Is Sony A-mount discontinued?

Yes — Sony stopped shipping new A-mount bodies in 2021, ending a line that began with the 1985 Minolta Maxxum 7000 (the first commercially successful AF SLR), passed through Konica Minolta from 2003-2006, and ran on Sony's α-DSLR / α-SLT cameras through the α99 II. A-mount lenses continue to be sold for the existing installed base and adapt onto E-mount bodies via the LA-EA5.

What does the Sony LA-EA5 adapter do that other A→E adapters don't?

The LA-EA5 carries an internal screw-drive motor — the only A-mount adapter that drives screw-drive Minolta AF and SAL lenses without forcing manual focus. SSM and SAM lenses (in-lens motors) work on any A→E adapter; screw-drive lenses specifically need the LA-EA5. It also exposes on-sensor PDAF on compatible Alpha bodies (α7 IV / α7 III / α7R IV / α1 / α7C / α9 III).

Can I use a Minolta MD manual lens on an A-mount body?

Not without a focal-reducer adapter. Minolta MD (1958-1985, 43.5 mm flange) and Minolta A (1985-, 44.5 mm flange) are different mounts — the 1 mm flange-distance gap is too small for a glass-less MD-to-A adapter to focus at infinity, so dedicated MD-to-A adapters with corrective glass exist but are rare and degrade image quality. MD adapts much more easily onto mirrorless mounts via plain mechanical rings.

Sony / Minolta · DSLR / SLR mount

Sony A / Minolta A — flange distance, protocol, and adapter compatibility

Originally the Minolta AF mount (1985), inherited by Konica Minolta and then Sony in 2006. A-mount cameras stopped shipping new bodies in 2021. Two AF schemes coexist: screw-drive (most lenses) and in-lens SSM/SAM motors. Sony LA-EA5 adapter brings A-mount glass to E-mount bodies with on-sensor AF and built-in screw-drive motor.

Mount specifications

Flange focal distance: 44.5 mm
Throat diameter: 50 mm
Electronic protocol: Sony/Minolta A (SSM/SAM)
Supported formats: full-frame, APS-C
Manufacturer: Sony / Minolta
Introduced: 1985 (discontinued)
Status: Discontinued

Sony A / Minolta A on the flange-distance axis

Sony A / Minolta A sits at 44.5 mm — highlighted in orange below. The flange-distance gap between the mirrorless and SLR clusters is the room a mechanical adapter occupies; that gap is why almost every SLR lens adapts onto every mirrorless body, and why the reverse is mechanically impossible.

Flange focal distance (mm)SLR / DSLRMirrorlessRangefinderMedium-format mirrorlessCinemaLegacy SLR

Adapting Sony A / Minolta A lenses onto other bodies

You own Sony A / Minolta A glass and want to mount it on a body with a different lens mount. Rows are sorted by feasibility.

Body mount	Result	Adapter examples	Caveats
Body mount Canon RF flange 20 mm	Mechanical MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	generic mechanical adapter ring (multiple vendors)	Mechanical adapter only — no electronic communication between Sony A / Minolta A lens and Canon RF body. Lens has no aperture ring; choose an adapter with a built-in aperture-control wheel.
Body mount Canon FD flange 42 mm	Mechanical MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	generic mechanical adapter ring (multiple vendors)	Mechanical adapter only — no electronic communication between Sony A / Minolta A lens and Canon FD body. Lens has no aperture ring; choose an adapter with a built-in aperture-control wheel.
Body mount Canon EF-M flange 18 mm	Mechanical MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel1.5× crop	generic mechanical adapter ring (multiple vendors)	Mechanical adapter only — no electronic communication between Sony A / Minolta A lens and Canon EF-M body. Lens has no aperture ring; choose an adapter with a built-in aperture-control wheel.
Body mount Nikon Z flange 16 mm	Mechanical MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	generic mechanical adapter ring (multiple vendors)	Mechanical adapter only — no electronic communication between Sony A / Minolta A lens and Nikon Z body. Lens has no aperture ring; choose an adapter with a built-in aperture-control wheel.
Body mount Sony E (incl. FE) flange 18 mm	Mechanical AF fullIS fullAp. electronic	Sony LA-EA5 (full-frame, on-sensor AF + internal screw drive) Sony LA-EA4 (translucent-mirror PDAF, older A7 generations)	LA-EA5 supports phase-detect AF on E-mount bodies with on-sensor AF, including for screw-drive A-mount lenses. On older E-mount bodies without on-sensor PDAF, screw-drive A-mount lenses revert to contrast-detect AF or manual focus.
Body mount Fujifilm X flange 17.7 mm	Mechanical MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel1.5× crop	generic mechanical adapter ring (multiple vendors)	Mechanical adapter only — no electronic communication between Sony A / Minolta A lens and Fujifilm X body. Lens has no aperture ring; choose an adapter with a built-in aperture-control wheel.
Body mount Fujifilm GFX (G-mount) flange 26.7 mm	Mechanical MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheelvignettes	generic mechanical adapter ring (multiple vendors)	Mechanical adapter only — no electronic communication between Sony A / Minolta A lens and Fujifilm GFX (G-mount) body. Lens has no aperture ring; choose an adapter with a built-in aperture-control wheel.
Body mount Micro Four Thirds flange 19.25 mm	Mechanical MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel2× crop	generic mechanical adapter ring (multiple vendors)	Mechanical adapter only — no electronic communication between Sony A / Minolta A lens and Micro Four Thirds body. Lens has no aperture ring; choose an adapter with a built-in aperture-control wheel.
Body mount L-Mount flange 20 mm	Mechanical MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	generic mechanical adapter ring (multiple vendors)	Mechanical adapter only — no electronic communication between Sony A / Minolta A lens and L-Mount body. Lens has no aperture ring; choose an adapter with a built-in aperture-control wheel.
Body mount Leica M flange 27.8 mm	Mechanical MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	generic mechanical adapter ring (multiple vendors)	Mechanical adapter only — no electronic communication between Sony A / Minolta A lens and Leica M body. Lens has no aperture ring; choose an adapter with a built-in aperture-control wheel.
Body mount Canon RF (cine) flange 20 mm	Mechanical MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	generic mechanical adapter ring (multiple vendors)	Mechanical adapter only — no electronic communication between Sony A / Minolta A lens and Canon RF (cine) body. Lens has no aperture ring; choose an adapter with a built-in aperture-control wheel.
Body mount C-mount flange 17.526 mm	Mechanical MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel2.7× crop	generic mechanical adapter ring (multiple vendors)	Mechanical adapter only — no electronic communication between Sony A / Minolta A lens and C-mount body. Lens has no aperture ring; choose an adapter with a built-in aperture-control wheel.
Body mount Konica AR flange 40.5 mm	Mechanical MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	generic mechanical adapter ring (multiple vendors)	Mechanical adapter only — no electronic communication between Sony A / Minolta A lens and Konica AR body. Lens has no aperture ring; choose an adapter with a built-in aperture-control wheel.
Body mount Canon EF flange 44 mm	Speed booster MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	Speed Booster / focal-reducer family	Flange clearance is only 0.5 mm — a plain mechanical adapter cannot reach infinity focus; a focal reducer (Speed Booster) with optical glass is required. Speed Boosters typically widen the effective focal length (~0.71×) and add ~1 stop of light, which can be desirable on crop bodies.	Speed Booster equivalence calculator Plug in any Sony A / Minolta A lens and pick the focal-reducer family. The calc returns the effective focal length and aperture on a Canon EF (APS-C), plus the full-frame equivalent angle of view after the body's crop stacks on top. Lens focal length (mm)Max aperture (f/N)Focal-reducer family Effective focal length 35.5 mm 50.0 mm × 0.71 on the reducer. Effective aperture f/1.28 0.99 stops brighter than f/1.80. Full-frame equiv. angle of view 53.3 mm 35.5 mm × 1.5× (APS-C sensor crop). A focal reducer concentrates the lens's image circle, so both focal length and f-number scale by the same ratio (stops gained = `−2 · log₂(ratio)`). The body's crop factor still applies on top — the full-frame-equivalent angle-of-view multiplier is ratio × body crop. Calculator is informational; verify against the adapter vendor's per-lens compatibility chart before purchase.
Body mount Canon EF-S flange 44 mm	Speed booster MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel1.5× crop	Speed Booster / focal-reducer family	Flange clearance is only 0.5 mm — a plain mechanical adapter cannot reach infinity focus; a focal reducer (Speed Booster) with optical glass is required. Speed Boosters typically widen the effective focal length (~0.71×) and add ~1 stop of light, which can be desirable on crop bodies.	Speed Booster equivalence calculator Plug in any Sony A / Minolta A lens and pick the focal-reducer family. The calc returns the effective focal length and aperture on a Canon EF-S (APS-C), plus the full-frame equivalent angle of view after the body's crop stacks on top. Lens focal length (mm)Max aperture (f/N)Focal-reducer family Effective focal length 35.5 mm 50.0 mm × 0.71 on the reducer. Effective aperture f/1.28 0.99 stops brighter than f/1.80. Full-frame equiv. angle of view 53.3 mm 35.5 mm × 1.5× (APS-C sensor crop). A focal reducer concentrates the lens's image circle, so both focal length and f-number scale by the same ratio (stops gained = `−2 · log₂(ratio)`). The body's crop factor still applies on top — the full-frame-equivalent angle-of-view multiplier is ratio × body crop. Calculator is informational; verify against the adapter vendor's per-lens compatibility chart before purchase.
Body mount Nikon F flange 46.5 mm	Speed booster MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	Speed Booster / focal-reducer family	Flange clearance is only -2.0 mm — a plain mechanical adapter cannot reach infinity focus; a focal reducer (Speed Booster) with optical glass is required. Speed Boosters typically widen the effective focal length (~0.71×) and add ~1 stop of light, which can be desirable on crop bodies.	Speed Booster equivalence calculator Plug in any Sony A / Minolta A lens and pick the focal-reducer family. The calc returns the effective focal length and aperture on a Nikon F (APS-C), plus the full-frame equivalent angle of view after the body's crop stacks on top. Lens focal length (mm)Max aperture (f/N)Focal-reducer family Effective focal length 35.5 mm 50.0 mm × 0.71 on the reducer. Effective aperture f/1.28 0.99 stops brighter than f/1.80. Full-frame equiv. angle of view 53.3 mm 35.5 mm × 1.5× (APS-C sensor crop). A focal reducer concentrates the lens's image circle, so both focal length and f-number scale by the same ratio (stops gained = `−2 · log₂(ratio)`). The body's crop factor still applies on top — the full-frame-equivalent angle-of-view multiplier is ratio × body crop. Calculator is informational; verify against the adapter vendor's per-lens compatibility chart before purchase.
Body mount M42 (Pentax / Praktica screw mount) flange 45.46 mm	Speed booster MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	Speed Booster / focal-reducer family	Flange clearance is only -1.0 mm — a plain mechanical adapter cannot reach infinity focus; a focal reducer (Speed Booster) with optical glass is required. Speed Boosters typically widen the effective focal length (~0.71×) and add ~1 stop of light, which can be desirable on crop bodies.	Speed Booster equivalence calculator Plug in any Sony A / Minolta A lens and pick the focal-reducer family. The calc returns the effective focal length and aperture on a M42 (Pentax / Praktica screw mount) (APS-C), plus the full-frame equivalent angle of view after the body's crop stacks on top. Lens focal length (mm)Max aperture (f/N)Focal-reducer family Effective focal length 35.5 mm 50.0 mm × 0.71 on the reducer. Effective aperture f/1.28 0.99 stops brighter than f/1.80. Full-frame equiv. angle of view 53.3 mm 35.5 mm × 1.5× (APS-C sensor crop). A focal reducer concentrates the lens's image circle, so both focal length and f-number scale by the same ratio (stops gained = `−2 · log₂(ratio)`). The body's crop factor still applies on top — the full-frame-equivalent angle-of-view multiplier is ratio × body crop. Calculator is informational; verify against the adapter vendor's per-lens compatibility chart before purchase.
Body mount Pentax K flange 45.46 mm	Speed booster MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	Speed Booster / focal-reducer family	Flange clearance is only -1.0 mm — a plain mechanical adapter cannot reach infinity focus; a focal reducer (Speed Booster) with optical glass is required. Speed Boosters typically widen the effective focal length (~0.71×) and add ~1 stop of light, which can be desirable on crop bodies.	Speed Booster equivalence calculator Plug in any Sony A / Minolta A lens and pick the focal-reducer family. The calc returns the effective focal length and aperture on a Pentax K (APS-C), plus the full-frame equivalent angle of view after the body's crop stacks on top. Lens focal length (mm)Max aperture (f/N)Focal-reducer family Effective focal length 35.5 mm 50.0 mm × 0.71 on the reducer. Effective aperture f/1.28 0.99 stops brighter than f/1.80. Full-frame equiv. angle of view 53.3 mm 35.5 mm × 1.5× (APS-C sensor crop). A focal reducer concentrates the lens's image circle, so both focal length and f-number scale by the same ratio (stops gained = `−2 · log₂(ratio)`). The body's crop factor still applies on top — the full-frame-equivalent angle-of-view multiplier is ratio × body crop. Calculator is informational; verify against the adapter vendor's per-lens compatibility chart before purchase.
Body mount PL (Positive Lock) flange 52 mm	Speed booster MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	Speed Booster / focal-reducer family	Flange clearance is only -7.5 mm — a plain mechanical adapter cannot reach infinity focus; a focal reducer (Speed Booster) with optical glass is required. Speed Boosters typically widen the effective focal length (~0.71×) and add ~1 stop of light, which can be desirable on crop bodies.	Speed Booster equivalence calculator Plug in any Sony A / Minolta A lens and pick the focal-reducer family. The calc returns the effective focal length and aperture on a PL (Positive Lock) (APS-C), plus the full-frame equivalent angle of view after the body's crop stacks on top. Lens focal length (mm)Max aperture (f/N)Focal-reducer family Effective focal length 35.5 mm 50.0 mm × 0.71 on the reducer. Effective aperture f/1.28 0.99 stops brighter than f/1.80. Full-frame equiv. angle of view 53.3 mm 35.5 mm × 1.5× (APS-C sensor crop). A focal reducer concentrates the lens's image circle, so both focal length and f-number scale by the same ratio (stops gained = `−2 · log₂(ratio)`). The body's crop factor still applies on top — the full-frame-equivalent angle-of-view multiplier is ratio × body crop. Calculator is informational; verify against the adapter vendor's per-lens compatibility chart before purchase.
Body mount Canon EF (cine) flange 44 mm	Speed booster MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	Speed Booster / focal-reducer family	Flange clearance is only 0.5 mm — a plain mechanical adapter cannot reach infinity focus; a focal reducer (Speed Booster) with optical glass is required. Speed Boosters typically widen the effective focal length (~0.71×) and add ~1 stop of light, which can be desirable on crop bodies.	Speed Booster equivalence calculator Plug in any Sony A / Minolta A lens and pick the focal-reducer family. The calc returns the effective focal length and aperture on a Canon EF (cine) (APS-C), plus the full-frame equivalent angle of view after the body's crop stacks on top. Lens focal length (mm)Max aperture (f/N)Focal-reducer family Effective focal length 35.5 mm 50.0 mm × 0.71 on the reducer. Effective aperture f/1.28 0.99 stops brighter than f/1.80. Full-frame equiv. angle of view 53.3 mm 35.5 mm × 1.5× (APS-C sensor crop). A focal reducer concentrates the lens's image circle, so both focal length and f-number scale by the same ratio (stops gained = `−2 · log₂(ratio)`). The body's crop factor still applies on top — the full-frame-equivalent angle-of-view multiplier is ratio × body crop. Calculator is informational; verify against the adapter vendor's per-lens compatibility chart before purchase.
Body mount Exakta flange 44.7 mm	Speed booster MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	Speed Booster / focal-reducer family	Flange clearance is only -0.2 mm — a plain mechanical adapter cannot reach infinity focus; a focal reducer (Speed Booster) with optical glass is required. Speed Boosters typically widen the effective focal length (~0.71×) and add ~1 stop of light, which can be desirable on crop bodies.	Speed Booster equivalence calculator Plug in any Sony A / Minolta A lens and pick the focal-reducer family. The calc returns the effective focal length and aperture on a Exakta (APS-C), plus the full-frame equivalent angle of view after the body's crop stacks on top. Lens focal length (mm)Max aperture (f/N)Focal-reducer family Effective focal length 35.5 mm 50.0 mm × 0.71 on the reducer. Effective aperture f/1.28 0.99 stops brighter than f/1.80. Full-frame equiv. angle of view 53.3 mm 35.5 mm × 1.5× (APS-C sensor crop). A focal reducer concentrates the lens's image circle, so both focal length and f-number scale by the same ratio (stops gained = `−2 · log₂(ratio)`). The body's crop factor still applies on top — the full-frame-equivalent angle-of-view multiplier is ratio × body crop. Calculator is informational; verify against the adapter vendor's per-lens compatibility chart before purchase.
Body mount T-mount (T2) flange 55 mm	Speed booster MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	Speed Booster / focal-reducer family	Flange clearance is only -10.5 mm — a plain mechanical adapter cannot reach infinity focus; a focal reducer (Speed Booster) with optical glass is required. Speed Boosters typically widen the effective focal length (~0.71×) and add ~1 stop of light, which can be desirable on crop bodies.	Speed Booster equivalence calculator Plug in any Sony A / Minolta A lens and pick the focal-reducer family. The calc returns the effective focal length and aperture on a T-mount (T2) (APS-C), plus the full-frame equivalent angle of view after the body's crop stacks on top. Lens focal length (mm)Max aperture (f/N)Focal-reducer family Effective focal length 35.5 mm 50.0 mm × 0.71 on the reducer. Effective aperture f/1.28 0.99 stops brighter than f/1.80. Full-frame equiv. angle of view 53.3 mm 35.5 mm × 1.5× (APS-C sensor crop). A focal reducer concentrates the lens's image circle, so both focal length and f-number scale by the same ratio (stops gained = `−2 · log₂(ratio)`). The body's crop factor still applies on top — the full-frame-equivalent angle-of-view multiplier is ratio × body crop. Calculator is informational; verify against the adapter vendor's per-lens compatibility chart before purchase.
Body mount Praktica B flange 44.4 mm	Speed booster MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	Speed Booster / focal-reducer family	Flange clearance is only 0.1 mm — a plain mechanical adapter cannot reach infinity focus; a focal reducer (Speed Booster) with optical glass is required. Speed Boosters typically widen the effective focal length (~0.71×) and add ~1 stop of light, which can be desirable on crop bodies.	Speed Booster equivalence calculator Plug in any Sony A / Minolta A lens and pick the focal-reducer family. The calc returns the effective focal length and aperture on a Praktica B (APS-C), plus the full-frame equivalent angle of view after the body's crop stacks on top. Lens focal length (mm)Max aperture (f/N)Focal-reducer family Effective focal length 35.5 mm 50.0 mm × 0.71 on the reducer. Effective aperture f/1.28 0.99 stops brighter than f/1.80. Full-frame equiv. angle of view 53.3 mm 35.5 mm × 1.5× (APS-C sensor crop). A focal reducer concentrates the lens's image circle, so both focal length and f-number scale by the same ratio (stops gained = `−2 · log₂(ratio)`). The body's crop factor still applies on top — the full-frame-equivalent angle-of-view multiplier is ratio × body crop. Calculator is informational; verify against the adapter vendor's per-lens compatibility chart before purchase.
Body mount Minolta SR / MC / MD flange 43.5 mm	Speed booster MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	Speed Booster / focal-reducer family	Flange clearance is only 1.0 mm — a plain mechanical adapter cannot reach infinity focus; a focal reducer (Speed Booster) with optical glass is required. Speed Boosters typically widen the effective focal length (~0.71×) and add ~1 stop of light, which can be desirable on crop bodies.	Speed Booster equivalence calculator Plug in any Sony A / Minolta A lens and pick the focal-reducer family. The calc returns the effective focal length and aperture on a Minolta SR / MC / MD (APS-C), plus the full-frame equivalent angle of view after the body's crop stacks on top. Lens focal length (mm)Max aperture (f/N)Focal-reducer family Effective focal length 35.5 mm 50.0 mm × 0.71 on the reducer. Effective aperture f/1.28 0.99 stops brighter than f/1.80. Full-frame equiv. angle of view 53.3 mm 35.5 mm × 1.5× (APS-C sensor crop). A focal reducer concentrates the lens's image circle, so both focal length and f-number scale by the same ratio (stops gained = `−2 · log₂(ratio)`). The body's crop factor still applies on top — the full-frame-equivalent angle-of-view multiplier is ratio × body crop. Calculator is informational; verify against the adapter vendor's per-lens compatibility chart before purchase.
Body mount Olympus OM flange 46 mm	Speed booster MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	Speed Booster / focal-reducer family	Flange clearance is only -1.5 mm — a plain mechanical adapter cannot reach infinity focus; a focal reducer (Speed Booster) with optical glass is required. Speed Boosters typically widen the effective focal length (~0.71×) and add ~1 stop of light, which can be desirable on crop bodies.	Speed Booster equivalence calculator Plug in any Sony A / Minolta A lens and pick the focal-reducer family. The calc returns the effective focal length and aperture on a Olympus OM (APS-C), plus the full-frame equivalent angle of view after the body's crop stacks on top. Lens focal length (mm)Max aperture (f/N)Focal-reducer family Effective focal length 35.5 mm 50.0 mm × 0.71 on the reducer. Effective aperture f/1.28 0.99 stops brighter than f/1.80. Full-frame equiv. angle of view 53.3 mm 35.5 mm × 1.5× (APS-C sensor crop). A focal reducer concentrates the lens's image circle, so both focal length and f-number scale by the same ratio (stops gained = `−2 · log₂(ratio)`). The body's crop factor still applies on top — the full-frame-equivalent angle-of-view multiplier is ratio × body crop. Calculator is informational; verify against the adapter vendor's per-lens compatibility chart before purchase.
Body mount Contax/Yashica (C/Y) flange 45.5 mm	Speed booster MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	Speed Booster / focal-reducer family	Flange clearance is only -1.0 mm — a plain mechanical adapter cannot reach infinity focus; a focal reducer (Speed Booster) with optical glass is required. Speed Boosters typically widen the effective focal length (~0.71×) and add ~1 stop of light, which can be desirable on crop bodies.	Speed Booster equivalence calculator Plug in any Sony A / Minolta A lens and pick the focal-reducer family. The calc returns the effective focal length and aperture on a Contax/Yashica (C/Y) (APS-C), plus the full-frame equivalent angle of view after the body's crop stacks on top. Lens focal length (mm)Max aperture (f/N)Focal-reducer family Effective focal length 35.5 mm 50.0 mm × 0.71 on the reducer. Effective aperture f/1.28 0.99 stops brighter than f/1.80. Full-frame equiv. angle of view 53.3 mm 35.5 mm × 1.5× (APS-C sensor crop). A focal reducer concentrates the lens's image circle, so both focal length and f-number scale by the same ratio (stops gained = `−2 · log₂(ratio)`). The body's crop factor still applies on top — the full-frame-equivalent angle-of-view multiplier is ratio × body crop. Calculator is informational; verify against the adapter vendor's per-lens compatibility chart before purchase.

Adapting other lenses onto a Sony A / Minolta A body

You own a Sony A / Minolta A body and want to mount glass from other systems. Mirrorless-lens-onto-DSLR-body combinations are omitted (rear element collides with the mirror box).

Lens mount	Result	Adapter examples	Caveats
Lens mount Nikon F flange 46.5 mm	Mechanical MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	generic mechanical adapter ring (multiple vendors)	Mechanical adapter only — no electronic communication between Nikon F lens and Sony A / Minolta A body. Lens has no aperture ring; choose an adapter with a built-in aperture-control wheel.
Lens mount PL (Positive Lock) flange 52 mm	Mechanical MFno ISAp. ring	generic mechanical adapter ring (multiple vendors)	Mechanical adapter only — no electronic communication between PL (Positive Lock) lens and Sony A / Minolta A body.
Lens mount T-mount (T2) flange 55 mm	Mechanical MFno ISAp. ring	generic mechanical adapter ring (multiple vendors)	Mechanical adapter only — no electronic communication between T-mount (T2) lens and Sony A / Minolta A body.
Lens mount Canon EF flange 44 mm	Speed booster MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	Speed Booster / focal-reducer family	Flange clearance is only -0.5 mm — a plain mechanical adapter cannot reach infinity focus; a focal reducer (Speed Booster) with optical glass is required. Speed Boosters typically widen the effective focal length (~0.71×) and add ~1 stop of light, which can be desirable on crop bodies.
Lens mount Canon EF-S flange 44 mm	Speed booster MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheelvignettes	Speed Booster / focal-reducer family	Flange clearance is only -0.5 mm — a plain mechanical adapter cannot reach infinity focus; a focal reducer (Speed Booster) with optical glass is required. Speed Boosters typically widen the effective focal length (~0.71×) and add ~1 stop of light, which can be desirable on crop bodies.
Lens mount Canon FD flange 42 mm	Speed booster MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	Speed Booster / focal-reducer family	Flange clearance is only -2.5 mm — a plain mechanical adapter cannot reach infinity focus; a focal reducer (Speed Booster) with optical glass is required. Speed Boosters typically widen the effective focal length (~0.71×) and add ~1 stop of light, which can be desirable on crop bodies.
Lens mount M42 (Pentax / Praktica screw mount) flange 45.46 mm	Speed booster MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	Speed Booster / focal-reducer family	Flange clearance is only 1.0 mm — a plain mechanical adapter cannot reach infinity focus; a focal reducer (Speed Booster) with optical glass is required. Speed Boosters typically widen the effective focal length (~0.71×) and add ~1 stop of light, which can be desirable on crop bodies.
Lens mount Pentax K flange 45.46 mm	Speed booster MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	Speed Booster / focal-reducer family	Flange clearance is only 1.0 mm — a plain mechanical adapter cannot reach infinity focus; a focal reducer (Speed Booster) with optical glass is required. Speed Boosters typically widen the effective focal length (~0.71×) and add ~1 stop of light, which can be desirable on crop bodies.
Lens mount Canon EF (cine) flange 44 mm	Speed booster MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	Speed Booster / focal-reducer family	Flange clearance is only -0.5 mm — a plain mechanical adapter cannot reach infinity focus; a focal reducer (Speed Booster) with optical glass is required. Speed Boosters typically widen the effective focal length (~0.71×) and add ~1 stop of light, which can be desirable on crop bodies.
Lens mount Exakta flange 44.7 mm	Speed booster MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	Speed Booster / focal-reducer family	Flange clearance is only 0.2 mm — a plain mechanical adapter cannot reach infinity focus; a focal reducer (Speed Booster) with optical glass is required. Speed Boosters typically widen the effective focal length (~0.71×) and add ~1 stop of light, which can be desirable on crop bodies.
Lens mount Praktica B flange 44.4 mm	Speed booster MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	Speed Booster / focal-reducer family	Flange clearance is only -0.1 mm — a plain mechanical adapter cannot reach infinity focus; a focal reducer (Speed Booster) with optical glass is required. Speed Boosters typically widen the effective focal length (~0.71×) and add ~1 stop of light, which can be desirable on crop bodies.
Lens mount Konica AR flange 40.5 mm	Speed booster MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	Speed Booster / focal-reducer family	Flange clearance is only -4.0 mm — a plain mechanical adapter cannot reach infinity focus; a focal reducer (Speed Booster) with optical glass is required. Speed Boosters typically widen the effective focal length (~0.71×) and add ~1 stop of light, which can be desirable on crop bodies.
Lens mount Minolta SR / MC / MD flange 43.5 mm	Speed booster MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	Speed Booster / focal-reducer family	Flange clearance is only -1.0 mm — a plain mechanical adapter cannot reach infinity focus; a focal reducer (Speed Booster) with optical glass is required. Speed Boosters typically widen the effective focal length (~0.71×) and add ~1 stop of light, which can be desirable on crop bodies.
Lens mount Olympus OM flange 46 mm	Speed booster MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	Speed Booster / focal-reducer family	Flange clearance is only 1.5 mm — a plain mechanical adapter cannot reach infinity focus; a focal reducer (Speed Booster) with optical glass is required. Speed Boosters typically widen the effective focal length (~0.71×) and add ~1 stop of light, which can be desirable on crop bodies.
Lens mount Contax/Yashica (C/Y) flange 45.5 mm	Speed booster MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	Speed Booster / focal-reducer family	Flange clearance is only 1.0 mm — a plain mechanical adapter cannot reach infinity focus; a focal reducer (Speed Booster) with optical glass is required. Speed Boosters typically widen the effective focal length (~0.71×) and add ~1 stop of light, which can be desirable on crop bodies.

Adapter SKU teardown

Curated adapter SKUs that involve the Sony A / Minolta A mount on either side, with the operational specifics — body-side electronic contact count, firmware-update path, weather sealing, and whether optical glass is in the path.

Sony LA-EA5
released 2020
Sony A / Minolta A lens → Sony E (incl. FE) body
- 9 body-side contacts
- no firmware updates
- not weather sealed
- no glass — pass-through
- Adds an internal screw-drive motor inside the adapter, restoring AF on screw-drive A-mount lenses (legacy Minolta + early Sony A) when paired with on-sensor PDAF E-mount bodies (a7 III and later).
- On older E-mount bodies without on-sensor PDAF, screw-drive A-mount lenses revert to contrast-detect or manual focus.
Sony LA-EA4
released 2014
Sony A / Minolta A lens → Sony E (incl. FE) body
- 9 body-side contacts
- no firmware updates
- not weather sealed
- no glass — pass-through
- Contains a full SLT (Single-Lens Translucent) mirror module and a dedicated AF sensor inside the adapter — gives any E-mount body, even those without on-sensor PDAF, 15-point phase-detect AF on every A-mount lens.
- Includes an internal screw-drive motor, so legacy Minolta AF and Sony A-mount screw-drive lenses retain autofocus when the body itself cannot drive them.
- SLT mirror costs ~⅓ stop of light; the AF coverage is the older 15-point pattern, not the full-sensor AF of modern Sony bodies. Superseded by LA-EA5 on bodies that have on-sensor PDAF (A7 III and later).
Sony LA-EA3
released 2013
Sony A / Minolta A lens → Sony E (incl. FE) body
- 9 body-side contacts
- no firmware updates
- not weather sealed
- no glass — pass-through
- Pure pass-through electronic adapter — no SLT mirror, no internal motor. Relies entirely on the body for AF.
- On modern E-mount bodies with on-sensor PDAF, the LA-EA3 drives SSM / SAM (in-lens motor) A-mount lenses with full AF, but screw-drive A-mount lenses are manual-focus-only because nothing turns the screw.
- Lighter and shorter than the LA-EA4 by ~115 g; preferred when every lens in the kit is SSM / SAM. Cannot meaningfully focus on bodies without on-sensor PDAF.

References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minolta_A-mount_system

Common questions

Is Sony A-mount discontinued?: Yes — Sony stopped shipping new A-mount bodies in 2021, ending a line that began with the 1985 Minolta Maxxum 7000 (the first commercially successful AF SLR), passed through Konica Minolta from 2003-2006, and ran on Sony's α-DSLR / α-SLT cameras through the α99 II. A-mount lenses continue to be sold for the existing installed base and adapt onto E-mount bodies via the LA-EA5.
What does the Sony LA-EA5 adapter do that other A→E adapters don't?: The LA-EA5 carries an internal screw-drive motor — the only A-mount adapter that drives screw-drive Minolta AF and SAL lenses without forcing manual focus. SSM and SAM lenses (in-lens motors) work on any A→E adapter; screw-drive lenses specifically need the LA-EA5. It also exposes on-sensor PDAF on compatible Alpha bodies (α7 IV / α7 III / α7R IV / α1 / α7C / α9 III).
Can I use a Minolta MD manual lens on an A-mount body?: Not without a focal-reducer adapter. Minolta MD (1958-1985, 43.5 mm flange) and Minolta A (1985-, 44.5 mm flange) are different mounts — the 1 mm flange-distance gap is too small for a glass-less MD-to-A adapter to focus at infinity, so dedicated MD-to-A adapters with corrective glass exist but are rare and degrade image quality. MD adapts much more easily onto mirrorless mounts via plain mechanical rings.

Mount specifications

Sony A / Minolta A on the flange-distance axis

Adapting Sony A / Minolta A lenses onto other bodies

Adapting other lenses onto a Sony A / Minolta A body

Adapter SKU teardown

Sony LA-EA5

Sony LA-EA4

Sony LA-EA3

References

Common questions

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