Sony SLT-A77 – hybrid mirrorless/DSLR with Minolta history

Several years ago, I purchased a Minolta Maxxum 7000 at a garage sale for $15, which came with a Sigma UC 28-70mm zoom. I had wanted to shoot with one for years. Its history is significant, as it was the first autofocus camera. I knew from browsing around that these old AF lenses were incredibly cheap, and I had come across them occasionally but never had a body to use them with.

The Minolta 7000 is a lot of fun to shoot with. I love that it uses AAA batteries, and I found its metering to be quite accurate. Wanting to take things a step further and shoot with native Maxxum lenses, I bought a couple on eBay at incredibly low prices—the 70-210mm f/4 and the 35-70mm f/4, sold together. Then I came across a 100-300mm lens, further expanding my range for pennies. Eventually, I spotted another Minolta Maxxum with a Maxxum 50mm f/1.7 lens at an antique store for $25. I couldn’t resist—both looked to be in great shape. Having a classic 50mm with essentially a free body was too good to pass up.

However, as time went on and the cost of film increased, I decided to shoot film far less—a trend that has continued since 2020.

Sony A-Mount Bodies

At the end of 2023, I revisited what Sony had to offer in their now-discontinued A-Mount system. This mount had a relatively short lifespan (2006–2020), but it represented Sony’s evolution from Minolta, and they managed to release 29 camera bodies in just 14 years. Wanting to continue using my five A-mount lenses digitally, I sought a cost-effective way to do so.

Sony had only four full-frame A-mount bodies—the a850, a900, a99, and a99 II—while the rest were APS-C.

Single-Lens Translucent: A DSLR and Mirrorless Hybrid

While researching, I discovered that the a99 and a99 II were different from the a850 and a900—they lacked a traditional flipping mirror. Instead, they featured a stationary “translucent” mirror that allowed most light to pass through directly to the sensor, while a small fraction was redirected to the viewfinder. The “SLT” in their name stands for “Single-Lens Translucent.”

Technically, the term “translucent” is a misnomer; it actually refers to a pellicle mirror. I had never encountered that term before, so I dug a little deeper. A pellicle mirror is a thin, semi-transparent optical film that splits light between different paths. The word pellicle means “thin membrane” or “little skin.” One of the earliest consumer cameras to use a fixed pellicle mirror was the Canon Pellix (1965). So while Sony’s implementation seemed innovative, the underlying technology wasn’t new. Of the 29 A-mount bodies Sony released, 12 were SLT models (2 full-frame, 10 APS-C).

So why did Sony transition from DSLRs to SLTs? The main advantages were increased autofocus speed and faster burst rates. With a fixed mirror, there was less camera shake, as nothing moved internally. Sony has always focused on innovation, and this was an early example of their forward-thinking approach.

Of course, there were trade-offs. Some light was lost to the sensor because a small portion was reflected away, and there was a potential reduction in image quality due to light diffraction or ghosting. Additionally, SLT cameras replaced traditional optical viewfinders with electronic ones.

Kai Man Wong tested the light loss in 2012 on DigitalRev’s YouTube channel, shortly after the release of the Sony STL-A77. He found that you lose about one-third to half a stop of light—meaning an f/2.8 lens effectively behaved like an f/3.3 lens.

Deciding on the SLT-A77

After researching cameras compatible with my Minolta lenses, I settled on the Sony STL-A77. It struck a balance between affordability and solid performance. Upon its release, it was the world’s first 24MP APS-C camera—at a time when most APS-C models maxed out at 16MP. DxOMark described it as a “very good semi-professional camera,” giving it an overall score of 78/100. Nearly every major review site praised its high burst rate, fast autofocus, and excellent electronic viewfinder.

The a99 would have been a better choice for maintaining a 1:1 crop factor with my Minolta lenses, but I enjoy the extra reach of a crop sensor. With 24MP, I also had some flexibility for cropping. When I purchased the Sony STL-A77 in early 2024, the a99 was about $200 more (~$500 vs. ~$300), and despite having a larger sensor, it was nearly identical in specs.

I bought my A77 from MPB.com, and the purchase was a success. I was thoroughly impressed by the EVF and the incredibly flexible articulating screen, which could be positioned at almost any angle. I didn’t notice the slight light loss, and as for grain, in 2025 I can easily remove or reduce it with DxO PhotoLab.

The Maxxum lenses perform well, though they’re a bit slow. The 70-210mm lens does exhibit chromatic aberration, but again, software corrections work well when shooting RAW. I also appreciate the Sony STL-A77’s numerous manual dials and deep menu system. Another pleasant surprise was that JPEGs straight out of the camera (SOOC) were quite good—I created a custom color profile and often use the JPEGs as my final versions, skipping RAW processing entirely if I want.

Completing the Kit with a Wide-Angle Zoom

Once I started using the Sony STL-A77, I realized my minimum focal length was 42mm with the Sigma 28-70mm lens. Since I prefer shooting wider for indoor and street photography, I went on the hunt for a good wide-angle option. Luckily, I found a weather-sealed Sony DT 16-50mm f/2.8 SSM lens—originally sold as a kit lens with the A77—for just $99 in mint condition, including the hood.

Although I frequently shoot with my Minolta lenses (especially the 70-210mm f/4), the Sony 16-50mm f/2.8 perfectly completed my setup. I mean, a weather-sealed f/2.8 short zoom for $99?! That was a no-brainer.

Photos from the Sony STL-A77

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