Minolta AF 75-300mm F4.5-5.6 D A-mount lens review by hrstrat57

hrstrat57#7014 date: Mar-6-2010
sharpness: 4 color: 5 build: 4 distortion: 4 flare control: 4 overall: 4.2	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 100-200
price paid:	$85 USD
positive:	Lightweight, great reach on C format, inexpensive. I think it is optically the same as the new Sony 75-300
negative:	Very slow AF, esp in low light, loud, 5.6 comes up real quick results much better stopped down to F8 or more. Bokeh at 5.6 can be very bad at longer focal lengths.
comment:	Bought this used from a local shop just for giggles, expected it to be junk from the many lukewarm reviews I have read. Pleasantly surprised...I like it. The 300 reach on my A700 brings things in real close and is a lot of fun. I have the 100-200 which I bought new and love but the results from this lens, tho clearly not as good were not awful. Hopefully I will get in some birding and sports shooting tho the AF is slow and the lens is very loud, might even drive the birds away :) - - - All in all for short money not a bad lens, I am very surprised. The build is ok, it has a sturdy metal mount. I like it and fully expect to have a lot of fun with it tho I will grab a big beercan at some point - then this can go to my kid so she can have fun with it too! Beware bad bokeh at small apertures with zoom fully extended. Can be downright nasty!