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Minolta
MD 35mm f/1.8 Test Review
Minolta MD 35mm f/1.8 (49mm filters, 8.5 oz./240g, about $275 used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.) This all-content, junk-free website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to approved sources when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. Thanks for helping me help you! Ken.
March 2024 Better Pictures Minolta Sony Nikon Canon Fuji LEICA Zeiss All Reviews
INTRODUCTION
This is a swell little manual focus lens from the 1990s. It's very, very good, although hard to find. As one of the newest manual-focus MD Minolta lenses it no longer says W. ROKKOR as did the older versions of what seems to be the same lens optically. The MC W.ROKKOR-HH version of the 35mm f/1.8 was much older, larger and different optically lens that took 55mm filters.
SPECIFICATIONS This only works on Minolta's manual-focus 35mm cameras. It has 8 multicoated elements in 6 groups. It extends 1.9" (48mm) from the camera lens flange and is 2.5" (64mm) around. It's pretty light: just 8.5 oz. (240g). Full click stops are at f/1.8, f/2.8, f/16 and f/22. Half stop clicks are from f/2.8 through f/16. This is weird, but typical for Minolta. It has a metal 49mm filter thread. Focus is to 1' or 0.3m. The aperture ring is plastic. The rest, including the filter ring, is all metal. All markings are engraved, including the information on the front ring. The hood is a complex spring loaded thing that clips on a ridge in the metal lens barrel. I never use it. It clips on forward, or reverses for storage. It's plastic and the markingas are painted on. The 49mm marking on the hood is to help you find the right filter. Nothing about the hood has a 49mm thread.
Snap-on hood.
PERFORMANCE There is little barrel distortion, much better than the Nikkor 35mm f/1.4. It's very sharp at all apertures. Color balance is neutral.
RECOMMENDATIONS This is an excellent and compact lens. Go get one! I have not tried the older versions with the 55mm filter thread.
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30 March 2024, 2005, 2004.
