From: munfai@ncb.gov.sg (Choo Mun Fai) Subject: AF Wide Angle Zoom Lenses (for Minolta mount) Date: Mon, 6 Feb 1995 21:32:08 -0500 Here's Part II of the lens rating/review published in the Photo Asia magazine between Sept to Dec 1994 (transcribed from Fotomagazin, Germany). Part I on AF telephoto lenses was posted yesterday. There are 4 parts in total - covering AF telephoto lenses, AF wide angle lenses, AF telephoto zooms and AF wide angle zooms (in that order). I did not follow the order of the series and put the AF wide-angle zoom review in this posting since there were a number of postings on the Minolta 24-85mm f3.5-4.5 lens. I thought the review here may be useful. I hope to put in the other two parts later. Pardon the grammar in some cases since I've just typed it almost straight from what's in the magazine. Any typo mistake made is mine. Anyway, here's the review on wide angle zooms (covering to telephoto range in some cases) : Wide-Angle Zoom Lenses : *********************** Performance Profile (Optic / Mechanics) Minolta AF 24-50mm f4 : ------------------------------ Mount : Good synthetic mount. Lenshood provided. Definition : At open aperture and stopped down (f8), sharpness and brilliance are very good to good. Vignetting : Fairly light. Light flare in the corners at open apertures. Distortion : Very light barrel shape. Not disturbing. Performance Profile : 8.8 / 8.0 Minolta AF 24-85mm f3.5-4.5 : ------------------------------------- Mount : Very good synthetic-metal mount. Internal focusing without play. Lenshood provided. Definition : At 25mm and 50mm very good sharpness and brilliance. At 85mm, good sharpness and average brilliance. Stopping down eliminates these faults in the test samples. Vignetting : At 24mm and open aperture light flare in image corners possible. Distortion : At 24mm barrel shape (-4%). At 28mm none. Pillow shape at 50mm (+4%) and 85mm (+3%). Performance Profile : 8.8 / 8.4 Minolta AF 28-70mm f2.8 : -------------------------------- Mount : Very solid metal mount. Front lens does not rotate while focusing. Lenshood provided. Definition : At all apertures and focusing distances very good, especially at longest distance. Vignetting : Light. Normal flare at 28mm and open aperture. Distortion : At 28mm light barrel shape. At 70mm light pillow shape. Performance Profile : 9.2 / 9.2 Minolta AF 28-85mm f3.5-4.5 : -------------------------------------- Mount : Metal-synthetic mount. Rotating. Independent rotating system in front lens group. Macro to max. 1:4. Definition : At full aperture and stopped down very good sharpness and brilliance. Vignetting : Light. Flare not likely. Distortion : Very light barrel to pillow shape in the extreme distances. Performance Profile : 9.2 / 9.0 Minolta AF 28-80mm f4-5.6 xi : --------------------------------------- Mount : Good synthetic mount. Play in barrel. No manual focusing possible (only suitable for Dynax xi). Lenshood provided. Definition : Sharpness is good to very good at full aperture and stopped down. Brilliance is good to very good but at 28mm less good in the corners. Suitable for higher demands. Vignetting : At 28mm and open aperture light flare at the edges. At longer distances and stopped down light flare. Distortion : At 28mm very light barrel shape. At 50 and 80mm practically no distortion. Performance Profile : 8.6 /8.0 Minolta AF 28-105mm f3.5-4.5 xi : ------------------------------------------ Mount :Synthetic mount. Barrel has slight play. Only for Dynax xi cameras. Definition : At open aperture and stopped down sharp and brilliant. Edges are less brilliant, also when stopped down. Vignetting : Light flare in the corners at open apertures. At 28 and 105mm also after stopping down. Distortion : Light barrel shape to pillow shape in the extreme distances. Performance Profile : 9.0 / 6.0 Minolta AF 35-200mm f4.5-5.6 xi : ------------------------------------------- Mount : Fairly good synthetic mount. Light play in barrel. Only for xi cameras. Lenshood provided. Definition : Best focusing distance at open aperture 35mm, at f11 35mm and 100mm. At 200mm good brilliance with mediocre sharpness. Vignetting : Light Distortion : Fairly light. Performance Profile : 8.2 / 7.4 Sigma AF 21-35mm f3.5-4.2 : ----------------------------------- Mount : Good metal-synthetic mount with built-in lenshood. Definition : Excellent sharpness and brilliance at full aperture and at f8. Vignetting : Relatively light. At open aperture light flare possible. Distortion : Light barrel shape. Not disturbing. Performance Profile : 9.2 / 8.4 Sigma AF 24-50mm f4-5.6 : --------------------------------- Mount : Very good metal mount. Rotating zoom. Lenshood provided. Definition : Excellent sharpness and brilliance at all apertures and distances. Vignetting : At 24mm and full aperture visible. Light when stopped down and at other distances. Distortion : At 24mm light barrel shape, rest is practically zero. Performance Profile : 9.0 / 9.0 Sigma AF 28-70mm f2.8 : ------------------------------- Mount : Very good metal mount with synthetic grip. Rotating. Lenshood provided. Definition : At open aperture sharp and brilliant at all distances. Extra high values at f8. Vignetting : Very light. Distortion : Extremely light. At 28mm, very light barrel shape. At 70mm, very light pillow shape. Performance Profile : 9.0 / 9.0 Sigma AF 28-70mm f3.5-4.5 UC : ----------------------------------------- Mount : Very good metal-synthetic mount. Rotating zoom. Slight play in focusing ring. Lenshood provided. Definition : Outstanding sharpness and brilliance at all apertures and distances. Vignetting : Very light. Distortion : Light barrel to pillow shape. Not disturbing. Performance Profile : 9.6 / 9.4 Sigma AF 28-200mm f3.8-5.6 : ------------------------------------- Mount : Good synthetic-metal mount. Rotating. Practically playfree focusing ring. Lenshood provided. Closest distance 1.8m. Definition : Sharpness at full aperture and stopped down is good to very good. Brilliance at full aperture is fairly good - when stopped down is good. Vignetting : Light. At 28mm and open aperture light flare in image corners possible. Distortion : At 28mm light barrel shape. At 100mm, fairly neutral. At 200mm, light pillow shape. Performance Profile : 8.4 / 8.2 Sigma AF 35-80mm f4-5.6 DL : -------------------------------------- Mount : Good metal-synthetic mount. Rotating. Lenshood provided. Barrel has obvious play. Definition : Sharp at open aperture and stopped down. Definition is altogether good to very good. Vignetting :Light Distortion : At 35mm, light barrel shape. At 80mm, light but visible pillow shape. Performance Profile : 8.8 / 7.4 Sigma AF 35-135mm f3.5-4.5 UC : ------------------------------------------ Mount :Solid metal-synthetic mount. Slide zoom. Independent rotating system. Definition : Already at open aperture sharpness and brilliance are very good. When stopped down, the brilliance improves in particular. Vignetting : Very light and practically invisible. Distortion : At 35mm light barrel shape, at 135mm light pillow shape. Performance Profile : 9.2 / 9.0 Tamron AF 28-70mm f3.5-4.5 : -------------------------------------- Mount : Good synthetic mount with rubber grip. Definition : At full aperture and stopped down (f8) sharp and brilliant. Vignetting : At 28mm and full aperture light flare. Disappears when stopped down. Distortion : Practically zero. Performance Profile : 9.2 / 8.8 Tamron AF 28-200mm f3.8-5.6 ASL : ---------------------------------------------- Mount : Very good metal mount. Rotating. Two telescopic extensions. Closest distance 2.1m. Definition : Sharpness and brilliance at open aperture good to very good. At f8 both values are very good. Vignetting : Very light. Not visible. Distortion : Practically invisible. Performance Profile : 9.4 / 8.8 Tamron AF 35-105mm f2.8 SP : -------------------------------------- Mount : Very good metal mount. Rotating zoom. Lenshood provided. Definition : At all apertures and distances outstanding sharp images. Vignetting :At 35mm light flare in the image corners possible. Distortion : Very light barrel shape at 35mm, at 105mm very light pillow shape. Performance Profile : 9.0 / 9.0 Tokina AF 20-35mm f3.5-4.5 : ------------------------------------- Mount : Very good metal mount. Rotating zoom. Definition : Very good sharpness and brilliance already at open aperture. Stopped down gives no marked increase. Vignetting : Light but visible flare in the corners at all focusing distances. Distortion : Very light barrel shape. Not disturbing. Performance Profile : 9.0 / 9.0 Tokina AF AT-X 28-70mm f2.8 : ---------------------------------------- Mount : Very good metal mount. Rotating zoom. Definition : Very good sharpness and brilliance already at full aperture. Increased performance when stopped down at f8. Vignetting : Light Distortion : Very light barrel to pillow shape. Performance Profile : 9.0 / 9.0 Tokina AF 28-70mm f2.8-4.5 : ------------------------------------- Mount : Very good metal-synthetic mount. Rotating zoom. Max. image scale 1:5. Definition : At full aperture neither especially sharp nor very brilliant. At f8 sharpness and brilliance are good to very good. Vignetting :Very light. At 28mm and full aperture light flare in the image corners. Distortion : At 28mm light barrel shape. Not disturbing. Otherwise almost no distortion. Performance Profile : 8.6 / 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. -----------------------------------------------------------------