involved?

Obviously something is not quite right - but I have tested the lens on two A350 bodies and two A58s - neither A350 recognises its presence both A58s are quite happy with it. I'm not sure what could be faulty to cause this to occur?

Phil Wood wrote: overeema wrote: Phil Wood wrote: I have a Sigma lens which is not in the database - an old 60-200mm f4/5.6 zoom. Works fine with my A58 but the A350 doesn't recognise that it's there. It's a push/pull zoom which doesn't really creep - it runs. This is weird. Some Sigma lenses are known to have SLT issues, but I never heard any DSLR to have any issues with any A-mount lens, except focus hunting. Are you sure there is not any kind of malfunctioning involved? Obviously something is not quite right - but I have tested the lens on two A350 bodies and two A58s - neither A350 recognises its presence both A58s are quite happy with it. I'm not sure what could be faulty to cause this to occur?

It's not a fault , Sigma backward engineered everything from day one .
A lens works fine with camera bodies made before the lens was made and sometimes nothing after .

I have/had some Sigmas that worked with the first Minolta 7000AF but nothing after .
Not a film camera , not a Minolta SLR and not a Sony SLR .
Likewise some later ones are the same , works fine with camera bodies up to the date the lens was made , and nothing after .

Not a fault of either the camera or lens , the firmware just compatible .
Sigma wouldn't pay Minolta or Sony for the required information/protocols needed .
Third party venders like Tamron didn't have this problem .


Try loading Mac only software in a Windows P.C and see what happents .

Now the strange thing is that some of the very old Sigma stuff works fine on some or all Sony SLT's .
I have a Sigma 1.6x manual focus lens to autofocus body in A mount sold for the Minolta 7000AF .
Two types were made , one was for Nikon F manual focus lenses to A mount body , and one was Minolta SR mount to Minolta A mount .
The lens element in the teleconverter moves bacward and forwards to achieve focus .
So a manual focus lens became auto focus .

I have both versions ( and the Nikon F mount 1.6x AF teleconverter they were copied from) and although they only work with the first generation of Minolta AF film bodies and nothing later , or the earlier Sony DSLR's , they work grate with my Sony SLT's ( a37 & a77).

Strange .

It's still pot luck what old and older Sigma lenses will work with Minolta/Sony SLR's , DSLR's and SLT's due to either firmware issues of mechanical issues they had with the aperture linkage on the first few SLT's .

I tend to avoid Sigma like the plague !
There's only a few I haven't got rid off .
   

Edited by neilt3 - 26 March 2018 at 11:58

neilt3 wrote: It's not a fault , Sigma backward engineered everything from day one . A lens works fine with camera bodies made before the lens was made and sometimes nothing after . I have/had some Sigmas that worked with the first Minolta 7000AF but nothing after . Not a film camera , not a Minolta SLR and not a Sony SLR . Likewise some later ones are the same , works fine with camera bodies up to the date the lens was made , and nothing after . Not a fault of either the camera or lens , the firmware just compatible . Sigma wouldn't pay Minolta or Sony for the required information/protocols needed . Third party venders like Tamron didn't have this problem . ---snip--- I tend to avoid Sigma like the plague ! There's only a few I haven't got rid off .

Another consideration to not mixup Sigma with other brands on your camerabag is that the zoom and distance rings turn in the opposite direction. If you are used to Sony/Minolta/Tamron turning a ring right has the same effect on all lenses. Sigma must be turned left to get the same result. I don't know about other brands.

Phil Wood wrote: The Sigma and Minolta (100-300) anticlockwise.

My 100-300APO turns the same direction as my other Minolta and Sony zooms. My Canon lenses turn the opposite direction (so, just like the Sigmas).

Interesting lens on ebay - a VOIGTLÄNDER ULTRON AF 28-105 2.8/3.8, as it's not on the Dyxum database I thought I'd mention it.

It's a push-pull zoom, presumably dating back to the 1980s - I'd put in a bid, but the price is too high for a curiosity buy. The pictures are clearly of an A mount and it is being sold with two hoods, as if there was one for the long end and one for the shorter FLs - though I find that hard to believe.

That one is mentioned before, both the Voigtlander branded version and the Cosina version. On Pentaxforums there is an entry for this lens.