Minolta AF 28-135mm F4-4.5 A-mount lens review by SChurchill

SChurchill#7761 date: Jul-30-2010
sharpness: 4 color: 4 build: 5 distortion: 4 flare control: 3 overall: 4	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 AF 35-105 F3.5-4.5 Beercan Big Beercan
price paid:	265 GBP used
positive:	Build Range
negative:	Bad CA Ghosting Flare even with after market lens hood. MFD Focus ring location Macro at wrong end of range
comment:	I've really tried to like this lens but I just can't get a decent image out of it. I assume I have a duff copy. In my experience the sharpness is rather average and flare control is non-existent. Even with a lens hood and shading the front element images appear washed out and halation is apparent. I tried using it to take photos of Brighton pier at night only to find the most horrendous ghosting when viewing the downloaded images. The macro feature being it the wide end is also frustrating. it makes the minimum focus distance much more noticeable than with the 35-105 where it is at the other end and seems more natural to me. My 35-105 seems to out perform the 28-135 on every level being much sharper, less prone to flare and CA and I tend to use it much more. I've not given up completely on it and think that getting it serviced may improve performance. I've also noticed it performs better with film, but then that is what it was designed for.