Minolta MD 50mm 1:1.4 two copies comparison – LensRomantic

Published by Tony on 2019-06-102019-06-10

Minolta MD 50mm 1:1.4 two copies comparison (New-MD, MD III or Plain MD design)

Introduction note for the first article in this category – LensRomantic:

Such comparisons can give us a piece of information about the degree of trust and the degree of applicability of lens testing results. It can be interesting mostly for collectors or technicians and doesn’t contain extended conclusions or descriptions with transcripts of results – everything can be seen on sample diagrams. True photographers can skip it and immediately go to the lens review pages.

This is not the secret that most of the lenses have deviations in construction which mean deviations in optical behavior. Reasons can be many: production quality tolerance, normal wear, consequences of disassembling, damages, etc. So, such comparisons help to understand: how much test results are applicable to all other lenses of the same model line?

I don’t especially tend to look for second copies of lenses, but you know how it happens, for example, you bought one lens for review, but tomorrow you accidentally found a set of other lenses into which it belongs. If this is a bargain, you buy the kit, and then sell the extra unnecessary lenses. Why not do paired tests before selling?

MD 50/1.4 is one of the most popular and powerful lenses from Minolta armory, I’m glad to open a new set of articles ‘Lens Romantic’ with this lens.

This comparison is correct only for conditions and equipment used for tests. Test results can differ if any element is changed

Full lens review

Minolta MD 50mm 1:1.4 two copies comparison – long-distance resolution test

Testing methods description

• Target: cityscape
• Distance: > 200 meters to center focus point
• Camera: Sony A7II (24mpx, full-frame, tripod, remote control). M-mode, ISO fixed, WB fixed, SteadyShot – OFF. The focus point is on the center only.
• RAW processing: Capture One, default settings. All quality settings – 100%. Crops – 300×200 px

Scene preview

Test results:

Minolta MD 50mm 1:1.4 two copies comparison – final conclusion

Copy #1 has a nano-advantage but that isn’t enough to say that both are different, lenses work like twins. Especially if to remember that Copy#2 has been restored from the really awful condition. There is no need to repeat the test on close distance – we see enough to be sure in the result.