Carl Zeiss 85mm 1:2.8 vs Minolta MD 85mm 1:2.0 – comparison
85mm lenses comparison – Carl Zeiss 85mm 1:2.8 Sonnar T* Contax/Yashica vs Minolta MD 85mm 1:2.0
- Minolta MD 85mm 1:2.0 (MD III, New-MD)
- Contax/Yashica Carl Zeiss 85mm 1:2.8 Sonnar T* (CY)
The IQ of both lenses are well known among photographers, but there is not a good head-to-head comparison in the network (or I can’t find it). This gap should be covered.
The Carl Zeiss lens for the test was provided by Egor Nikolaev (Егор Николаев) – many thanks and greetings.
| Carl Zeiss 85mm 1:2.8 | Minolta MD 85mm 1:2.0 | |
| Serial: | 8435525 | 8001103 |
| Optical Condition: | Near Mint | Very Good |
| Mechanical Condition: | Near Mint | Very Good |
| Cosmetic Condition: | Very Good | Not Good |
This comparison is correct only for conditions and equipment used for tests. Test results can differ if any element is changed.
Tested lenses reviews
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- Minolta MD 35mm F2.8 optical design
Carl Zeiss 85mm 1:2.8 vs Minolta MD 85mm 1:2.0 – comparison – sharpness/resolution
Long-distance test description
- Camera Sony A7II (24mpx, full frame) – RAW (ARW), tripod, A-mode, ISO 100, WB fixed, SteadyShot OFF, manual focus correction for the first two stops
- Targets (buildings) – fixed by gravity power on distances more than 200 meters
- ARW post-processing – Capture One, default settings, 100% crops 300×200 px
Scene preview
Test results
Carl Zeiss 85mm 1:2.8 vs Minolta MD 85mm 1:2.0 – comparison – final conclusion
Minolta New-MD 85mm 1:2.0 is the winner. Two reasons:
- Open aperture: Minolta has a little more aberrations in the center, it is the same as Carl Zeiss in the mid-position, and finally – a lot better in the corner position. In other words: Minolta gives more sharpness over the frame.
- F 2.8: Minolta is better. Yes yes, it is expected, because Minolta has a one-stop advantage. But… it might have looked like a dishonest competition if it wasn’t for the fact that Minolta was better even at open aperture.
A little note: usually I avoid comparing lenses by prices, but here it may be acceptable – these two lenses are close to the same by modern listings on auctions, and it also makes the game enough fair.
Have a nice day!
