Minolta MD III

Minolta MD 50mm 1:2.0 – review

Minolta MD 50mm 1:2.0 – vintage manual lens test and review

  • Official classification: New-MD
  • Collector’s classification: MD III

Unexpectedly popular lens among Minolta fans. Even more – some people think that it is the best fifty ever,.. but sometimes these people say that this lens is a result of collaboration with Leica – and this is not true of course. So, don’t believe da hype (c). Anyway, independently of the fact that tests don’t display any advantages over other MD fifties, except a slightly better geometry, it is an amazing lens, like any other fifty by Minolta.
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By Tony, ago

Minolta MD 50mm 1:1.7 – review

Minolta MD 50mm 1:1.7 – vintage manual lens test and review

  • Official classification: New-MD
  • Collector’s classification: MD III

This is one of the most common lenses from Minolta. Not so famous as faster sisters 50/1.4 or 50/1.2 that is why it is a very cheap for today, but at the same time – absolutely wonderful fifty that will never let you down and works wonderful, like any other Minolta’s 50mm.

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By Tony, ago

Minolta MD 50mm 1:1.4 – review

Minolta MD 50mm 1:1.4 – vintage manual lens test and review

  • Official classification: New-MD
  • Collector’s classification: MD III

This is the ideal lens. If a photographer gets this lens first – then all other lenses in the photo-bag will be the Minolta only. It’s like an essence of the fifties – the last generation which absorbs all the best from predecessors and balanced in all aspects.
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By Tony, ago

Minolta MD 35mm 1:1.8 vs MD 35mm 1:2.8 vs Sony Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* 35mm f/2.8 ZA – comparison

Minolta MD and Sony 35mm lenses comparison:

  • Minolta MD 35mm 1:1.8 MD III
  • Minolta MD 35mm 1:2.8 MD III
  • Sony Carl Zeiss FE 35mm 1:2.8 ZA

I could never make a choice on one of the two lenses – New MD 35/1.8 or New MD 35/2.8. To be honest, this comparison does not help either – they are both the best.
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By Tony, ago

Minolta MD 28mm 1:2.0 vs MD 28mm 1:2.8(7×7) vs MD 28mm 1:2.8(5×5) vs MD 28mm 1:3.5 – comparison (v1)

Minolta MD 28mm lenses comparison:

  • Minolta MD 28mm 1:2.0 MD III
  • Minolta MD 28mm 1:2.8 (7 elements 7 groups) MD III
  • Minolta MD 28mm 1:2.8 (5 elements 5 groups) MD III
  • Minolta MD 28mm 1:3.5 MD III

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By Tony, ago

Minolta MD 28mm 1:2.8 – 5 elements 5 groups – review

Minolta MD 28mm 1:2.8 5×5 – vintage manual lens test and review

  • Official classification: New-MD
  • Collector’s classification: MD III

Minolta has produced two MD 28mm F2.8 lenses in the similar MD III design – one with 7 elements in 7 groups optical scheme and another – 5 elements in 5 groups. Both have enough identical exterior but may be easily distinguished because 5×5-version has a thin black ring around the front lens but 7×7-version doesn’t have. Both sisters have been compared by sharpness/resolution, the link is at the bottom of the page. But this article is about the test results of the 5×5-version.

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By Tony, ago