Minolta Lens

Barney

Barney

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Has anyone got any opinion or advice on the best Minolta lenses for film use in A mount?
 
For lens reviews, look on Dyxum.

Avoid the consumer lenses like the 28-80 or 28-100, buy the serious/professional lenses like the 28-85, 28-105, 70-210 f4, 50 f1.4 etc. Primes are generally excellent. IMO Minolta have better image quality than Nikon of the same era - I've owned both.
 
ancient_mariner said:
For lens reviews, look on Dyxum.

Avoid the consumer lenses like the 28-80 or 28-100, buy the serious/professional lenses like the 28-85, 28-105, 70-210 f4, 50 f1.4 etc. Primes are generally excellent. IMO Minolta have better image quality than Nikon of the same era - I've owned both.
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Thanks Toni, that's just what I needed!
 
I can't really offer a critical analysis, but I can say that Minolta lenses have pleasantly surprised me. Some of the best I've used, I think.
 
ancient_mariner said:
For lens reviews, look on Dyxum.

Avoid the consumer lenses like the 28-80 or 28-100, buy the serious/professional lenses like the 28-85, 28-105, 70-210 f4, 50 f1.4 etc. Primes are generally excellent. IMO Minolta have better image quality than Nikon of the same era - I've owned both.
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How would you rate the 24-105 AF?

it has a gold or silver ring on it
 
Any of the Minolta primes like the 28, 50 and the 100 macro. There's also the Sigma 105 macro which I also have which is good too.

The sigma DG series are also worth finding. They're the higher end ones.

Tamron and Sigma both did a lazy arse 28-300 zoom. I used to have that as the walk about as it just about covered everything imaginable.
 
I had the 24-105mm f3.5-4.5 which I used on digital bodies. Fairly good lens actually but the issue on film will be the distortion at 24mm. Wasn't so much an issue on digital bodies as it can be corrected in software later.

What are you intending to shoot and/or what kind of lenses are you after?
 
Barney said:
How would you rate the 24-105 AF?

it has a gold or silver ring on it
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I've never owned one, though many seemed to like them. As @nandbytes said, distortion doesn't help with film.

The other lens that was really popular and expensive at one time was the 'secret handshake' 28-135' but image quality isn't really that great IIRC.
 
Minolta labelled their top lenses 'G' (which Sony then copied when they took over A-Mount, and subsequently used for high quality E-Mount, before adding GM for the 'best' E-Mount)).

I've only used one Minolta G, the 85 f/1.4 G, and its superb.
 
nandbytes said:
I had the 24-105mm f3.5-4.5 which I used on digital bodies. Fairly good lens actually but the issue on film will be the distortion at 24mm. Wasn't so much an issue on digital bodies as it can be corrected in software later.

What are you intending to shoot and/or what kind of lenses are you after?
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I suspect I am like most photographers I want fast primes for little outlay as possible, I shoot pretty much anything I come across and my natural tendencies are towards the shorter end, 35mm, 28mm, 24mm.

I find them easier to focus and easier to hand hold at slow speeds.

I think I would probably stretch to 50mm but don't anticipate doing planned portraiture or anything. I have other systems available if I need a specific use/purpose. A general purpose high quality lens.
 
Barney said:
I suspect I am like most photographers I want fast primes for little outlay as possible, I shoot pretty much anything I come across and my natural tendencies are towards the shorter end, 35mm, 28mm, 24mm.

I find them easier to focus and easier to hand hold at slow speeds.

I think I would probably stretch to 50mm but don't anticipate doing planned portraiture or anything. I have other systems available if I need a specific use/purpose. A general purpose high quality lens.
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There is a 24-50mm f4 that might interest you in that case in terms of zooms.
There is also minolta/tamron 17-35mm f2.8-4 and Minolta 17-35mm f3.5G

In terms of primes in that range there's a few options like Minolta 24mm f2.8 or 28mm f2, 35mm f2 or 35mm f1.4
There is also a 28mm f2.8 but not great

Edit:
Just remembered there is also a minolta 24-85mm f3.5-4.5 might be better than 24-105mm for distortion
 
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I also have a voigtlander 19-35 or similar that's not going to be used - if you're interested let me know and I'll stick it in the classifieds.
 
ancient_mariner said:
I also have a voigtlander 19-35 or similar that's not going to be used - if you're interested let me know and I'll stick it in the classifieds.
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Thanks for thinking of me Toni, camera has not arrived yet I am leaning towards 24mm 2.8 though
 
I had one briefly - it was fine for film. I still use an A mount 50 f1.4 occasionally.
 
The white 80-200 f2.8 APO-G is the best lens I own. Heavy, but wonderful.

Then the 100mm macro.
 
I'm a great fan of Minolta lenses. I have a Dynax 9 and my favourite 'walkabout' lens is the 28-105. For other uses the primes, 20mm to 500mm catadioptric can all be relied upon to produce quality images. The 50mm and 100mm macro lenses are particularly useful if that is your thing, particularly in conjunction with the Macro 1200 flash. It has the advantage of having four separate flash tubes instead of a single ring. The four tubes can be switched in or out individually to tailor the lighting.
 
I use the 24mm f2.8, 50mm f1.7 and 70-210mm f4 (beer can) on Dynax cameras. They’re all excellent.

The Dynax are my ‘as light and easy to use as a Contax G for a tiny fraction of the price’ cameras. I can see no difference in the negatives, so the Minolta lens design and coatings must be pretty decent.
 
FujiLove said:
I use the 24mm f2.8, 50mm f1.7 and 70-210mm f4 (beer can) on Dynax cameras. They’re all excellent.

The Dynax are my ‘as light and easy to use as a Contax G for a tiny fraction of the price’ cameras. I can see no difference in the negatives, so the Minolta lens design and coatings must be pretty decent.
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I found it interesting when researching Minolta lenses that they had close relationships with Leica regarding optics, working in partnership/Leica utilizing their designs.
 
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