Minolta AF 20mm F2.8 RS A-mount lens review by MartinM

MartinM#3755 date: Jun-24-2008
sharpness: 5 color: 5 build: 5 distortion: 5 flare control: 5 overall: 5	tested on: film camera: APS-C: 6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP; 16MP; 20MP; 24MP full frame: 12MP; 24MP; 36MP; 42MP; 61MP
ownership:	I used to own this lens
compared to:	20/2.8 (Old) 24/2.8 (RS) 28/2.8 (So) 35/2.0 (Old) 50/1.4 (So) 50/1.4 (old) 50/3.5 Macro SAL-18-250
price paid:	400 CHF
positive:	- Build - Zoom Ring - Weight - F2.8 - Sharpness - Circular aperture
negative:	- None
comment:	I initially was not so happy. I had this lens twice. On the first go, i would have rated it as not sharp enough. Then i changed over to a 20/2.8 (Old Style) and it became one of my favorite lenses. Be cause of that i struggled over another 20/2.8 RS and i changed back again. I am really happy with the lens. Specially doing landscape in low light conditions It has less disortion @20mm than the SAL-18250 and better speed with 2.8 compared to 3.5. The RS is harder to find and when found mostly more expensiv than the old one. Why i chaned back? Well simple. The design matches more the style my other lenses. Sony and Minolta RS. I am seaking to replace the 35/2.0 to an RS too. But hard to find. The IQ of old and new are identical. The bokeh looks slightly different due to the circular aperture of the RS. But really minimal. Highly recomended!! Get one.