Minolta 1200 AF Macro Flash adapter for Alpha 7R-V camera

[Miketski]

I've used a Minolta Maxxum 1200 AF since I bought my first Maxxum 7000 and Maxxum 100mm@f2.8 macro lens and I love this old flash.

I just purchased a new Alpha 7R-V and a Sony 90mm@2.8 macro lens and would like to use my old reliable ring-flash.

Is there an adapter out there that will allow me to use this old flash (1200 AF) with my new camera (a7R-V), preferably with TTL exposure control.

Thanks for taking time to read this.

[Cameratose]

There are many adapters out there for the old proprietary Minolta/Sony shoe. A couple of things:

Make sure you know the voltage of your flash. Some old flashes can damage modern cameras.

If you can't find a direct adapter, you could use a cold shoe and PC cable. 

Recommendation: You just spent thousands on a new camera and lens. Nostalgia aside, get a flash made for the camera. TTL has made so many advances since that flash was marketed it's insane. Your old friend can still live on your older cameras. I still have a Maxxum 7000 and the flash I used back in the day. Yes, it was TTL. No, it's not even close to today's offerings. 

I know you didn't ask for the advice, so please excuse me, but there is no advantage in using that old flash.

Cheers.  

[XKAES]

I’m assuming you are using the older (1987) Minolta Ring Flash 1200AF-N with a three-pin ISO shoe, and not the newer (2001) Minolta Macro Ring Flash 1200 with a four-pin iISO shoe.  It’s easy to confuse these two.  They both do the same thing, and the names are basically the same too! 

They both provide TTL flash, but are designed to do that for different cameras.  Getting a good ISO to iISO adapter is enough of a challenge – I know all too well.

There are adapters for your ISO flash shoe to your Multi-interface camera shoe, but finding one that will provide TTL metering? 

You could put a Sony ADP-MAA adapter on your camera – this lets you mount iISO flashes on Multi-Interface cameras.  Then you could put a  Minolta FS-1100 adapter on the ADP-MAA adapter – this lets you mount older Minolta ISO AF flashes to the newer iISO flash shoe. 

Will it work?  I haven’t tried it!

There may be a company that does this all in one adapter.  I don't know.

Please let us know.                                                             

 

 

Edited February 8 by XKAES

[michelb]

Minolta made a second controller for this ring light called the MFC-1000. This allowed the use of both the 1200 ring light and the then new T-2400 Twin light.

 

It has the Minolta/Sony Autolock shoe so to use it on your A7R-V you will need the Sony ADP-MAA adapter. This will allow TTL with this flash and your body but it may require you to disengage the first curtain electronic shutter for more accurate TTL exposure.

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[michelb]

Shown here with the T-2400 Twin flash

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[michelb]

Or Sony HVL-MT24AM which cal also be used with the Sony ADP-MAA adapter but this one is for for Twin flash only since they removed the central connector for the ring light

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[XKAES]

3 hours ago, michelb said:

Minolta made a second controller for this ring light called the MFC-1000.

I doubt that this will work for the 1987 version of the 1200 Ring Light with the ISO flash shoe -- which is the version Mike has.  Correct me if I'm wrong.

Edited February 8 by XKAES

[michelb]

7 hours ago, XKAES said:

I doubt that this will work for the 1987 version of the 1200 Ring Light with the ISO flash shoe -- which is the version Mike has.  Correct me if I'm wrong.

I have both 1200AF and R1200 (which was introduced at the same time as the MFC-1000 but is essentially the exact same flash) and they use the same flash to controller connector.

Tried on Minolta Maxxum 7D, Sony A700, A900 (DSLR with no EFCS) A77, A77M2, A99 (DSLT with EFCS), NEX-7, A3000, A7R, A7M2 ( Mirrorless with EFCS)

The issue with compatibility happens when you try to use the original Ring light controller that uses a different TTL protocol so it can only be used in Manual at full power. Some even say the second generation of 1200AF ring lights (was marked on the box as 1200AF (n)) which were supplied with a Minolta FS-1100 adapter to use on i series bodies is even less compatible than the 1st generation.

All my tests with either the 1200AF or the R1200 connected to the MFC-1000 controller have worked out perfectly. The only potential issue is if your body uses the EFCS (Electronic first curtain shutter) it has to be disabled to ensure maximum TTL exposure accuracy. If not disabled, you may experience overexposure likely due to the fact the Pre-Flash is now issued on the sensor instead of the shutter blades on mechanical shutters. This difference likely causes misreading of the pre-flash and wrong power level reading from the camera and wrong request for power to the flash .

The previous Minolta Ring Flash called the Auto 80PX had a different ring light to controller connection so that one can not be used at all.

Edited February 9 by michelb

[michelb]

Here 80PX on the left and 1200AF on the right. Notice the different connectors on the top to connect the Ring Light

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[XKAES]

Thanks for the clarification.  

Are you saying that the 1987 version of the Minolta 1200 Ring Light with the ISO flash shoe can be used on the Sony 7R but only in full power mode? 

I assume it needs to use both the Minolta FS-1100 and the Sony ADP-MAA, right?

[michelb]

3 hours ago, XKAES said:

Thanks for the clarification.  

Are you saying that the 1987 version of the Minolta 1200 Ring Light with the ISO flash shoe can be used on the Sony 7R but only in full power mode? 

I assume it needs to use both the Minolta FS-1100 and the Sony ADP-MAA, right?

It could probably be used directly on the A7R ( or any other body using the Sony MIS shoe) in manual mode provided it can be positioned properly in spite of the zillion contacts Sony placed on these bodies at the front of the shoe which may prevent the shoe from making proper contact at the center. If proper central contact is not achieved, using a ADP-MAA adapter topped by a Minolta FS-1100 will do the trick. Tried it with older flashes like 360PX and a few others and it works.

The issue with using it in Manual Mode is that due to the very short distances involved, calculating the proper aperture for correct exposure is a challenge. Add to this that the assist lights will not operate the way they were designed if at all.