-"Fast" 3.5-4.5 maximum aperture for a consumer zoom -build quality -value -focal length range -front element does not rotate when focusing

-weight -takes expensive 62 mm filters

After making several enlargements, I must say that this is a fine consumer lens. It's not quite as sharp as my 50 mm 1.7, but it is quite contrasty and shows negligible distortion. It has a good heavy feel to it with solid construction and a stainless steel mount. I do have the XI model, but you can easily disable the power zoom and manually zoom. There are three versions of this lens, but they are all optically the same. http://www.mhohner.de/minolta/lenses.php is the best online resource for all Minolta lens specifications.

Customer Service

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Similar Products Used:

Minolta 28-80 (TERRIBLE) Minolta 50 1.7 (Excellent) Minolta 70-210mm f/4 (Good-Great)

Compact, reasonably light, solidly built, very fast focusing (with Maxxum 7), sharp images, good contrast, minimal flare, smooth zoom action, fairly wide notched/rubberized focusing ring, contains aspherical element and circular aperture, accepts 62mm filters, bayonet lens hood included (thank you Minolta!), reasonably fast, Minolta (Canadian) 5-year warranty. An all-around excellent zoom lens for most photographic situations. Nice job, Minolta!

I wish the zooming ring were just a little more stiff (dampened), but honestly, this is the only drawback I could find. Not really that important.

A VERY good, mid-priced zoom lens. I will use this one the most over any other zoom lens I have. I highly reccommend it. Here's why... (note: non "D", and non "MZ/Power-Zoom" model owned)

Customer Service

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Similar Products Used:

-75-300 f/4.6-5.6 (mediocre) -28-80 f/3.5-5.6 (truly horrible)