Really quick focusing, Razor sharp, No chromatic abberation. Solid, well built construction, Easy to handle & maneuverable. Extreme low light capabilities.

None so far.

Purchased this lens in 9+ used condition from KEH in Atlanta, GA. Images are razor sharp, bright, and no discernable color distortion. Took late afternoon shots with a low sun (not in frame) and did not see or experience any flare. Took several modelling shots of my fiancee with this lens. After pictures were developed, I became so impressed with lens and results, I was very inspired to take more!

Customer Service

Minolta: none experience for this lens, but previous Minolta service was exemplary. KEH Camera Brokers: telephone sales rep; Gail, was extremely helpful, friendly and accomodating.

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Minolta 50mm f1.4.

Super sharp f1.4 Metal construction

Focus not as fast as Canon. Hood is not flower shape.

Excellenet sharpness. I blow it up to 16x20 using Ilford XP2 film rated as ISO100 in my wet darkroom. It is still sharp. At this size, you would know what sharpness means and you will learn why prime lens is good.

Customer Service

Good in Hong Kong.

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A lot of 35mm SLR and lens.

SUPERB OPTICS

BIG, HEAVY

I HAVE OWNED A MINOLTA 85 F/1.4 FOR 12 YEARS. THIS IS EASILY THE BEST LENSE I HAVE EVER USED. THE OPTICS ARE SUPERB, THE COLORS ALWAYS TRUE AND CLEAR. IF YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING WITH THIS LENSE, YOU WILL NOT BE DISSAPPOINTED. THE PICTURES THAT I HAVE TAKEN OF MY DAUGHTERS ALONE HAVE JUSTIFIED THE PURCHACE PRICE. IT CAPTURES THE TRUE ESCENSE OF THE SUBJECT BETTER THAN ANY OTHER LENSE I HAVE EVER USED.

Customer Service

HAVENT HAD TO USE THEM

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MOST SIMMILAR BRANDS AND OFFERINGS.

Sharpness/contrast/speed

none I could see

One sharp lens. It's the sharpest lens I own. Colors are wonderful, contrast is good. A top caliber pro lens. Put this lens in a skilled photographer, and it will wow almost anyone. It has all the resolution one could ask for. It's worth every penny too. It application is perfect for portraits and landscape.

Customer Service

never used it

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Minolta 28-70/2.8G Minolta 80-200/2.8G Minolta 50/1.7

Images is sharp and the bokeh is smooth and pleasing.

A bit slow in focussing.

The Minolta AF 85mm 1.4 lense is a good one, I use it for portraits most of the time. I just love the 85mm perspective as it makes the portrait look very natural. The lense barrel is make of metal which I consider very well-built. Image quality is outstanding and sharp, but be careful when using it at F 1.4 as the depth of field is shallow-(if you do not focus right on the subject's eye in portrait, the eyes will appear blur or soft when you get back your prints from the lab!) Contrast and colour is very good, the defocus (bokeh) look pleasing and nice. This is what I can speak of this great lense, but remember to get a good B&W skylight or UV0 filter to protect the front element of the lense. Don't get a cheap filter as it can degrades the images taken with this good lense!

looks cool with the hood on but poor optics

optical weakness

When I use small aperture such as f11 and f16 with studio flash the images are still not sharp enough.The colour is not good enough either.In view that the lens cost even more than the Carl Zeiss lens but the resolution and the colour rendition are not comparable,I write this review to express my dissatisfaction with minolta.

Customer Service

never tried.I sold my whole minolta system in exchange for the whole CZ system

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CZ 85mm 1.4

Extremely sharp and fast.

No focus hold (I have an older version).

Sweet lens. Optics are superb, the sharpest lens I own. The lens is extremely fast (f1.4) and optimally suited for both low light and portrait photography. Fairly light as well. I got an excellent deal on this lens used, so I shot a roll of Fuji Reala with it and used a Fuji Frontier to scan and print in order to test the lens. I was absolutely floored by sharpness and color saturation. Be careful shooting portraits at f1.4, though, when minimizing depth of field. You can have the tip of the nose in focus and the eyes out of focus!

Customer Service

Haven''t used.

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Minolta 100f2.8, 24-50f4, 70-210f4 Sigma 28-200, 170-500.

Optically 85/1.4 they are all good. Wide open performance, Unlike 35mm, 50mm Slr lens Close and Far distance performance consistently Good. Sligtly warm coloring Vibrant and rich color redering, Most consistent Optics In its Class Interms of subject distance Across the film, Aperture range. This lens seem like telling me don''t worry about anthing just take good picture. the defocusing quality best. No wonder! Minolta had excelled in this department since they invented word ''Bokeh''

Manual focusing feel was not smooth as Nikon or Zeiss

Nicer Portrait lens Because This lens was the part of most bang for the buck Portarait system in 35mm System. Most compact,Cheap and fast focusing in its Class. Well Built. Periphrial Image Quality was best in its class. Along with maxxum100/2.8 macro-two most important lens Formal portrait lens IMHO- Minolta offer best portarit system for the Money. Check the Various magagine and web site not one source and this lens and the macro received highest point combo surprisingly this combo cost lowest price(Based on popular photo, photozone, PHOTONET, photodo, Camera review, and five other lens test and review resources. And Most importantly My own hand-on test)

Customer Service

None

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85mm/1.4 Zeiss MM, 85mm/1.2 Eos, 85mm/1.4 Nikkor AFD, 85mm/1.4 FA.

Optically superb, great out of focus delineation, relatively low price and light weight for this class of lens, quite well built.

So so manual focusing feel, plastic barrel, lack of infrared index.

Truly is a great portrait lens, also suitable for other types of photography, tack sharp when stopped down. The so so autofocus response (with Maxxum 9) and mediocre manual focusing feel can be easily compensated by the top notch optical performance.

Customer Service

None

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Canon 85 1.2L, Leica R80 1.4.

This is an extemely crisp lens. For portraiture it's hard to beat. Stop this lens down and hold on!!! Landscapes and scenery are tack sharp! Vivid colors. Very beefy and easy to focus manually. Equally good results when used with the flash on my 800si. I'll probably wear this one out.

None.

If you want razor sharp landscapes and great portraits, you'll throw rocks at other similar lenses. Worth every penny.

Customer Service

Haven't required any.

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Many.