Minolta AF 24-50mm F4 A-mount lens review by QuietOC
 QuietOC#27605 date: Jun-12-2016 | |
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| sharpness: 3.5 color: 5 build: 3 distortion: 4 flare control: 4 overall: 3.9 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I used to own this lens |
| compared to: | Sony DT 16-50 F2.8 SSM Sony DT 16-80 CZ Sony DT 16-105 Sigma 24-70 F2.8 DG DN Art Minolta AF 24-85 F3.5-4.5 Minolta AF 24-105 F3.5-4.5 D Sony 24-70 F4 ZA OSS Sony FE 24-105 F4 G OSS Minolta AF 35-70 F4 Sigma AF 24 F2.8 Tamron SP 17-50 F2.8 |
| price paid: | 42 USD (used) |
| positive: | Size and weight Close focusing Smooth and nicely weighted zoom mechanism Very little lens extension Parfocal 55 mm filter size |
| negative: | A little soft Softer at long end Curved focus plane Purple fringing at long end Filter threads rotate with focus Minor focus breathing Tiny circular hood |
| comment: | I bid too much on this lens, but it is in good shape and works reasonably well. The obvious comparison is to the later Minolta AF 24-85 F3.5-5.6. That lens is larger and heavier and doesn't keep f/4 at 50 mm. The other obvious comparison is with the little Minolta AF 35-70 F4 kit lens. The larger 24-50 F4 feels much nicer and has much closer focusing ability. It is very similar in size and weight to the 1988 version of the 35-105 F3.5-4.5. The 24-50 and 24-85 have similar distortion at 24 mm, and the two perform rather similarly. The 24-50 has less of a warm color cast. Both of the zooms are a bit wider than the Minolta AF 24 F2.8. The 24-50 is considerably larger than the 35-70 F4, but the 24-50 doesn't extend as far as the 35-70 F4 at its maximum at 35 mm. Like the DT kit lenses and 35-70 the 24-50 is fully retracted at 35 mm. Also like the 18-55 it extends more at the widest end than the longest end. The zoom mechanism is very smooth and nicely weighted. Despite being an external focus design it has negative focus breathing (the angle-of-view decreases a little with closer focus.) The stock circular hood is comically small--even shorter than the 28/18mm circular hood. The larger clip-on hoods from the 100-300 fits perfectly and don't vignette on APS-C. Test chart comparison on an A65 with the 24-85, Carl Zeiss 16-80, Tamron 17-50 F2.8, and Sony DT 18-135 SAM. |
; 10MPrating summary
- total reviews: 50
- sharpness: 4.36
- color: 4.84
- build: 4.54
- distortion: 4.38
- flare control: 3.80
- overall: 4.38