Minolta MD 50mm 1:1.2 vs MD 50mm 1:1.4 vs MD 50mm 1:1.7 vs MD 50mm 1:2.0 vs MD 50mm 1:3.5 – comparison

Published by Tony on 2018-01-262018-01-26

Minolta MD 50mm lenses comparison:

• Minolta MD 50mm 1:1.2 MD III
• Minolta MD 50mm 1:1.4 MD III
• Minolta MD 50mm 1:1.7 MD III
• Minolta MD 50mm 1:2.0 MD III
• Minolta MD Macro 50mm 1:3.5 MD III

This is a battle without losers. All 50mm Minolta lenses are balanced in terms of technical capabilities and price. Therefore, this comparison was made rather out of curiosity, no matter what lens you take for photography – the result will be the best.

This comparison is correct only for conditions and equipment used for tests. An element changed – the result changed.

Tested lenses

And special guest – Minolta MD 50mm f/3.5 macro (New MD, MD III)

Test description

• Camera Sony A7II (24mpx, full frame) – RAW (ARW), tripod, A-mode, ISO 100, WB fixed, SteadyShot OFF, manual focus correction for every shot
• Targets (buildings) – fixed by gravity power on the distances in more than 200 meters
• ARW post-processing – Capture One, default settings, 100% crops 300×200 px

Notes

• Most of Minolta’s lenses haven’t half-clicks after the first aperture position. So, for example, aperture “F2.0” for MD III 50mm 1:1.7 means an aperture set in the middle position between F1.7 and F2.8
• Sunlight changed during the session
• Other available 35mm Minoltas can be found here – minolta.easypix.de

Minolta MD 50mm lenses comparison – sharpness/resolution

Scene preview

Test results for the center

Test results for the middle

Test results for the corner

Minolta MD 50mm lenses comparison (MD III) – final conclusion

It’s impossible to choose the best 50mm Minolta because all of them are good for different tasks.

And very important – all lenses became identical after F5.6, so my notes below are about differences of the lenses close to opened apertures.

Minolta N-MD 50mm f/3.5 macro – the special:

• It doesn’t matter, how this lens takes the pictures on infinity and with fully opened aperture because it is – macro. It can’t be compared with other 50mm lenses.

Minolta N-MD 50mm f/1.2 – the most universal:

• Center – not so good as others up to F2.8
• Middle – better than others on any F
• Corner – not so good as N-MD 50mm f/1.4 and N-MD 50mm f/1.7 up to 4.5, but the same as N-MD 50mm f/2.0

Minolta N-MD 50mm f/1.4  – the sharpest:

• Center – the best among others on any F
• Middle – close to N-MD 50mm f/1.2 and better than N-MD 50mm f/1.7 and N-MD 50mm f/2.0
• Corner – not so good as N-MD 50mm f/1.7 up to F2.8 but better than N-MD 50mm f/1.2 and N-MD 50mm f/2.0

Minolta N-MD 50mm f/1.7 – most average distribution of sharpness over the frame:

• Center – not so good as N-MD 50mm f/1.4 on F1.7 but became the same on F2.0 and better than N-MD 50mm f/1.2 and N-MD 50mm f/2.0
• Middle – not so good as others up to F4.5
• Corner – better than others on any F

Minolta N-MD 50mm f/2.0 – the very balanced lens:

• Center – better than N-MD 50mm f/1.2, and close to N-MD 50mm f/1.7 and N-MD 50mm f/1.4 even on opened F2
• Middle – not so good as any others up to F4
• Corner – the same as N-MD 50mm f/1.2 and not so good as N-MD 50mm f/1.4 and N-MD 50mm f/1.7

Have a nice day!