Playing With Lenses: A little more focussed: Minolta Maxxum AF Zoom 35-70mm 1:4 (22)

Cost: $25 (average cost: $12)

I finally did it... I bought the Sony LA-EA4 that allows me to use Sony and Minolta A-Mount lenses on my Sony full frame E-Mount camera. More specifically, it allows me to use the awesome range of Minolta Maxxum lenses as auto-focus lenses on my Sony A7II. The Minolta Maxxum lenses were known to be of great quality, with strong metal builds, excellent glass quality with some of the lenses considered equal or as close to the best in the world. And most of them can be found for little cash. I bought my first 4 Maxxum lenses as a set for $100. That's $25 per lens, for an auto-focus lens on a Sony camera. That's a game changer!

First, let's talk about the adapter itself. It fits nicely on the camera, giving you an extra tripod mount for heavier lenses (so they will not warp the adapter over time). The principle of the adapter is that is uses it's own mirror to provide auto-focus capabilities within the adapter, and is as it include a motor in it's design, can use any of the older screw-based auto focus lenses. It has however a limitation... as it uses it's internal focus system and not the camera's focus system, it has less focus points, has no automatic focus on eyes or faces (although the camera will beep when a face is in focus), and can not use continuous focus (would be handy for wildlife and children). The focus works great though and everything seems to be in focus for all shots. It's a treat for me as I have been shooting all these manual lenses for so long now. I have to be careful not to get to habited to these auto-focus lenses.

So, let's talk about the 35-70mm 1:4 lens... This was actually the first auto-focus zoom lens in the Maxxum line, and sold as an upgrade to the regular 50mm lens that came with the camera. Later, it became the de-facto kit lens for most Maxxum camera's and extremely popular (explaining you can find this gem on eBay for very little money). it is also said that this lens was one of the first, if not the first, that was using a "hybrid" aspherical element, meaning plastic and glass permanently bonded together, instead of more expensive all-glass elements. With the constant F4 aperture across the range, even Sony itself has no equivalent for this lens today.

The lens has a nice compact look, with a Satin black coat, and is pretty light. Most people prefer newer lenses with internal motors, but using the adapter or camera focus system makes for very light and small lenses. A similar moderns lens today would be multiple times bigger.

Usage is very nice with a snappy focus. it does make some noise as all screw-focus lenses. Also note that the front barrel does rotate when focussing, so more difficult to use grads and polarizers.

Picture quality is VERY nice. Great colors and very sharp (for a kit zoom lens). Little color fringing, when opened a few steps. Bokeh is average and is to sudden in going from sharp to bokeh (see picture of pine apple below). Special shout-out to the macro setting (activated by a slide-button on the lens). It's pretty impressive for a kit lens. I heard, but not tried, that it will give amazing result when used with a macro tube extender.

In short, this lens was so good, that is has it's own nick name, the "Little Beercan", similar to the simply perfect "Large Beercan" and the original "Beercan" lenses in the Maxxum line.

Lens Specification:

Focal Length: 35-70mm
Maximum Aperture: F4
Minimum Aperture: F22
Image Format: 35mm
Lens Mount: Minolta AF
Optics: 11 elements, 9 groups
Blades: 7
Focussing: Auto (+ Manual)
Minimum Focus: 100cm
Filter Size: 49mm
Weight: 259g
Length: ??mm
Production: 1985
Serial Number: 1083264
Made in: Japan

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