Minolta AF 35 F2  reviews

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: asiafish   review date: April-18-13  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta 28/2.8, 50/1.4, 85/1.4100/2.8 Macro, 135.2.8

Carl Zeiss 24/1.8 E Mount

price paid:

575 USD

positive:

Excellent sharpness and color

negative:

Flares more easily than a modern lens

comment:

I owned this lens before and loved it, then sold it when I bought the Carl Zeiss Sonnar 24/1.8 for my NEX7. My thought was that I didn't need two expensive lenses with the 35mm (36 on NEX/24 combo) field of view, and following Kurt Munger's (excellent) advise, decided to use the NEX7 with CZ24 and sell the 35/2.

Well, I still love the CZ 24E and still think it is a better lens in this field of view, but the NEX7 is NOT a replacement for the A850, and so I bought another copy of this excellent lens.

The Zeiss 24 is more flare-resistant and has better resolution wide open than the Mino 35, but not by much, and the full frame A850 gives me a lot more control over depth of field. The end result is that when I'm out on a photographic trip I tend to use the 35/2 on the A850 more than any other camera/lens combination.

This lens delivers fantastic Minolta color, slightly more saturated than my 50/1.4 and 28/2.8, and fully the equal of the 85/1.4 that I also sold, and now want to buy again.

These are rare and expensive these days, but it remains the best 35mm moderate wideangle for Sony full frame that you can buy. If you are shooting APS-C, save your money and get the outstanding Sony 35/1.8 instead.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: godsakes   review date: December-30-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

positive:

very sharp
high contrast
compact

negative:

rare and expensive
wave like distortion

comment:

Seems like a very nice little lens, very sharp wide open, fast AF, high contrast deep colours. Wish it was a current production lens.

The 2 main downside to this lens is it's quite rare (thus expensive), next is the lens has a peculiar wave distortion. If being overly critical you could moan that there's some noticeable vignetting wide open though I don't mind it personally, there's a hint of CA wide open when pixel peeping but thankfully small enough not to be a real world concern.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: Common Aussie   review date: November-14-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta 35-70 F4
Minolta 28mm F2.8
Minolta 28-105 F3.5-4.5

price paid:

600 AUD (2010 ex+)

positive:

sharp, colour, snappy focus

negative:

none for me

comment:

Appears to render images marginally more contrasty and saturated than Minolta G lenses but still natural looking. Probably my most used lens.

Wonderfully sharp and I have easily made A0 prints from 8bit jpeg files captured through this lens.

Light, fast and sharp from wide open. A classic and very happy to have it.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: phoenix   review date: September-04-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta 24 to 70 G
It has its own look, different than a G lens, with an outstanding bokah

price paid:

400 USD used

positive:

This is one of my most favorite lenses. It has a beautiful rendition that is sharp, contrasty and with that lovely Minolta classic color.

negative:

can't think of anything at all

comment:

If you can find one of these, it is a keeper! I use this a lot, on my A850 and it works wonderfully on my Nex 7 with auto focus adapter

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: josinho   review date: August-19-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sony 50 1.8
Tamron 90 2.8 MAcro

price paid:

350€

positive:

Colors, contrast and sharpness are incredible. Very light and solid body. Fast focus

negative:

Rare and expensive

comment:

Allways in my camera. A must-have lenses and one of the best minolta primes ¿the best? Perfect focal distance for everyday

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: jvandegr   review date: March-19-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta 35-70mm f/4
Minolta 35-105mm f/3.5 - 4.5 (original)
Minolta 28-70mm f/2.8 G
Minolta 50mm f/1.7

price paid:

550 USD (near mint)

positive:

Very sharp wide open
Great Minolta color
Compact
Light weight
No chromatic aberration

negative:

Nothing significant.

comment:

Quite an amazing lens, in that it has the ability to gather light and illuminate shadows like only the best lenses can. It is sharp from f/2, especially in the center. Sharpness falls off very slightly toward the edges, and stopping down just a little can help. My good copy of the Minolta 35-70mm f/4 is about 5-10% sharper on the edges at f/5.6, and nearly as sharp in the center. However, the 35mm f/2 has more realistic colors and a much brighter presentation of shadow areas than the 35-70mm f/4. I have yet to find a copy of the Minolta 35-105mm f/3.5 - 4.5 that can rival either of these lenses at 35mm. Compared to the Minolta 28-70mm f/2.8 G, this prime is sharper, especially on the edges, and offers better color rendition. In general, I find its performance similar to that of the Minolta 50mm f/1.7, but sharper wide open.

I have seen no chromatic aberration, no significant field distortion, and I've had no problems with flare because I always use the lens hood. Of course, this hood could be deeper for APS-C, but it's not bad.

Focus speed is very fast, and accuracy is near perfect on my A350 and A580 bodies. Build quality is what you would expect for a 1980's Minolta lens: fantastic. Overall, a wonderful lens that never disappoints.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: Jimmy   review date: December-30-11  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sony 20 2.8
Minolta 24 2.8
Minolta 35 1.4
CZ 24-70 2.8

price paid:

EUR 240

positive:

Sharpness
Color
Size

negative:

None

comment:

This lens is a surprise to me. I used to always use my 35 1.4, but came a cross this for an ok price. So I thought lets try it and see what all the fuss is about. Most likely I will sell it and keep the 35 1.4.

The result is that I have sold my 35 1.4 and moved over to this one. In my opinion in terms of optics this is sharper or as sharp as the 35 1.4. It is one stop slower, but significantly smaller... so there are trade offs. I do not think the price difference is that big these days.

This lens performs similar to the 35 1.4 as the 100 2 to the 85 1.4. I kept this one and the 85 1.4...

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: Snegren   review date: November-11-11  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

price paid:

around 50 EUR

positive:

Sharp from corner to corner, always delivers quality. MFD of just 25 cm

negative:

AF is twitchy on A99, but MF and focus peaking is convenient. Bigger AF ring would have been nice

comment:

A Minota classic. Wonder why Sony didn't rebrand it like the 20 and the 28 (that are not in the same league). I picked one up in the analog days. It was almost always on my 5Xi. On APS-C it was a bit too long for my taste and didn't see much use. Now that the A99 has arrived it has regained its most favourable position, particularly because I do not have a wide angle FF zoom and am back to shooting primes. Great bokeh, can be used wide open without any reservation.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: saxbike   review date: September-03-11  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

50mm f1.7
50mm f3.5
24mm f2.8

price paid:

450 USD

positive:

Sharp
Beautiful Color
Almost no distortion
Lightweight
Speed

negative:

I just wish all of my lenses were this good

comment:

This lens is a magnificent performer. It is my most expensive prime so far. This lens and the Minolta 50mm f3.5 are the only lenses that i have rated as '5' across the board, but this one has the advantage of f2. And wide open it appears to perform exceptionally well. I might find a slight difference in sharpness between f2 and f4 or f5.6, but It's probably more dependent on my skill to hit the focus accurately. The overall images that come from this lens have a wonderful quality that is perceptively better than the other primes. It is becoming a fixture on the a850. When I process the RAW files, I find that I am using less sharpening than with other lenses to achieve the same result. The combination on the a850 is well balanced. I am very fond of this focal length. It is wide enough to get in close to subjects, yet it suffers little effect of the usual wide-angle distortion. The correction for this lens in PT-Lens is minimal. Highly recommended.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: noel.a.terrell   review date: July-20-11  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

50 1.7
50 1.4
28 2.8
17-35 2.8-4

price paid:

100 can

positive:

beautiful colours
tack sharp
solid build
fits in pocket
fast accurate AF

negative:

nothing

comment:

An absolute gem. Well worth the desire and the price. Only shame is I only have an a700 to shoot with, can only imagine how special this lens would really be on a FF body.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 4 

user: rvonschweinitz   review date: December-21-10  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Zeiss 24-70\2.8
Sigma 50\1.4
Sony 20\2.8

price paid:

625 USD used

positive:

THE COLORS, nice sharpness, solid build
very light

negative:

Lens hood will not clear cap when revesed
filter size

comment:

As noted by others. there is an unquantifiable 3-D effect, particularly in soft, evening light that I have never seen before. It may be due, in part, to the amazing contrast and color rendition. I have not noted any unusual flare problems. I sincerely doubt I'll ever give up this lens.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: Bahudda   review date: May-21-10  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

135mm F1.8 Zeiss
50mm f1.4 Min & Sigma
85mm f1.4 Min

price paid:

$550 -Ouch!

positive:

COLOR, COLOR & more COLOR, superb contrast with magnificent sharpness

negative:

Me learning to get out of the way of this gem and letting it shine.

comment:

At first I was under whelmed with this lens. Then as I used it more and it showed me how good it was. The color for me has made this a wise decision. I did not expect this to be a portrait lens until I tried it and WOW! It is openning up new vistas of possibilities. It is sharp, with superb contrast and magnificent color. I haven't tried it on my A700 yet so I can't speak to APS-C performance yet (more to come).

I highly recommend this lens if you can get a hold of one.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: Ovas   review date: March-27-10  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Zoom 24-85, 24-105, 35-70 f4.

price paid:

500US$

positive:

Nice colors, sharp, light, good

negative:

Not found yet
(Sony does not make them)

comment:

This is a very good lens, it has the same colors as the f 1.4. It is sharp all over. I do prefer this as my standard fixed focal length lens. It was expensive but worth every dollar.

Standard outfit in my fixed focal length bag + A900.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: AlphaMan   review date: February-26-10  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

28/2
35/1.4

price paid:

L350 (used)

positive:

Very sharp (even wide open)
Compact
Build quality

negative:

comment:

A fantastic lens on APS-C or FF. It is a must have for prime lovers.

I only sold mine to help fund a Sony 35/1.4 which I need for available light work (f1.4 vs f2).

I would recommend this lens without hesitation.

Update: I missed it so much, I got another one!

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 4 

user: RHD   review date: November-27-09  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

CZ 24-70
Contax C/Y remounted Zeiss 21 F 2.8

price paid:

480 USD

positive:

Very sharp (after AF microfocus adjustment in a900)
Colors
3D effect in rendering skin tones

negative:

Lack of modern anti-flare internal barrel coating.

comment:

I became intrigued by reports of the color and sharpness of this very small lens. I find it to be a very comfortable walk around lens, with terrific image quality, when the CZ 24-70 is just too big and I do not anticipate a need for longer focal lengths. It is also useful when the 21 2.8 is too wide for intended use and when AF is useful (candids of street scenes).
I moved to a900 in anticipation of using only the Sony Zeiss lenses and my remounted LeicaR glass and remounted Contax Zeiss lenses. This discovery has been a most pleasant surprise.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: Winwalloe   review date: May-01-09  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

- 20/2.8 on APS-C

price paid:

535 USD (used)

positive:

- Small
- Light
- Sharp

negative:

- So hard to find!
- Used price getting silly

comment:

Excellent lens for walk-around: small, sharp, low distortion, and usable in low-light.

This lens is my "kit" lens for my a900.

Usable from f/2.

No issue of flare, chromatic aberration, or such.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 4 

user: veevee   review date: March-24-09  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

50/1,7

price paid:

300 Euro

positive:

- sharp
- compact
- nice colors

negative:

- as all 1st generation Minolta lens - narrow manual focusing ring

comment:

Nice, sharp lens. Good for portraits.
If you need lens of that focal length, just get it :)

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 4 

user: daddyman   review date: January-12-09  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

50 1.7
85 1.4
cz 16-80

price paid:

350 USD(5 years ago)

positive:

tack sharp
excellent color
excellent contrast
very light

negative:

lens hood will allow some flare

comment:

Was thinking about selling this lens when I was still doing only film, but with APS it is a "normal" lens and is on my A100 and A700 alot. Perfect for low light shooting indoors and paired with A100 a great walkaround combo when I go downtown. Contrast is superb, giving a nice 3D effect. On my camera more than the 85/1.4.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 4 

user: johnbirch   review date: January-03-09  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

MinO 50 1.7
MinO 50 1.4
SAL 50 1.4
CZ16-80

price paid:

550 USD (used)

positive:

Sharpness
Small size
Quick focus
Colors

negative:

Used cost

comment:

This lens has almost a clinical sharpness. It is so sharp wide open on APS-C, I never stop down to improve sharpness. The 35mm focal length on APS-C makes it a perfect fast indoor lens. I always found 50mm to be too long for indoors, and now I never use the 50mm. There is no distortion and the colors are classic minolta. The only problem with this lens is the rarity and the high used cost.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 4 

user: fute77   review date: October-25-08  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

28/2.8
24/2.8
50/1.7

price paid:

very cheap

positive:

very sharp even at 2
52 mm on APS-C
did i mention very sharp ?

negative:

price

comment:

this act as a 50 on FF
a great buy

very usefull when you want a lense for being light

I use it a lot for home studio pictures
a must have, even if it costs a little to muche compared to other brands

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 4 

user: marlon127   review date: July-11-08  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

KM 28-75/2.8 D
KM 50/1.7
CZ 24-70/2.8
KM 24/2.8

price paid:

300 USD (used)

positive:

Very light, sharp, with excellent color and better flaring control than other short KM primes.

negative:

Hood is too small and contributes to flaring in some situations.

comment:

This is one of my favorite lenses despite the fact that I own the CZ 24-70. It has some of the best bokeh you will ever see on such a shot focal lens even from 2 it is sharp all the way up to 14 or so. It is very light and boasts great color and contrast. This has become my event lens for wedding receptions, indoor socials, and even simple street stuff. In situations where zooming isn't important it is my go to lens due to size, weight, and low light ability.

When I rated the flaring I took into account that all short primes I've encountered on mumerous systems seem to be more inclined to flaring. Compared to other short primes (16, 24, 35, 50) it does the best. But still not as good as zooms I've used in this range. Some of this can be contributed by the odd hood but it is also a flaw of the lens.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: Mr_Canuck   review date: July-10-08  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

50 1.7, 135 2.8, Tam 17-50, Sig 17-70, Sony 16-105, Min 28-135

positive:

Small, "normal" focal length, fast, quick focus, sharp, 3D, smooth.

negative:

comment:

Updated after a year of use...

What can I say? It's just "right" in every way. I've updated sharpness from 4.5 to 5, and flare from 4 to 5 upon review of many images. It gives a great 3-dimensional look. It's small and light, and easy to zoom with your feet. Great outdoors and in. I've tried a variety of zooms and keep coming back to the 35/2 as my walkaround. Don't ever hesitate to buy one, if you can find one. I didn't pay much and got lucky, but it's a lens worth investing in for the long term, on full-frame and apsc.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: Grubeater   review date: July-10-08  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

M 28/2.8 O, M 24/2.8 O

price paid:

350 euro used

positive:

Sharp wide open, size, bokeh.

negative:

No rounded blades.

comment:

Really like this lens, on crop it has FOV of 50mm on full frame.
Forms my ideal prime pair with the M 85/1.4 G.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: charlemeign   review date: July-02-08  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta 28-135 f/4
Minolta 50mm 1.7 OS
Minolta 70-210 f/4
Minolta 135 f/2.8
Sigma 20-40 f2.8
Tamron 17-50 f/2.8

price paid:

50 USD

positive:

Wow. Colors. Sharpness... this lens is incredible.

negative:

It makes all my other lenses feel ignored...

comment:

I'm lazy and love zooms... yet I find myself moving around a lot because I can't beat the image quality this lens produces. This lens is unbeatable... It is nice and sharp wide open, and it is a good focal length for most things.

Love it. It's too bad Sony doesn't make THIS lens...

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: MartinM   review date: June-14-08  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Mi 20/2.8
So 28/2.8
Mi 50/1.4

price paid:

299 EUR

positive:

Razor sharp
Flower Hood
55mm Diameter
Focal lenght 52mm

negative:

Hard to find
Price
No D-Lens

comment:

This lense has become one of my favorites. I actually have the SAL-28F28 and i used to use it as my standard lens for indoor. Since i have the 35/2.0 i placed the Sony back into its package.

If you can find one -> get it

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: is_hagen   review date: April-30-08  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

SAL16105, Min 50/1.7, Sigma 28-70 2.8 EX, Beercan

price paid:

L213

positive:

light weight
good build quality
colours
sharpness

negative:

impossible to remove the hood when the lens cap is on

comment:

Absolutely amazing lens. I just got it recently, and was unsure how much I was going to
use it as I never have used primes much before. However, it has truly impressed me.
The colours are superb as is the sharpness. No other lens I have can match it - the
50/1.7 being the only one in the same league. If you can find one, go for it. It's
worth it.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: ja   review date: November-21-07  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

positive:

negative:

comment:

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: Themisa   review date: August-30-07  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

- 24/f2.8
- 50/1.7
- 28-75D/2.8

price paid:

€ 295,-

positive:

- sharp
- colors
- build
- weight

negative:

- hood and cap removal
- nothing that's really important

comment:

I like this lens a lot and everytime I use it, it becomes better. Perfect for portrets, but also good for anything else. Light weight, good to handle, small, well build. Destortion and flare not noticed yet. It's much sharper then the other lenses it's compared with. Colors and bokey are great. Works better with 5D than the A100. Highly recommended.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: Radio_KUT   review date: August-13-07  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta 80-200 f2.8 G HS APO
Minolta 28-75D f2.8
Minolta 50 f1.4

price paid:

340 euro (used)

positive:

Great colours and contrast
Very nice bokeh
compact yet very well built
it's a prime!!

negative:

front lens cap is impossible to take off when lens hood is on
nothing really negative

comment:

This lens would be the only one if i was to decide to keep only one of them. I own a Sony alpha because it is an intelligent way to use Minolta lenses; I heard some of these are really legendary ones, some of them I have already. But what I can say about this one is it is really special. From the moment I own it, I am in love with the beautiful photos which you can take with it; all with a three dimensional effect, accompanied by well saturated colours and sharp, sharp, sharp yes really sharp results. This lens is the prime counterpart of my 80-200 G APO which "tastes" very similar in terms of colour and contrast. Thanks to those two lenses, I learnt what the famous "sharpness" is about and what "Minolta colours" mean; I understood why some people remained with Minolta because of certain lenses. For sure, they have a character.

With this lens, you can take some beautiful photos without having to post process them. When used wide open, the sharpness you get is incredible at f2. It's even better than my 50/1.4, which is really soft wide open. Infact, they are two different primes for low light photography. The results from 80-200 and 35/2 are very similar, whereas the results from 50/1.4 recall the ones from 28-75D.

Together with the 1.5x cropping factor, it becomes a standard lens of a 52mm on the Sony alpha, a much more versatile focal length than that of the 50/1.4 which becomes almost a tele lens with it's 75mm's cropped!!. I find this one a great portrait lens, but it does some very nice all around photos as well.

I did not have any flare issues yet, but i had one problem build wise, that is, you cannot take off the front lens cap easily if you have the flower shape lens hood on. I do not know if someone else suffered from this problem or may be my lens cap is not the original one, I do not know so I do not crop any points from the built factor. A newer front lens cap for 55mm resolves the problem.

Still, it's a very compact and a very well built lens. The metal barrel and the glossy finished petal shape hard plastic lens hood are really good points. From now on, it is officially my walk around lens; i am pretty sure that Sony will reintroduce this one sooner or later; it would be a real pity let such a great design achievement get loose. Highestly recommended, don't even think twice if you can find it once.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: gvknight   review date: July-11-07  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

28 2.8
50 1.7

price paid:

L180 (used)

positive:

small, sharp

negative:

comment:

my favourite lens sharp, small, perfect normal lens on digital

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: alphaseven   review date: May-01-07  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

50mm f1.7
17-35mm f2.8
28-75mm f2.8

price paid:

150 USD

positive:

VERY SHARP at f2
COMPACT
NORMAL LENSE AT APS-C

negative:

RARE TO FIND
RELATIVELY EXPENSIVE

comment:

A very very GOOD lense

purchased lense through a friend
at around 150 USD a bargain i know!
i still do not know why he sold it for such a price!

amazing bokeh
good built
very compact with my 7d+vd7d
and the sharpness at f2 is better than most
other lenses at f4 or tighter
it becomes a normal lense on my 7d

the cons
the hood is too tight
that it scares the hell out of
me at times
and if it breaks
it would probably cost a fortune
to get it fixed...


My favorite lense so far
Hence, If you can find one
buy it no matter what!

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 4 

user: trondeh   review date: April-19-07  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

28/2.8, 50/1.4 RS, 100/2 and 28-75/2.8

price paid:

$250

positive:

A magic lens. Sharp from f2, great colors, good contras and light weight.

negative:

Nothing I can think of.

comment:

A fantastic lens. It produces results similar to my 100/2 which is the best review I can give a lens. Its 35mm focal length is really useful on a APS-C camera as a normal lens. All good thinks said about this lens is 100% true. Get it if you are so lucky to find one.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: The Shoeman   review date: April-14-07  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta 28/2
Minolta 24/2.8
Minolta 20/2.8
Minolta 50/1.7

price paid:

370.00 USD (used)

positive:

Super Sharp! Very nice lens. It is my second favorite lens next to my 85/1.4 It's light weight, fast, and compact.

negative:

Too Rare. Not wide enough on Digital, but is now my 'Normal' lens for the 1.5x crop factor.

comment:

I absolutely love this lens. Super sharp 'Normal' lens on digital.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: Reto   review date: March-25-07  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta 28/2
Minolta 50/1.4
Sigma 24-70/2.8 EX DG Macro

positive:

Optically a very fine lens of a convenient size/weight. It just fits into a coat's pockets.

negative:

Focus ring too small.

comment:

Intended to use it as a walk-around lens when I bought it. The Minolta 28/2 however is better suited to this task, as a bit more of wide angle can still be cropped later.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: vtube   review date: December-07-06  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

50/1.7, beercan, 17-35/2.8-4

price paid:

180Euro (used)

positive:

- sharp sharp sharp!
- colors
- normal FOV for my 7D

negative:

- cap difficult to remove with sun hood on

comment:

Very sharp, even wide open. Build is very good, but I don't like too much the original cap (hard to remove when the sun hood is on the lens). Color are excellent, typical Minolta.
A perfect normal lens for my 7D. Highly Recommended.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: ph0t0man   review date: November-20-06  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

28/2, 50/1.7 & 1.4, Tamron 90 Di

price paid:

300 USD (used)

positive:

Small, Light, Fast, Sharp, Solid..........

negative:

Doesn't come standard with every camera?

comment:

Yummy...classic lens, don't hesitate to buy this for anything under $350. Over that, know that you are still getting your money's worth.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 4 

user: 2manycamera   review date: August-29-06  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta 28/2, 50/1.4RS, Sigma 28/1.8

price paid:

160 USD used

positive:

Sharp at all apetures, corner to corner.
Color is excellent, good, not outstanding, bokeh.

negative:

Manual focus ring. Flares on digital if not careful.

comment:

I came close to selling this recently, knowing that I could make a killing on it in the current market. Decided to take the time to go back and use it before committing to selling it. Best decision I've made in awhile.

In comparing it to other lenses, it is absolutely excellent, corner to corner, at all apetures. As good as the 28/2 is wide open, the 35/2 beats it in the corners. This has become my principal lens for dance photography and is always with me when I travel.

I do not consider it a MF lens, the ring is too small and the throw distance too short for this use. This is why I'll keep the Sigma 28/1.8, an excellent MF lens. It will also give flare problems on digital, not noticable on film due to its age and lack of rear element coatings. When shot carefully, this is not a big issue for me.

Like my 100/2 and 300/4, as long as I shoot with an A mount camera, this lens is staying with me.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 4 

user: Jose de Luna   review date: July-08-06  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

positive:

Excellent sharpness even wide open (f2), well-saturated colors, very compact

negative:

small focussing ring, dedicated petal-lens hood not enough to control flare, I use the 100mm f2 hood instead.

comment:

An excellent performer in the Minolta prime lens line-up, a more practical choice compared to the f1.4 version. Makes a very good standard lens on the 7D/5D (~50mm w/1.5x crop factor). Sharpness is incomparable to any zoom lenses. A must have lens for all Minolta digital slr users.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 4 

user: Fecuska   review date: June-29-06  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

positive:

- quick focusing
- small
- very sharp
- etc., etc.

negative:

- nothing serious (it's true!)
- no circular aperture...
- rare and expensive

comment:

A prefect normal lens for everyday use, without any compromises and flaws. Buy one, if you can, and you will use it a lot. A very-very sharp (really usable from F2.0!) and practically everlasting piece of work.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 4 

user: damian.bradley   review date: May-12-06  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

- 35/1.4
- 28/2.8

positive:

- Small
- Sharp
- Good bokeh
- fast AF
- Great colours

negative:

- MF requires patience
- non-circular apperture blades

comment:

What a little gem! This lens does almost everything well. It's a 'normal' FOV on the DSLR's and I would be happy to leave it on the front of my camera for most situations like I did with my 50mm SMC takumar on my film camera.

My gripes are small. The original style means a narrow focus ring, which can be tough to use. There isn't as much focus throw as the 35/1.4, so I think both AF (but mostly MF) accuracy takes a bit of a hit. The 7 blade aperture will show up in OOF specular highlights...so that's something I'm not in love with. Of course both of these issues are solved in the RS version.

Anyway...one of the best of the best, hands down. I still love my 35/1.4 but it is a different lens in many ways, and I would argue that one is not a direct substitute for the other. Colour and contrast are different as the f1.4 is a G lens. See my review there for comments.

This is another 'must-buy' lens from minolta...but get the RS if you can

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: mcgravy   review date: December-21-05  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

positive:

Everything

negative:

None

comment:

One of the best lenses Minolta ever made.

sharpness: 5 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: former member   review date: November-05-04  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

positive:

very good build, excellent in sharpness, AF very fast

negative:

MF ring more thin

comment:

For me, this model is the best of 35mm at Minolta. Finally, better that all models of 1,4/35mm for a good price !