Minolta AF 24-105mm F3.5-4.5 D A-mount lens review by whisperer

whisperer#11253 date: Jul-16-2013
sharpness: 4.5 color: 5 build: 3 distortion: 2 flare control: 3 overall: 3.5	tested on: film camera: APS-C: 6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP; 16MP; 20MP; 24MP full frame: 12MP; 24MP; 36MP; 42MP; 61MP
ownership:	I own this lens
compared to:	Minolta 28mm 2.0 Tamron 28-75 2.8 Sony 50mm 1.7 Minolta 85mm 1.4 G Sony 70-300 G
price paid:	120GBP (used)
positive:	Central sharpness on all apertures after closing 1 f.stop Very versatile range on FF Minolta color Light and compact
negative:	Corner sharpness Vignetting Color fringing wide open
comment:	The lens is not bad if you know how to use it. It's cheap (2nd hand), small, light, great zoom range. Center is sharp at f4.5 (24mm) or f8 (120mm). When stopped down (f8-f11) the corners will sharpen and vignetting almost disappear. In fact I think this lens is very sharp at these apertures. Problem with stopping down, any dust on the sensor (or even semi translucent surface of the A99) will be visible. I personally like the colors. They seem very much the same as the 28mm 2.0 and the 70-300mm G, which are regarded as having great "minolta" colors. Usually my question is whether to take the Tamron 28-75 2.8 or Minoltas 24-105 + 50mm 1.7. The Minoltas will have better colors, better zoom range, better bokeh (50mm 1.7) and in total will cost less than the Tamron.