Camera Labs

I have been raving about this lens on this forum so I think a review would be fair.

Pros
* Build and design, metal and glass, not like those modern plastic things
* Great colors
* Sharp
* Fast AF (compared to other lenses this age)
* Cheap
Cons
* non-circular aperture
* Strenge bokeh wide open
* Small focus ring

This changed the way I do photography. I couldn't really see the value of primes when you get so much more with flexibility with zooms, but was I wrong. This is currently my favorite lens - sharp, great colors, focal length and weight makes this lens city lens of choice. The f1.7 makes this lens ideal to capture Paris by night.

Sample shots:
50mm @ f6.3 100% crop

18-70 Kit @ f6.3 100% crop

50mm DOF sample

50mm random sample

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Minolta primes: 2.8/20 2.8/24 1.7/50 2.8/135
Minolta zooms: 28-135 35-70 70-210(beercan) kit
Minolta cameras: Dynax 5D 7000
M42: Pentax Asahi S-M-C Takumar 1.4/50 and 2.8/105 Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon 2.4/35 Industar-61L/Z Kiron 2.8/105 Macro

Nice shots Rune!

I like the last two but to me the first two look out of focus. Is this deliberate? Am I hallucinating?

Zorro.

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http://zorrofox4.deviantart.com/



Various lenses, SB800 & Manfrotto 190 with 460MG head

I assume the first two are crops to show the difference between the two lenses. So yes, they are borderline sharp.
Are we right, Rune? From which part of the pic did you take the crops?

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses

Oh yes, the two first are center crops such that you can A/B the 50mm and 18-70mm kit. You can se difference in sharpness and color if you look closely. The light is not that good so I might change them so it's more obvious.

edit: no post processing on the samples.

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Minolta primes: 2.8/20 2.8/24 1.7/50 2.8/135
Minolta zooms: 28-135 35-70 70-210(beercan) kit
Minolta cameras: Dynax 5D 7000
M42: Pentax Asahi S-M-C Takumar 1.4/50 and 2.8/105 Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon 2.4/35 Industar-61L/Z Kiron 2.8/105 Macro

I know it's too late for this thread but does this lens do good macro ?
I think am gonna buy one for a cheap price and am desprate for macro.

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Sony Alpha A200
Minolta 50 f1.7
Minolta 17-35mm f2.8
Sigma 55-200
Helios 58 f2
Tair 11A 135mm f2.8
Minolta 35-70 f3.5-4.5
DT 18-70 Kit Lens
Soligor Macro Tubes
San Disk Compact Flash Ultra II 4 GB and 2G
Lawepro Slingshot 300AW

It doesn't focus close enough for macro (1/6.66). I have read about some using this lens with extension tubes, that way you have a cheap macro.

The beercan on the other hand can focus down to 1/4 and delivers reasonable macro and really smooth out of focus areas, but not as sharp as a specialized macro lens, and as close focusing. You can see a macro shot here.

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Minolta primes: 2.8/20 2.8/24 1.7/50 2.8/135
Minolta zooms: 28-135 35-70 70-210(beercan) kit
Minolta cameras: Dynax 5D 7000
M42: Pentax Asahi S-M-C Takumar 1.4/50 and 2.8/105 Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon 2.4/35 Industar-61L/Z Kiron 2.8/105 Macro

Is this an MD mount lens? I have a manual focus 50/1.7 MD mount. I just ordered an adapter ring off of ebay to use it and my other Minolta lenses on my Canon XT. I hope it works.

Nope, this is the AF version.

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Minolta primes: 2.8/20 2.8/24 1.7/50 2.8/135
Minolta zooms: 28-135 35-70 70-210(beercan) kit
Minolta cameras: Dynax 5D 7000
M42: Pentax Asahi S-M-C Takumar 1.4/50 and 2.8/105 Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon 2.4/35 Industar-61L/Z Kiron 2.8/105 Macro

Did the AF version use a different mount?