Minolta AF 3x-1x 1.7-2.8 Macro A-mount lens review by BenKinetics
 BenKinetics#2419 date: Jun-6-2007 | |
|---|---|
| sharpness: 4.5 color: 5 build: 5 distortion: 5 flare control: 5 overall: 4.9 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | Tamron 90mm macro Extension tubes Teleconverter |
| price paid: | Ł1100 |
| positive: | Very high magnification Motorised zoom and rotation Very sharp Included mini tripod |
| negative: | The price! Lens cap is rubbish Expensive non-rechargeable battery |
| comment: | This seems to be the lens that everyone wants to try but no-one wants to buy, and I can see why - it's a lot of money for a very specialist lens, even if it does come with a tripod and a hard case. It really is way above any other macro lens I've tried, though, and quality is fantastic - none of the compromises you get when bodging with extension tubes or teleconverters. Officially, it's meant to be used on a tripod, and the included vertical-mount one is very handy - it's easy to get pin-sharp pictures of anything that will sit still under the tripod. AF works almost all the time (it hunts a bit in low light) and you can also manual focus with the built-in slider rail. Handheld shooting is also possible - the focus distance means you can often hold the object you're shooting and the lens in your left hand. It takes a bit of practice, but produces some amazing results. I'm waiting for a 1200AF flash to arrive so I can experiment with that - at present I'm limited to larger apertures which reduces the DoF. Sample image (handheld). |
; 10MPrating summary
- total reviews: 4
- sharpness: 4.63
- color: 5.00
- build: 5.00
- distortion: 4.75
- flare control: 5.00
- overall: 4.88