Review 2 of 7
Price Paid:
$177.00
from ebay and BHPhoto Summary: Without any doubt I can tell you that this is the sharpest lens I have ever used in 30+ years of photography. I purchased my original used older version on ebay for $177 in Apr 06. It was so good that I deciede to get the new version and purchased that from BHPhoto in early June 06 for which I shelled out $350. With detailed and exacting attention to the comparison of the old and new format lenses, I can assure you that there is no difference at all at any aperature, in side by side comparisions of sharpness, contrast, color balance, flare, or vinyetting. For all intents and purposes they are identical. An external look at the groupings and elements and coating reflections is also identical. The only differences that I can see is that the older lens has more metal in its structure which may give longer life but the new lens has a focus limit setup.
Strengths: There are two important points to convey: First is that you can get perfectly exposed flash photos down to 1.5:1 magnification ratios with the BUILT IN FLASH in the Maxxum 5D. I believe that internal flash will be the same on the Sony Alpha. That can even be pushed slightly but at 1.4:1 the lens barrel starts to block the light at the bottom of the frame from its shadow. Therefore, there is no need to purchase the expensive ringflash and you will get perfectly exposed, full frame flash coverage each and everytime. Even at 1:1 the top third of the frame will have light. Secondly, I recommend that you defeat the autofocus and rack the lens to 1.5:1. Then compose your photo in the viewfinder and focus by moving the camera closer and father from the subject. When the viewfinder is tack sharp - fire. You will get perfect exposures. Of course you can preset to other magnification ratios or use the autofocus and all will work just fine. In addition I recommend setting the aperature to F 16 in the aperature priotory mode to preclude narrow depth of field and let the camera do the rest. Weaknesses: Basically none with the following exceptions - The newer 50mm 2.8 macro lens has the focus limit switch which comes in handy but the older lens has more metal which makes it feel strudier and probably adds to the life of the lens. The soft rubber-velvet like covering on the focus ring of the new macro will probably get that awful white sticky stuff in ten years and the older metal type will remain perfect for 100 years.
If you look at photodo.com which has modulation transfer curves for almost 1000 lenses you will see that this macro had the best figures of any Minolta lens ever manufactured, including the 100 2.8 macro and the 85mm 1.4 lens. In addtion their testing showed that the Minolta 50mm macro received a higher rating than the Nikon 60mm Micronikor and had the same rating as the Canon macro. So to sum it all up - there is no weaknesses to the glass.
Similar Products Used: Maxxum 7000i, maxxum 7I, SRT 101, NIkon 990, Panasonic FZ20.
Lenses: Maxxum 50mm 1.4 (two), 50mm 1.7 (three), 70-210 F4, 28-135 4.0-4.5, 35-70mm zoom, Sigma 75-300 4.5 - 5.6 APO, 18-70 kit lens.
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