Color accuracy! Contrast. Sharpness. 2.8 aperture. Sturdily built. It looks good (if that counts)!

A bit heavy (but big lenses produce better results). This could be a benefit for some, it balances better. Focusing is not as fast as smaller lenses.

This lens reproduces extremely accurate colors, better than any other lens I have tried and seen. This is my favorite part of this lens. I love seeing the exact same colors in prints that I see in real life! Pictures are sharp with very good contrast. The pictures taken with this lens enlarge very well, especially given that it is a zoom lens. Contrast is even visible in minor details. If you just take 4x5 prints and color fidelity is not your priority, you might not be able to justify spending 500+ to get this lens. You may even feel let down. In that case, be happy with your less expensive zoom lens. But if you value color accuracy, contrast, and want to make enlargements with your zoom lens, you really want to consider this lens. The 2.8 9-blade aperture is another bonus. You get nice blurry backgrounds. This is one of my favorite lenses, and I would not willingly part with it. At first, I was a bit skeptical. But this lens' performance slowly, but surely, won me over.

Customer Service

n/a

Similar Products Used:

Canon 28-80 Minolta 28-80

Pin Sharp! Flare resistance Colour reproduction 72mm filter

Focus a bit slower than 80-200 f2.8 G.

I just purchase this lens from KEH.com, the lens is second best decision I have made in terms of Lens purchase. The first one was 80-200 f2.8 G. Second is the 28-70 f2.8 G, this lens is an absolute BEAUTY!! Pictures are pin Sharp, color reproduction is excellent (WYSIWYG). I have try it using it with Tamron SP 2x converter, the quality is amazing. Try it with extension tube for macro, it is pin sharp. Really love this lens. If you are serious about photography, this is the lens for you. Save up and spend on better lens from manufacture. It is expensive, but it worth every cents. If you can find one used, get it!!

Customer Service

None Needed

Similar Products Used:

80-200 f2.8 G

Accurate colour rendition. Superb clarity. Fast AF with very smooth zooming. Great feel.

I have used it only for two weeks, but can't imagine finding any weaknesses.

I got the lens, alongwith my Maxxum 7, just two weeks ago. This very website helped me make my decision, though I have been using Minolta products for nearly 8 years now, and with great satisfaction I might add. I took the family out for a shoot and clicked away an entire roll. The results were simply fantastic. The colour reproduction is one to one (true and accurate). I have clicked 4 more rolls since (both indoor and outdoors). Excellent all round results. AF is quick and the focus hold button is a great feature. Zooming is extremely smooth and the lens has a great feel to it. All in all a master product from Minolta. (I have seen a lot of my friends take pictures with cameras of other reputed brands. I can only say one thing: notwithstanding application of different technologies by different manufacturers, Minolta's lenses in terms of results, are on par with any 35mm brands within their respective categories. I have not understood all the hype about the other brands. By the way, this is an excellent website to do research on photographic equipment. I used it extensively and, in fact, bought the entire Minolta Maxxum 7 system (body, lenses, flash units, etc.) without even seeing the system physically. A lot of faith in Minolta, of course, also played a big role - you don't spend US$ 3,000+ just like that! Absolutely no regrets!!!

Customer Service

Did not have to call yet and hopefully will not have to!

Similar Products Used:

A variety of Olympus and Minolta's MD series lenses.

Clear, crisp, contrasty, flare resistant, smooth Manual Focus, Smooth zoom. Great color rendition. Built strong and sturdy.s

Slower Autofocus that the other big names. I use manual focus most of the time and it is not a problem here. Marketing.

There is NO BETTER GLASS than this. Nothing more to say.

Similar Products Used:

Tokina ATX 28-70 f2.6-2.8

Beautiful construction, well thought out and produced!! Sharp and quick to focus. Highly flare resistant. Feels like it will last forever. Gorgeous and exacting color rendition. Minolta had produced a fantastic product.

Only that it has the Minolta name which many people wrongly relate to poor quality or non=professional.

Okay, so I love this lens! The first time I printed my pictures, I kept looking at them trying to figure out why they looked different. It took about two days for me to realize how remarkably sharp they were. And how bright and brilliant the colors. I then got that it was this lens that I had shot with. Wow! I can really see the differnce between my other lens, a Sigma 28-70 2.8 ex which I found quite good, and the Minolta. I bought it on E-bay for a great price—like new. A wonderful resource for those of us who can not pay mega-bucks for this lens and others like it. This lens is a true work of art. Just shooting with it is a great pleasure. It responds fast and you know the quality is going to be excellent. I do not know what all of the complaints are about slow focusing. I have not found this to be so. I have used it on a Maxxum 7 and a 9 and found it to be as quick and responsive as I could ever want. All in all, this is one of the finest lenses I have ever shot with. It is a permanent fixture in my bag.

Customer Service

Never used it for a repair. However, tried to order a missing rubber eyepiece for my Minolta 9. Two months later, they still tell me they can''''t get one as Minolta of Japan have not sent them any.

Similar Products Used:

Sigma 28-70 ex (a nice lens, but not in the same ballpark) Many other Minolta, sigma and tamron lenses.

Solid construction. Very sharp photo taken. Excellent contrast.

Slow auto focuing speed. But its great picture quality you will still keep this lens. Very expensive.

Bought this lens when I upgrade to Dyax 9 system. Since then have used this lens extensively. Very solid construction with great handling.

Customer Service

Sent back to Minolta service centre once due to contact problem. When I first bought this lens, my Dynax 9 has problem reading the lens setting. When I mont this lens on Dynax 9 did not display the ap

Similar Products Used:

Minolta AF 28-135/4 Minolta AF 24-85/3.5-4.5 Minolta AF 24-105/3.5-4.5 D Sigma AF 28-135/3.5-5.6 Macro

Excellent optics, build quality,IF, flare control is commendable

big and heavy, slow AF (even with D9!), a little distortion at short end

Bought second hand, one of the best, if not the best optically. Up there with the Zeiss vario sonnar for sharpness, flare control better, but colours are slightly cool compared to the CZ. A little expensive when new. No regrets whatsoever.

Customer Service

Not needed

Similar Products Used:

Carl Zeiss 28-85 3.3-4.0 Vario Sonnar

Incredibly sharp lens. It is as sharp as 85mm f/1.4 G stopped down three stops. It is absolutely distortion free at all focal lengths and provides very precise color rendition. Professional construction - built like a tank, a front element does not rotate, lens physical length does not change neither with focusing nor with zooming. A focus hold button can actually be programmed for a handfull of other functions.

Relatively slow focus with cameras other than 9xi or 9, but I can live with that.

You have to used to believe the results. This is a virtually indestructable mix of the best glass and precision mechanics made witha meticulous attention to detail and function. It's big and heavy, but well-balanced. Do not even think of fitting it in an Eveready case.

Customer Service

did not need

Similar Products Used:

Tokina AT-X 28-70mm f/2.8

Very sharp lense at all apertures and focal lengths. Very low linear distortion. Good flare control. Excellent color balance. f/2.8 at all focal lengths. Very well built. smooth zooming. Filter ring doesn't rotate.

Slightly slow AF, but OK with Maxxum 9.

Minolta did a great job with this lense. With edge to edge sharpness and great contrast you will never be sorry carrying the extra weight for the constant aperture.

Customer Service

not needed

Similar Products Used:

Minolta AF 28-85 f3.5-4.5 (also a good lense)

This lens has a rather long camera/lens gear drive ratio, that means focus precision and very quick response when coupled with Dynax 9 or Dynax 7(dual 16bits cpu). Also has high quality coating and internal flare reduction cutter(at all focal lengths). Finely crafted lens barrel and excellant glass stock materials made it comparable to its german and japanese rivals.

none

A lens with an european flare. Definitely one of the very best performed I've tried so far. Superb glass stock materials used inside much more then make up for lack of an internal focus motor, best to match with 'dual 16bits cpu' Dynax 7.

Customer Service

not needed so far.

Similar Products Used:

Canon 28-70 2.8L EF
Nikon 35-70 2.8ED
Contax 35-135 VARIO SONNAR
Contax 28-85 VARIO SONNAR