Good range: 28-70mm. Satisfying slides at f8. Low budget. The X-700 and X-300s bodies.

Disappointing at f3.5.

I bought mine in 1990 as a kit with the X-300s body. I can remember that back at home I was disappointed in the design of the lens. Was this a Minolta lens? Since then I shot thousands of slides and some print film with this zoom. With aperture f8 or smaller it gives satisfying slides (4 stars). Sharp, good contrast and colour but the slides doesn't pop out of the screen all the time. Some distortion but not too much. In low light situations with diafragma fully open this lens is disappointing. Low contrast, not sharp and vignetting (2 stars). The Minolta primes are much better in those situations (5 stars). I used this zoom in sometimes rough situations and on my bicycle. The lens absorbed unprotected several heavy knocks, a 2 meter drop and a lot off heavy vibrations other equipment not always survived. Never a problem and the lens only looks used now. Compared with the plastic Sigma with the same specifications this Minolta is better constructed. This MD zoom is better then the Minolta AF 28-80/3.5-5.6 (kit with Dynax 505Si Super). I think this lens is made by Sigma. I have seen this lens with Contax/Yashica mount and the Carl Zeiss Jena-badge (not Carl Zeiss!). All together: After years I became more satisfied, this is a good travel zoom for a small budget (value 5 stars) and my choice if the sun is shining.

Similar Products Used:

Sigma 28-70/3.5-4.8 MD Minolta AF 28-80/3.5-5.6 Minolta MD 35/2.8, 50/2.0

wide - 28mm great optics high quality, rugged construction Cost - This lens is cheap!

no DOF scale slow 3.5 @ 28mm / 4.8 @ 70mm DOF is not low enough - background is still in focus unless you are really close to your subject, even at 3.5

This lens is great. It's light enough that I always have it on my camera. It has a great range 28-70mm. It does not have the DOF a prime lens would give you. Controls (focusing & zooming) are smooth. I like the twist zoom (like the focus ring) on this lens. There is a ring behind the focus ring to zoom in and out.

Similar Products Used:

50mm 1.8 lens 70-300mm 4.5-5.6 lens