Minolta MD 35-105mm 1:3.5-4.5 Zoom Macro – 16 elements in 13 groups – review

Minolta MD 35-105mm 1:3.5-4.5 Zoom Macro (16el.13gr.) lens review

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

A bit unusual zoom for MD-III Minolta line – too many metals is visible in exterior. The combination of F4.5 with 105mm for the long end looks quite fast for portraits, so the main question – what a sharpness this lens can offer?

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Yashica ML 28mm 1:2.8 vs Minolta MD 28mm 1:2.8 – 5 elements 5 groups – comparison

Yashica ML 28mm F/2.8 vs Minolta MD 28mm F/2.8 5×5 – comparison

Both of these lenses are quite suitable for those looking for an inexpensive wide-angle. But the price quite accurately reflects their capabilities – they cope with their tasks, although they are not something outstanding from the point of view of optics. They are somewhere in the middle of the evolution of 28mm lenses – there are many sharper ones, but there are also many much weaker models.
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Minolta MD 70-210mm 1:4.0 Zoom – review

Minolta MD 70-210mm 1:4.0 Zoom lens review

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

This is a manual-focus version of  “Beercan” – one of the famous lenses of Minolta. A rare case when the description is worth starting with the mention of another younger lens because everyone knows a “Beercan.” It’s enough to say that this is “beercan without autofocus” and everyone immediately understands what it is about. It is believed that the optical properties of the lens weren’t changed when autofocus appeared, but a small probability still remains, therefore I’ll clarify – the review is about MD, not about Alpha.

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Minolta MC Rokkor HH 35mm 1:1.8 vs MC Rokkor HG 35mm 1:2.8 vs MD 35mm 1:1.8 – comparison

Minolta SR 35mm lenses comparison:

  • Minolta MC Rokkor HH 35mm 1:1.8 (MC II) aka Minolta MC W.Rokkor HH 35mm f/1.8
  • Minolta MC Rokkor HG 35mm 1:2.8 (MC II) aka Minolta MC W.Rokkor HG 35mm f/2.8
  • Minolta MD 35mm 1:1.8 (MD III) aka Minolta New-MD 35mm f/1.8

A very important test for me personally, and I think for many other photographers – 35mm focal distance is an over-demanded and a good understanding of “who’s the best” can help to make a correct choice of a lens.

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Minolta MD 35mm 1:1.8 two copies comparison – LensRomantic

Minolta MD 35mm 1:1.8 two copies comparison (New-MD, MD III)

The description of a LensRomantic test is here. These comparisons are for collectors or tech-enthusiasts. Photographers may go directly to a lens review.

Minolta New-MD 35mm F1.8 can be alone in a photographer’s lens set, and it would be enough for everything.

One of the tested copies is waiting for the re-lubrication of the helicoid, but I’m sure this fact can’t affect the sharpness/resolution.

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Minolta MD 50mm 1:1.2 two copies comparison – LensRomantic

Minolta MD 50mm 1:1.2 two copies comparison (New-MD, MD III)

The description of a LensRomantic test is here. These comparisons are for collectors or tech-enthusiasts. Photographers may go directly to a lens review.

MD 50/1.2 – the latest superfast lens by Minolta. The queen. Here is the comparison even of three different copies – it has been started with two copies, but the results were abnormal, so, the third copy has been added lately.

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Minolta MD 100mm 1:2.5 two copies comparison – LensRomantic

Minolta MD 100mm 1:2.5 two copies comparison (New-MD, MD III or Plain MD design)

The description of a LensRomantic test is here. These comparisons are for collectors or tech-enthusiasts. Photographers may go directly to a lens review.

Minolta New-MD 100mm F2.5 is one of the best-balanced portrait lenses – the ideal combination of focal distance, aperture, and IQ with weight and size. It was forgotten for some period, but today the lens is becoming popular again, and it is harder and harder to find it.

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Minolta MD 135mm 1:2.0 two copies comparison – LensRomantic

Minolta MD 135mm 1:2.0 two copies comparison (New-MD, MD III or Plain MD design)

The description of a LensRomantic test is here. These comparisons are for collectors or tech-enthusiasts. Photographers may go directly to a lens review.

Minolta New-MD 135mm F2.0 – the true portraiture queen, enough rare and quite expensive lens. I was glad to compare two different copies.

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