Minolta MD 35-135mm 1:3.5-4.5 Zoom vs. MD 35mm 1:2.8, MD 50mm 1:2.0, MD 85mm 1:2.0, MD 135mm 1:2.8
Minolta MD 35-135mm 1:3.5-4.5 Zoom vs primes comparison.
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- Minolta MD 35-135mm 1:3.5-4.5 Zoom (MD III)
- Minolta MD 35mm 1:2.8 (MD III)
- Minolta MD 50mm 1:2.0 (MD III)
- Minolta MD 85mm 1:2.0 (MD III)
- Minolta MD 135mm 1:2.8 (MD III)
The results of the zoom look good enough, but it wasn’t an easy fight.
Tested lenses reviews
Minolta MD 35-135mm 1:3.5-4.5 Zoom Macro vs primes comparison – sharpness
Long-distance test description
- Camera Sony A7II (24mpx, full frame) – RAW (ARW), tripod, A-mode, ISO fixed, WB fixed, SteadyShot OFF, manual focus correction for every shot
- Targets (buildings) – fixed by gravity power on the distances in more than 200 meters
- ARW post-processing – Capture One, default settings, 100% crops 300×200 px
Focal distance 35mm
Scene preview (35mm)
Test results (35mm)
Focal distance 50mm
Scene preview (50mm)
Test results (50mm)
Focal distance 85mm
Scene preview (85mm)
Test results (85mm)
Focal distance 135mm
Scene preview (135mm)
Test results (135mm)
Final conclusion
No doubts that 4x long zoom can’t be so good as prime lenses on any focal distances, in corners at least, but the question was – for how much? Every photographer has their own ideas about the size of a reasonable decreasing of sharpness as payment for convenience, so better not to read personal opinions but research the diagrams above – everything about long-distance resolution is presented and it is not a big deal to make a right choice. Anyway, my conclusion about this lens in the main review hadn’t changed after I got results of comparisons.
