Within my numerous purchases, I’ve also spent a bit more on “mint” examples and these are keepers - e.g. my Minolta 35-70, Zeiss Distagon 28mm, Minolta 100mm macro (original box etc).Yes, I do tend splurge now and again but I think now I've got a better idea of what I actually use. My main guilty pleasure is tracking down mint examples of the lenses I want which normally costs me a fortune extra. This is my personal example of the Vivitar 55mm f2.8 Macro Komine (Nikon F Mount):
Even has it's tatty box and polystyrene inserts.
Have a look at the Macro-Takuma 100mm f/4. I'm about to start testing mine but it gets rave reviews.
This is probably the craziest recent find. A Vivitar Series 1 (v3) 70-210mm f/2.8-4 KOMINE, brand new, unused in original box with polystyrene inserts. Not sure I even dare use this one!
Within my numerous purchases, I’ve also spent a bit more on “mint” examples and these are keepers - e.g. my Minolta 35-70, Zeiss Distagon 28mm, Minolta 100mm macro (original box etc).
Recently got lucky with a Canon FD 80-200L bought unseen at auction.
And along the way, there have been disasters. I still can’t forgive myself for the Pentax ME Super I bought locally with 3 lenses. I “looked” through the lenses but not with a torch. That taught me a valuable lesson. 2 lenses junked, one sold to a shop for peanuts.
6.30am or £6.30? If the latter, that’s a damn good deal!!LOL! There'll always be the odd disaster. I snagged a Minolta 35-70mm 3.5 this morning at 6.30.
6.30am or £6.30? If the latter, that’s a damn good deal!!
Funny you should say that. Been chatting to Phil @Phiggys about this lens as he's currently trialing one.. and look what I purchased early this morning.. (seller's pic)
Good review of this lens by a trusted source can be found here:
Minolta MD Zoom 35-70mm 1: 3.5 - Review - phillipreeve.net
The Minolta MD 35-70mm f/ 3.5 is a versatile lens which offers prime like performance. This is a full review on the Sony a7 with many full resolution imagesphillipreeve.net
The 35 - 70 is a popular range. I'm currently using the Tamron version and so far, at least, I've had very good results with that.
That looks rather tasty!
Just wondering whether you feel 50mm to be wide enough for landscape? if yes, then although I don’t have this particular version in all the time I’ve owned Minoltas I’ve heard good things about the 50mm F1.7 (incidentally, I’m a 50mm F1.4 owner).My wife used to use a Minolta X700 ( I have been scanning her and my negs in - a long project ). I dug it out last week and, having tried to get it going months ago, managed to fire it up ( just battery contacts needed cleaning up ).
She used some Tokina Zooms SD's ( I think ) but I thought I would try and pick up a decent and cheap Minolta 50 prime and give it a whirl - maybe the 50 f2 MD - any thoughts please. It would be for "landscape" - nothing special.
My wife used to use a Minolta X700 ( I have been scanning her and my negs in - a long project ). I dug it out last week and, having tried to get it going months ago, managed to fire it up ( just battery contacts needed cleaning up ).
She used some Tokina Zooms SD's ( I think ) but I thought I would try and pick up a decent and cheap Minolta 50 prime and give it a whirl - maybe the 50 f2 MD - any thoughts please. It would be for "landscape" - nothing special.
Just taking a side track from current discussions for a moment, I just picked up a cheap but nice copy of the Zeiss Mutar 1, 2X TC on a whim since I don't have a 200 ish contax prime and I was interested to see how this performed. The Zeiss MTF's for its use on the 50/1.4 aren't encouraging and, in modern terms, I don't have any long 2.8 primes so the only TC I use regularly are the 1.4X on f4 lenses,
Back in the day, I used to use a 1.5X ?? Vivitar TC with my contax lenses but even on film it wasn't great.
I have just tried it on a 85/1.4 planar, a 135/2.8 sonnar and the 80-200/4 and am surprised that it seems to work OK - probably not good enough for dedicated pixel peepers but certainly fine for me when I get round to using film again.
The planar is well known for being very soft at 1.4: low contrast and resolution so I am surprised it works as well as it does. The sonnar has a fairly uniform performance from f2.8 down.
Here are a couple of shots: these are SOOC so no sharpening and the originals look better than the uploaded ones.
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Planar 85/1.4 fully open + mutar 2X so at 170mm f2.8
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135 2.8 sonnar fully open + mutar 2X so at 270mm f5.6
Just wondering whether you feel 50mm to be wide enough for landscape? if yes, then although I don’t have this particular version in all the time I’ve owned Minoltas I’ve heard good things about the 50mm F1.7 (incidentally, I’m a 50mm F1.4 owner).
If wider needed then I can say from experience that the MD 28mm F2.8 makes a pretty decent fist of things.
And there’s always the 35-70 which a couple of us have mentioned earlier in the thread (It’s not the lightest of lenses, though).
Good to hear.
I have a Vivitar MC 2x here which I keep meaning to 'test' but I don't seem to get around to it!
I think I mentioned it earlier with regard to something else..... But here's some older shots with my Tokina SD 28-70mm - They must be older, they were taken on the 5D2!!
Nice shots - as are the photos my wife took. It doesn’t get too good reviews for some reason but not in my limited experience - seems fine.
The 35 - 70 is a popular range. I'm currently using the Tamron version and so far, at least, I've had very good results with that.
I use the contax 35-70/3.4 which again is a very good and solid performer but I think, as with a lot of Zeiss stuff, it’s reputation is over stated ( and I have used a lot of contax lenses over the years )
In general, using it, I miss the WA 24 or even 28
Well, I suppose the best thing about it is that the wide angles are tiny and easy to carry around in your bag as well.
And without wishing to complicate things even more - there is (I believe) the further option of using M42 lenses with the addition of Minolta’s P adapter - I have one and use my Helios 44 on a Minolta mount.Thanks - and yes you are right - I should have said “general purpose” instead of “landscape”.
I usually am at 24-30 ish for landscapes but I suppose it was just to try this x700 out.
From philip reeve and elsewhere I know minolta made some of the best. I did have a MF 70-200 or thereabouts a long time ago, adapted to milc- I thought it was the “beercan” but it seems that was used for the AF.
Seen a few 50/2 and 45/2 on ebay - will have a think.
cheers
richard
That looks like a nice lens actually. How do you get on with it?
Took the 28mm Takumar out today to visit my favourite trees. My editing isn't to everyone's liking, but "It'll do" as they say in Yorkshire. The farm machinery in the foreground makes the image for me.
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Love it. I’ve purchased a few Takumars the last couple of days including an 8 element 50mm f/1.4 [emoji15]
Took the 28mm Takumar out today to visit my favourite trees. My editing isn't to everyone's liking, but "It'll do" as they say in Yorkshire. The farm machinery in the foreground makes the image for me.
View attachment 313735
You'll be glowing in the dark now.
I blame the chemtrail conspiracy!Tried to get rid of a "mark" on one of my images today. Spent ages wondering if it was something on the sensor or the lens. Turned out to be the remants of a plane's vapour trail. So few of them at the moment. I live between the Manchester and Leeds final descent routes.