From: munfai@ncb.gov.sg (Choo Mun Fai) Subject: AF Telephoto Zoom Lenses (for Minolta mount) Date: Tue, 7 Feb 1995 03:23:06 -0500 Here's Part III on AF telephoto zoom lenses. >From Photo Asia magazine Nov 1994 issue (transcribed from Fotomagazin, Germany). Any mistake made in the entries below is mine. Interesting entries will be the comparison between Minolta/Sigma/Tamron/Tokina 80-200/70-210mm f2.8 lenses which I believe many will be interested in. Enjoy it. AF Telephoto Zoom Lenses : *********************** Performance Profile (Optic / Mechanics) Minolta AF APO 80-200mm f2.8 (New) : --------------------------------------------- Mount : Very good metal mount with no play. Rotating zoom. Flexible mechanism of front lens group. Lenshood provided. Tripod mount. Definition : For brightness of 1:2.8 sharpness and brilliance are already outstanding at open aperture. Stopped down even improves the brilliance. Good APO correction up to the IR range. Vignetting : Light. Slight dissipation towards the edges max. 1/2 stop. Distortion : At 80mm no distortion. At 135mm very light pillow shape (+1.4%) as well as at 200mm (+2%). Performance Profile : 9.2 / 9.2 Minolta AF 80-200mm f4.5-5.6 xi : -------------------------------------- Mount : Synthetic mount (including camera mount). Lenshood provided. Only for Dynax xi cameras. Definition : Good sharpness at all apertures and focusing distances. Brilliance could be better. Vignetting : Light Distortion : At all focal distances light pillow shape (visible) Performance Profile : 8.4 / 7.4 Minolta AF 100-300mm f4.5-5.6 : ------------------------------------- Mount : Good synthetic mount. Macro setting up to 1.5m. Definition : At open aperture good sharpness and fairly good brilliance. At f8, improvinh sharpness with very good brilliance. Vignetting : Very light. Distortion : At 300mm light pillow shape but not disturbing. Performance Profile : 8.4 / 8.4 Minolta AF 100-300 f4.5-5.6 xi : ------------------------------------ Mount : Synthetic mount with built-in lenshood. Focusing tube has sideway. Only for xi camera. Definition : At full aperture sharpness and brilliance are fairly good. At 300mm, brilliance is not sufficient. When stopped down little improvement. Vignetting : In the corners still light, otherwise light. Distortion : Light Performance Profile : 8.6 / 5.8 Sigma AF 70-210 f2.8 APO : ------------------------------- Mount : Slide zoom. Metallic mount with synthetic grip. Straight mechanism. Lenshood with bayonet mount. Definition : New fixed focal distance ! Already at open aperture outstanding, even better when stopped down. Vignetting : Very good. Distortion : At 70mm very light barrel shape, from 135mm onwards very light pillow shape. Performance Profile : 9.6 / 9.2 Sigma AF 70-210mm f4-5.6 UC : ------------------------------------ Mount : Solid metallic-synthetic mount. Slide zoom. Lenshood provided. Definition : At open aperture very good sharpness and good brilliance (slightly soft at edges). Stopped down both readings are very good. Vignetting : Light to negligible. Distortion : At both focal ends very light pillow shape. Not disturbing. Performance Profile : 8.8 / 9.4 Sigma AF 70-210mm f4-5.6 UC APO : ------------------------------------------ Mount : Very good metallic mount with synthetic grip. Lenshood provided. Max. image scale 1:4.7. Definition : At open aperture already very sharp and brilliant. Stopped down (f11) the lens is outstanding. Vignetting : Light Distortion : At 70mm practically no distortion. From 135mm onwards, light pillow shape. Performance Profile : 9.2 / 9.0 Sigma AF 75-300mm f4-5.6 DL : ------------------------------------ Mount : Very good metallic-synthetic mount. Lenshood provided. Definition : At open aperture and stopped down (f11) sharp and brilliant images. Vignetting : Still light. Can be visible in critical cases. Distortion : At longer focal distances light nit visible pillow shape. Performance Profile : 8.8 / 8.6 Sigma AF 75-300mm f4-5.6 UC APO : ------------------------------------------ Mount : Solid metallic-synethic mount. Slide zoom. Front lens group rotates while focusing. Lenshood provided. Definition : At open aperture and stopped down, the lens is evenly sharp and brilliant. Good apochromatic correction down to the red range (IR index available). Vignetting : Light Distortion : At 75mm no distortion. At 135mm light (visible) pillow shape. At 300mm very light pillow shape. Performance Profile : 9.4 / 8.8 Tamron AF 70-210 f2.8 LD SP : ----------------------------------- Mount : Very good metallic mount with synthetic grip. Limitation of adjustment range possible. Lenshood (bayonet) provided. Definition : At open aperture sharpness and brilliance are next to very good (above 135mm sharpness drops slightly). Stopped down (f8) both readings are very good. Vignetting : Very light. Distortion : At 70mm very light barrel shape. From 135mm onwards very light pillow shape. Performance Profile : 8.8 / 9.4 Tamron AF 70-210mm f4-5.6 : --------------------------------- Mount : Synthetic mount with rubber grip. Focal distance and focusing tube has some sideway play. Lenshood provided. Definition : Good sharpness and brilliance at full aperture. The lens is especially good at longer focal distances (>135mm). Stopped down (f8) the lens is very good. Vignetting : Still light. Can be visible in the corners at 70mm. Distortion : At all focal distances light pillow shape. Can be visible from 135mm onwards. Performance Profile : 9.2 / 8.6 Tamron AF 70-300mm f4-5.6 : --------------------------------- Mount : Solid synthetic mount with telescopic features. Rotating zoom. Flexible mechanism, almost no play. Definition : Sharpness is very good at full aperture and at f8. Brilliance is sufficiently high for a lens with this correction. Vignetting : Light. At full aperture 1/2 stop towards the edges. Distortion : At 70mm practically zero. At 135mm visible pillow shape. At 300mm slightly less pillow shape. Performance Profile : 8.8 / 8.4 Tokina AF 70-210mm f4-5.6 : -------------------------------- Mount : Very good. Rotating zoom. Definition : At full aperture sharpness and brilliance are good. At f8 both readings become very good. Vignetting : Still light. Distortion : Light Performance Profile : 8.6 / 9.0 Tokina AF AT-X 80-200mm f2.8 : ------------------------------------- Mount : Metallic mount. Rotating zoom. Flexible guidance in front lens group. Lenshood accessory. Definition : At open aperture sharpness and brilliance are very good. The secondary spectrum is well corrected. A very good amateur lens. Vignetting : Very light. Distortion : Very light. From 135mm onwards light pillow shape. Performance Profile : 9.0 / 8.8 Tokina AF AT-X 100-300mm f4 : ------------------------------------- Mount : Solid metallic mount. Rotating zoom. Strong tripod mount. Built-in lenshood. Definition : Already at open aperture good to very good sharpness and brilliance. Vignetting : Very light. Distortion : At 100mm practically zero. At 200mm very light pillow shape. At 300mm light pillow shape. Performance Profile : 9.0 / 9.0 Choo Mun Fai e-mail : munfai@ncb.gov.sg ----------------------------------------------------------------- ..see the world in a grain of sand And heaven in a wildflower, Hold infinity in the palm of your hand And eternity in an hour. -----------------------------------------------------------------