Minolta AF 80-200mm F2.8 HS APO G A-mount lens reviews
 Minolta Mantis#47028 date: Sep-3-2024 | |
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sharpness: 5 color: 5 build: 5 distortion: 5 flare control: 5 overall: 5 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | Tamron SP 70-300 USD, Sony Lens G 70-300 SSM, Sony SAL 75-300 |
| price paid: | 350€+250Tax(Fed-XD) |
| positive: | ---COSMETICS--- -White!! -"G Master" version of Minolta with gold badges -all metal build ---PHYSICAL--- -Heavy, makes panning shots so stable! -insane torque, it feels like it's alive -Smooth well dampen AF and focal length control -Very compact for a lens of this caliber -Built like a bunker ---PERFORMANCE--- -stupid sharp wide open -it is the only lens I can reliably Lock-on AF with -very fast autofocus, doesn't hunt at all unless below the camera's capabilities. |
| negative: | -Some Chromatic aberration shows up in direct backlight and it has to be corrected in Photoshop for how intense it is -Small for a lens of this gauge (I like big heavy lenses) -Lens hood is small and flat, no petal like the rest of 70-200s -Screwdriven lenses are noisy, but if you sneak while being good at manual focus you will get good results too. -Not filter friendly; front element rotates and the hood doesn't have a window to adjust the filters -No weather sealed |
| comment: | Bought this lens in total pristine condition on eBay to a Japanese seller for 350 euro, FedEx somehow forced me to pay VAT+Customs twice, alas I would lose the trial anyway so why bother with it. This lens is my most reliable piece, and I love how quick it is to acquire focus without hesitation. My first REAL pro photographs started to come with this one, it never misses the shot. I even accidentally dropped it from six feet of height and got a small dent on it's focusing ring that made AF to infinite tougher, but after some constant fidgetting it went completely back to normal in the span of three months, so all I can say is that this lens is self healing. |
| QuietOC#45832 date: Feb-6-2022 | |
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sharpness: 4 color: 4 build: 4 distortion: 4 flare control: 4 overall: 4 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I have experience with this lens |
| compared to: | Tamron 28-200 RXD Tokina AF 35-200 SD Minolta MD 50-135 F3.5 Sigma 50-150 F2.8 EX DC HSM II Sony DT 55-200 SAM Vivitar 70-150 F3.8 Tamron 70-180 F2.8 VXD Sigma 70-200 F2.8 EX DG OS HSM Sigma 70-200 F2.8 EX DG APO Sony FE 70-200 F4 G OSS Canon EF 70-200 F4 L USM Vivitar S1 70-210 F3.5 I & II Minolta AF 70-210 F4 Minolta AF 70-210 F3.5-4.5 Minolta AF 80-200 F2.8 APO G Tokina 80-200 F2.8 AT-X Pro Vivitar 85-205 F3.8 Minolta AF 100-200 F4.5 Minolta AF 135 F2.8 Canon EF 135 F2.8 Softfocus Canon EF 200 F2.8 L USM Minolta AF 200 F2.8 APO G Minolta AF 200 F2.8 HS APO G |
| price paid: | 339 USD (used) |
| positive: | Internal zoom Corner performance Blunt, heavy weapon |
| negative: | Size and weight Extending/rotating front focus Plastic focus ring Non-removable tripod foot 1.8 meter minimum focus |
| comment: | I made the mistake of adding this lens to my watch list. It was described as being in poor condition "with heavy internal fungus". I got an email offering a discount which I accepted without checking the listing closely. Unlike the previous older black version, the body was in good condition, but the glass did have fungus. It certainly isn't the worst I've seen. "JAPAN" The hood bayonet doesn't extend or rotate, so the lens can seem like an internal focus design with the hood installed. The aluminum barreled hood is like those included early telephoto zooms. The hood edge had some heavy wear and there was some sort of cloth tape coming loose on the joint between the metal and plastic parts. This copy had even worse alignment than the older version perhaps caused by the fungus. The focus speed didn't seem any faster than the older version. I might try a better example in the future. |
| RichardGG24#45606 date: Oct-24-2020 | |
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sharpness: 4.5 color: 5 build: 5 distortion: 5 flare control: 4 overall: 4.7 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | Tamron 150-600 f5-6.3 G2 Minolta 70-200 f2.8 Minolta 70-210 f4 |
| price paid: | 420USD (used) |
| positive: | build like a tank very sharp fast auto-focus somewhat compact but heavy easy to find on eBay great value common filter size |
| negative: | violent focus action (to be expected for screw drive motor) average flare control paint quality not weather sealed |
| comment: | got my copy from a Japanese seller on eBay, for about 460 after shipping and tax. IMO, this is the best "value" high-end zoom tele lens for the A mount platform, you can find a pristine copy on eBay for about $500 before tax and shipping (as of Oct 2020). Optically, it is pretty much on par with the sony/minolta 70-200 f2.8, very sharp even at wide open, but flare control is only okay-ish. On the other hand, the screw drive AF motor in this lens is significantly louder and more violent, but considering the much lower price, I can certainly live with that. This is no doubt the perfect substitute for those who don't want to shill out 1000USD+ for a decent copy of sony/minolta 70-200 f2.8. It isn't exactly fair to compare this with the good ole beercan (minolta 70-210 f4), nor the much newer Tamron 150 600 G2. But since I have both of them, I'll do a quick comparison anyway. This lens is wayyyyyy better than the beercan pretty much in every way imaginable, of course except its size, weight and price. Comparing to the Tamron, which is an amazing lens in its own right. This lens is faster and about as sharp. But keep in mind, that Tamron also has significantly longer focal length, and better flare control. If you ever come across a good copy of this lens, definitely pick it up, this is indeed a hell of a lens, for its price, you just can't beat its optical performance. |
| Phil Wood#44551 date: Jul-15-2020 | |
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sharpness: 5 color: 5 build: 5 distortion: 5 flare control: 5 overall: 5 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | All Minolta zooms 70-210, 75-300 and 80-200/f4,5-5.6. |
| price paid: | 450 CAD |
| positive: | Almost everything. |
| negative: | White paint. Weight. |
| comment: | My copy came from a Dyxumer at a great price and is cosmetically tatty (plenty of missing paint) but is optically and mechanically in great condition. It is so much better than the cheaper Minolta zooms of this sort of length that there is no point in detailed comparisons - it is simply much better in every way but one - weight. I habitually carry my cameras in one hand, with a wrist strap for security. With this monster on the camera it gets a bit wearing after a while and I worry about the camera mount - I really need to carry it by the lens but have yet to find a comfortable way to do this. To be fair this is a problem with all heavy lenses and one I need to resolve because this is not the only one I have. Focus is quick and accurate on my A99ii, colours are nice and Minolta (though I'm not hugely worried about this aspect of a lens if I'm shooting digital) and it's built to last apart from the paint finish - for this reason I'd give a 4.5 if I could. I was reluctant to buy this lens for a long time, because I don't like white lenses - daft? Perhaps. However, the paint doesn't last like the black finish on its predecessor or the many other early metal Minoltas. It adds nothing to the lens apart from make you stand out more - this might be fine if you want to wander around posing as a pro, but I don't, I'd rather be part of the scenery, unnoticed. Perhaps it needs a respray? Distortion is negligible and while flare, CA, ghosting etc is probably ahead of its time if not up to the very best modern standard, microcontrast is probably not up to the very best, but it sets a pretty high standard. All in all this is a very fine lens that takes excellent pictures, or would do if I could. |
| goonybird#44131 date: Sep-4-2018 | |
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sharpness: 5 color: 5 build: 5 distortion: 5 flare control: 4 overall: 4.8 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | Sony 70-300G SSM Sigma 50-150EX II Sony 16-80 Minolta 24-105 Minolta 500mm Reflex Sony A700 |
| price paid: | £450 |
| positive: | Built like a tank Fairly compact Rapid Focus lock-on |
| negative: | Slight CA at edge of frame (at f5.6) |
| comment: | Bought to go with my A850 and nicely balanced combo. Came as an absolute minter with the hood. Compared to 70-300G not a lot in it.Both sharp. Less CA with 70-300G. Note seems a step up from my stalwart A700, Sigma 50-150 2.8 combo. |
| ValeryD#44130 date: Sep-4-2018 | |
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sharpness: 5 color: 5 build: 5 distortion: 5 flare control: 4 overall: 4.8 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | Tamron SP 70-300 USD Sony 70-300 Sony 70-200 24-70ZA 16-80Z and more |
| price paid: | $866 CAD |
| positive: | Very Fast AF, Sharpness Metal build Compact design |
| negative: | Some CA on a strong back light. |
| comment: | Nice Minolta color, build like a tank. Super fast AF on a99-II. Got this lens on eBay from Japan. Finally I figured out how to unscrew the tripod mount ring from Minolta 80-200 and add the rubber ring from old broken lens. This modification make the shot easy from the hand. Big plus it's reversible. |
| lassethomasson#44126 date: Aug-26-2018 | |
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sharpness: 5 color: 5 build: 5 distortion: 5 flare control: 4 overall: 4.8 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | Beer can Big beer can Sony FE 70-210 f4 Sony A 70-300 G Sony A 70-400 G Minolta AF 200/2.8 HS Minolta MD 200/2.8 Contax C/Y 80-200 and 100-300 |
| price paid: | $600 |
| positive: | Sharpness Colors Build AF speed and accuracy Bokeh |
| negative: | Flare control is only average |
| comment: | Got a sort of battered copy with a lot of lost paint, but that is only cosmetics, this lens really shines on the A99II. AF is fast and accurate even for moving subjects and AF-C. I shoot a lot of dressage and get around a 90% hit rate and most of the 10% is user error. Sharpness up to 135mm is good wide open and insane (truly) from f4. At 200mm it's still very good. I've used the FE 70-210 f4 a lot and it doesn't even come close. Bokeh is great and what I like the most is the very smooth transition zone creating av very special 3D effect. I know, talking about 3D effect is silly when you are working in 2D, but in this case it is sort of valid. This lens makes things in focus stand out from the back- and foreground in a very special way. Colors are warm and very much Minolta like. Can be an advantage, like for evening shots, or portraits that gets even warmer and creamier, but also work against you when you need more cooler, more natural and true Zeiss like tones. Still, so happy I got this lens. It's not only a good lens, it's one of those rare ones that makes you better than you are. |
| z3144228#44067 date: May-24-2018 | |
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sharpness: 5 color: 4 build: 5 distortion: 5 flare control: 5 overall: 4.8 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | Sigma - 70-210 F2.8 Tamron - 70-210 F2.8 Tamron - SP 70-200 |
| price paid: | 750 USD (used) |
| positive: | Image quality, price |
| negative: | the mount is not attached well with the LE-2 adapter |
| comment: | Everything about this lens is great. The only negative point I have to mention is sometimes the lens mount is not attached well with the LE-2 adapter ( maybe only mine) the result is AF is not working (not every time). |
| Metroruss#44042 date: Apr-3-2018 | |
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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 A001 70-200 2.8 Minolta 70-210 4.0 Minolta 100-300 4-5.6 |
| price paid: | US750 |
| positive: | Quick focus. Accurate focus. Smaller than many other 2.8 70-200mm, this makes it much more portable in my camera bags. Very solid metal build. Without the hood it does not look like a super expensive lens. |
| negative: | Noise and violent focus action. Cannot find a local shop to service it if required. MFD is quite long. |
| comment: | Like it a lot. |
| Matt#39939 date: Sep-21-2017 | |
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sharpness: 5 color: 5 build: 5 distortion: 4 flare control: 4 overall: 4.6 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | Minolta AF 70-210mm F4 "Beercan" Tamron 18-270mm F3.5-6.3 Di II PZD Minolta AF 100mm F2.8 Macro (D) |
| price paid: | € 800 (Used) |
| positive: | * High build quality * Very fast AF * Nice colours * Great sharpness * Smooth zoom * Compact for a 80-200mm F2.8 zoom |
| negative: | * Front element rotates during focus * Tripod collar non-removable * No distance encoding * Paint scratches easily |
| comment: | Got a very nice looking copy, almost no scratches on it. Looks impressive on the A77II, but not too big. Built is great: metal all over the place. It has a nice focus hold button on it. The lens also has e tripod collar, that has 2 holes for the different sizes of screws. Unfortunately, it cannot be removed. This lens gives you absolutely great photos, it is more than a match for the 24MP megapixel sensor of the A77II. This means it will be a great match for the A99II as well. The beercan is way behind this lens in every aspect, except price of course.. Sharpness is great. From all the lenses in than focal range I own, only the 100mm Macro comes close. Focus speed is lightning fast, equal to a modern SSM lens. It is screw driven, so you can hear it focus and feel the torque of the mechanics in the lens. If you use it for video, you clearly can hear the AF. The front element rotates when focusing; not so great when using e.g. polar filters. Colours are very nice and warm. CA is well controlled. All in all, if you can live with the noise and feel of the screw drive, this lens is a very good and cheaper alternative to the Sony 70-200mm F2.8 SSM G lenses. |
| keith_h#39907 date: Aug-3-2017 | |
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sharpness: 5 color: 5 build: 5 distortion: 5 flare control: 5 overall: 5 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | 70-300 G SSM |
| price paid: | 450 aud |
| positive: | Sharp, sharp, sharp, And fast focusing. |
| negative: | Heavy. My copy is cosmetically challenged. |
| comment: | Creates beautiful images. Demonstrates how good the top end lenses really are. In back to back comparison with the 70-300G sports shooting on A700, I find the 70-300 to be lighter and easier to maneuver and produce images of comparable quality in good light. With the extra reach of the 70-300, its more appropriate for different applications than the 80-200 which of course has the advantage of having a few extra stops. It's nice to have a choice. |
| Chrisblobster#38876 date: Jun-2-2017 | |
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sharpness: 5 color: 5 build: 5 distortion: 5 flare control: 4 overall: 4.8 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | 55-200mm DT kit lens |
| price paid: | NZD $1000+taxes |
| positive: | Sharpness on APS-C, Minolta colours, AF speed, bokeh, relatively compact for an f/2.8 big zoom, corner sharpness on full frame A99 is still excellent even at f/2.8. |
| negative: | Noisy torquey screw-drive AF |
| comment: | This is a damn good lens. I mostly use it indoors on my SLT-A57 to shoot roller derby, but despite the very fast movement in the game and sometimes dreary lighting, it just locks on, focuses near instantly, and lets me freeze the action without needing to push ISO. Bokeh is nice, colours are great classic Minolta, and out at 200mm and f/2.8 subjects take on an almost 3D look. The AF is noisy, and moving from one subject to another you can feel the torque in the screw drive trying to twist the lens, but with the great results I get I'm more than happy to live with that. EDIT: I've now added an A99 to my kit bag, and this lens works flawlessly on that! :) |
| Collingsandheal#33753 date: Jan-11-2017 | |
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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: | Sigma 70-200mm APO HSM. Zeiss 24-70mm. Zeiss 85mm F1.4. Sigma 50mm F1.4 HSM. |
| price paid: | £650.00 |
| positive: | G lens. Built to last forever. Sharp everywhere from f3.2 |
| negative: | Noisy compared to latest SSM lenses. |
| comment: | This lens is in my humble opinion, better than the Sony 70-200mm F2.8 G SSM II, as it is still tack sharp at 200mm. Louder maybe, but capable of making epic images. It is fast, accurate and well balanced on the A99 and fast and accurate on the A7R with the LA-EA 4 converter. I can confirm that with a little fettling the Nikon HB-7 lens hood will fit this lens. UPDATE. This lens is still a steel on the A99ii and continues to impress with wonderful images. |
| vincentsiew#30684 date: Sep-10-2016 | |
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sharpness: 5 color: 5 build: 5 distortion: 5 flare control: 5 overall: 5 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | missing |
| price paid: | 1600 SGD (Used) |
| positive: | generally sharp throughout and excellent built |
| negative: | Slightly heavy, and hunts a bit |
| comment: | Got this used lens 19 Jan 2013... about 20-years old lens but still a mint copy and enjoyed it thoroughly. Tried on my A350, A77 and A77 MKII, no full-frame camera to experience it. Great lens. |
| radi9red#27584 date: May-22-2016 | |
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sharpness: 5 color: 5 build: 5 distortion: 5 flare control: 5 overall: 5 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | Over 10+ top grade Sony Minolta Alpha lens. |
| price paid: | Resale- cheap |
| positive: | +amazing colours. much richer than Sony 85mm , sony 135mm primes. + bokeh rendering out of this world. Rivals the Minolta 200mm f2.8 G lens. + sharp sharp sharp + size. Much smaller (similar to Sony Fe 70-200mm f4) and much more versatile and wieldable comparing to Sony 70-200mm f2.8 which is monster sized with hood. |
| negative: | - auto focusing loud and you can feel the mechanical movement but it is extremely accurate. 90-95%focus accuracy. - tripod collar not removable. **see comments** |
| comment: | Bought mine from resale market. I used to own a black version 80-200mm f2.8 7-8 years ago during the Sony A700 era, sold it when I was about to get married back then to focus more on my day job. Now, I finally got this lens back!and this time round a white version instead of black. currently I'm using this on Sony A7s and A7r with la-ea4 adapter. Focus speed is similar to native Alpha bodies. This white version of 80-200mm is really amazing. The smooth rendering of image outputs is something unique to Minolta G lens and is the main reason why you should get this lens. Unlike sony zeiss , this lens produce rich saturated deep contrast images. Skin tones looks amazing, trees foilage aluring. Not clinically razor sharp unlike modern Sony zeiss lens which every photos produced does not have a character or soul. The lens is extremely sharp at all focal lengths and wide open f2.8. Stopped down to 3.2 or 4, it's corner to corner sharp. Blown me away on A7s and even on A7r with 36MP, details and resolution are never an issue. I mounted it on A7R with la-ea4 which works extremely well. A little heavy though since you have to factor in the weight of additional adaptor. And the tripod collar thus became redundant since the la-ea4 has the tripod support as well. In fact I wanted to travel light and smaller on mirroless body. The only way to remove the collar is to break it. I use a pair of metal cutter shears and slowly cut it till it can be removed. Now this lens looks like a fatter version of the Minolta 70-210 beercan. Weight reduced by around 80-100 grams. My copy , the optics is close to perfect. Especially lucky as I bought it from a photography collector and not via ebay where bad lemons were dumped all the time. The negatives about this lens are the white paint started to flake and peel. Eventually I managed to fix it by using paint removal alcohol and clean the white paint away. Beneath it ,reveals a stainless steel shiny shell and after polishing it shiby with aerosol, honestly I think it looks way better than a flaking white lens. It does not have any signs of rust at all. Thus the material used to construct this lens must be stainless steel and aluminum. I personally think this lens carries the soul and the spirit of Minolta photography with it- similar to other Minolta G lens (28-70mm f2.8 and 85mm) that I owned. The images it produces excites and alures me comparing to the modern Sony Zeiss Fe mount lens. The "feel" is just very unique and different. If Sony Alpha mount series is not dead by another 20 years. I'm sure this lens will still works flawlessly. No stupid SSM or linear focusing motors technology within that makes your lens unrepairable. This lens is built like a steel rock with amazing glass. Don't use this for video work since the screw AF loud noise will just be plain annoying ! |
| op1318#24477 date: Jan-25-2016 | |
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sharpness: 5 color: 5 build: 5 distortion: 5 flare control: 5 overall: 5 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | • Tokina AT-X Pro 80-200 f:2.8 • Sigma EX 100-300 f:4 • Sony 70-300 G f:4.5-5.6 • Minolta 70-210 f:4 "beercan" • Minolta 100-300 f:4.5-5.6 |
| price paid: | 700 EUROS (used) |
| positive: | • Very sharp, even wide open at f:2.8 • AF is very fast and accurate • Beautiful color rendition • Amazing bokeh • Built like a tank |
| negative: | • Can hardly be repaired • Subject to chromatic aberration (easily fixed in PP) |
| comment: | I tried many lenses before I found this gem but there was always something I did not like. As soon as I began to use the Minolta 80-200 f:2.8, I knew I found the one I was looking for. Sharpness, colors and bokeh are nothing less than outstanding. I mainly use it wide open on full frame bodies (A900 and A850) for concert photography and it does a great job. It does not feel like SSM lenses: when it locks focus, you feel it in your hands! But it is fast! And accurate! It definitely is one of the best lenses I have ever owned and worth every Euro I paid for it. |
| Wanliem#16319 date: Jul-17-2015 | |
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sharpness: 5 color: 5 build: 5 distortion: 5 flare control: 4 overall: 4.8 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | -tamron 70-200/2.9 -tokina atx pro 80-200/2.8 -sony 70-200/2.8 G SSM |
| price paid: | US$ 750 USED |
| positive: | -sharp lense -build like a tank -good micro contrast -creamy bokeh |
| negative: | -CA -front element rotate while focusing -heavy |
| comment: | this is one of the minolta's legacy lens, and a must have lens. |
| WestCoastCannuck#16310 date: Jul-16-2015 | |
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sharpness: 5 color: 5 build: 5 distortion: 5 flare control: 4 overall: 4.8 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | Minolta 35-105 original Minolta 28-135 Sony 70-300G Sony 70-400G ZZ 85 1.4 ZA 135 1.8 Sigma 50 1.4 (not the art lens) |
| price paid: | $400 USD |
| positive: | Super sharp - even wide open - awesome POP. Great colour. Great bokeh. Fast focussing. |
| negative: | For me, nothing really. Coatings are older... I don't care. Its loud... does not bother me. Some CA... easily removed. |
| comment: | Update, 2020-11-22 I am now on my third copy of this lens - not because of any fault with first two. I sold the first for a nicer looking copy... then sold the second to try out a Sony 70-200. The 70-200 immediately fried a fuse in my A99ii... and now I am back to another copy of the 80-200. It has been, and still is, my most used lens. Fast, sharp, great colour, good bokeh. They are a tremendous value right now for those of us sticking with A-mount. |
| mbirincioglu#14235 date: Apr-29-2015 | |
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sharpness: 5 color: 5 build: 5 distortion: 5 flare control: 5 overall: 5 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | Sony 70-200 F/2.8 G SSM Sony FE 70-200 F/4 G OSS Sigma 70-200 F/2.8 EX IF |
| price paid: | 900$ |
| positive: | - Minolta Legends - King of Colors - wonderful bokeh - Very nice build quality - no vignetting and low CA |
| negative: | No AF-D support on A99 |
| comment: | Perfect. |
| MinoltaMaxxum#14233 date: Apr-25-2015 | |
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sharpness: 5 color: 5 build: 5 distortion: 5 flare control: 5 overall: 5 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | * Sigma 85mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM * Sigma 50-150mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM APO * Tamron 70-300mm f/4-5.6 SP AF Di VC USD * Minolta 70-210mm f/4 AF "Beercan" * Minolta 35-105mm f/3.5-4.5 AF "Original" * Sony 55-200mm f/4.0-5.6 DT |
| price paid: | 730 USD (used) |
| positive: | * Beautiful Bokeh, colour pop and contrast * Incredibly sharp wide open * Fast and accurate auto focus * Tough, built to last build quality * Lens hood included * Cheap compared to other 70-200mm f/2.8 lens * Everything |
| negative: | * Heavy * Long minimal focus distance * Auto focus torque and noise |
| comment: | After using the Sigma 85mm 4/1.4 I wanted to try and compliment the lens on the Sony a99 body. Being an older lens, I did not have higher expectations of the Minolta 80-200mm until I took it out for the second time outdoors in natural light shoot in overcast conditions. Wow! The lens coatings handled flare with ease and the lens did not have the gold and brownish tinge or prone to loss of contrast than the cheaper first generation Minolta AF lens. The colours are beautiful and comparable to more modern lens. The Bokeh is beautiful and more easily accessible compared to the smaller aperture Beercan. The lens is incredibly sharp wide open and does not show weakness compared to other lens on the Sony a99 - at f/2.8-3.5 I thought I was shooting at the f/5.6 sharpness of a prime lens. Autofocus speed is one of the fastest I have used. Lens torque is not as bad as what I thought - a little more than the Beercan however more noticeable due to size and weight. The noise is also noticeable however since it focuses faster than the Beercan it is not as obtrusive. The minimal focus distance is quite long however for outdoor portraits not much of an issue. The price, at a 1/3 of other 70-200mm f/2.8 lens, is the icing on the cake. This is the first lens I have used that I will keep forever. The perfect keeper lens. |
| davic130#12151 date: Feb-26-2015 | |
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sharpness: 4.5 color: 5 build: 5 distortion: 4 flare control: 4 overall: 4.5 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | Sony 70 200 f2.8 SSM tested Sigma 70 200 f2.8 HSM tested Minolta 70 210 f4.0 Beercan |
| price paid: | $1000 Mint Used |
| positive: | Sharp. Lush colors and contrast. Perfect size. Super fast and accurate autofocus. |
| negative: | White finish prone to peeling. CA under certain conditions. MFD can restrictive at times. |
| comment: | This lens feels wonderful in the hand. Quite frankly, it would be great if modern 70-200 f2.8's could be built in same form factor. The size is just right, though I suppose in lens focus motors require more space. I tested two obvious modern alternatives, and found them to look and feel like rocket launchers! Autofocus noise is not bothersome at all, though that may be in my humble opinion only. It's amazing how often I reach for my 80-200 HS and Beercan over more modern lenses in my kit. I like the Macro capability of the Beercan, and it's great for casual shots of my kids. The 80 200 HS gets a lot of use for indoor/outdoor sports photography on my a77ii. I imported from Japan via Ebay and had no issues. Strongly recommend. |
| 9000AF#12000 date: Oct-10-2014 | |
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sharpness: 4.5 color: 5 build: 5 distortion: 5 flare control: 5 overall: 4.9 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I used to own this lens |
| compared to: | Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 SP Di LD Sigma 100-300mm f/4 Apo EX DG |
| price paid: | $1000 used |
| positive: | + Extremely fast and sure AF, good tracking + Compact size for it's class + Excellent sharpness from f/2.8 on + good micro contrast, creamy bokeh + Superb build + Smooth zoom ring |
| negative: | - Noisy AF, lens torquing - paint easily scratched - front element turns with AF - no AF clutch - can't remove tripod ring |
| comment: | Terrific lens with very few weaknesses. Sharpness, colors and build are top-notch. It holds up very well on 24MP FF and APS-C, it shines as a portrait lens on FF as well as for sports on the A77. My copy performs well at f/2.8, from f/4 on I basically use it like a bag of primes. I'm not a big fan of the white color but do like the quicker AF compared to the older black version. AF speed and accuracy are amazing, the noise not so much. I have used the lens for video from a tripod with MF, which is almost as smooth as the 1-finger operated zoom ring. |
| Vitruvius#11997 date: Oct-1-2014 | |
|---|---|
sharpness: 5 color: 5 build: 5 distortion: 5 flare control: 5 overall: 5 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | Sony 16-50mm f2.8 SSM Sigma 70-200mm f2.8 EX DG Macro 2 |
| price paid: | 950 US |
| positive: | Twerks! with AF Smaller, lighter, and faster AF than my Sigma 70-200mm f2.8 mk2. Same 72mm filter size as my other lenses. |
| negative: | Twerks! with AF Manual Focus ring turns with AF and you have to turn the camera AF to Manual to use Manual AF. Not weather sealed. Front turns with focus, so I will try hard not to use this for ultra wide landscape photography with a CPL filter. ha ha |
| comment: | Just got this lens tonight so I will add to this review over the next few days. Gave it all fives for now. First impression is that it REALLY TWERKS. I mean, I read that it torques with the AF screw drive, but it really jolts out of the gate like a bandit, no reserve. And the really weird part is that it actually NAILS focus! No micro hunting to fine tune when it gets close. And what is even more insane is that it seems to almost always start off in the right direction! What the heck? How can a dumber lens be smarter (compared to my Sigma 70-200 HSM mk2). PS. I used to have the A77 and now have the A77ii. October 11, 2014 Update - OMG OMG OMG!!! I realy hate to drive the used prices higher but this lens is friken AMAZING!!! A few day ago I used it for the lunar eclipse "blood moon". Shot downtown through some bridge cables and other buildings. I had to keep the aperture fairly large to stop the motion of the moon from blurring which meant that I had to focus stack the foreground and background together. But the results are absolutely fantastic! Far beyond anything I thought I was capable of. And I am a perfectionist and I have been shooting for 25 years including medium format. Then, yesterday I had my first chance to take it out in the daylight with my dogs yesterday. I had the Sigma 70-200mm f2.8 DG EX HSM Macro Mk2 before with my A77 and A77ii. I was never very happy with it. No matter what setting I tried I was only getting about 5% of the shots bang on focus with about 20% near focus and the other 75% way out. Yesterday with the Minolta 80-200 I was getting 50% BANG ON focus, about 40% very near focus, and about 10% missed because the subject drifted out of my center AF point during a continues series. And even then, the image was perfectly focused on the background, as it should be without object tracking. Then I used the Lock-on Center AF and things got even better. I am absolutely blown away. For the very first time since I had my EOS 600, I feel like I could take on virtually any professional photo shoot and get exactly what I want. This is everything I have ever wished for and it even exceeds my highest hopes. You may not be hear much more from me after this because I plan to be out a LOT more shooting instead of looking for better gear. |
| broadcastjack#11568 date: Dec-30-2013 | |
|---|---|
sharpness: 5 color: 5 build: 5 distortion: 5 flare control: 5 overall: 5 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | Tokina 80-200 1:2,8 |
| price paid: | 700 |
| positive: | I dont sale I´t |
| negative: | No negativ |
| comment: | It´s not so big. perfect to fashion and catwalk |
| Jodek#11545 date: Dec-15-2013 | |
|---|---|
sharpness: 5 color: 5 build: 5 distortion: 5 flare control: 5 overall: 5 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | Minolta 70-210 mm F4 (beercan) Minolta 28-70 mm F2,8 G-lens Minolta 400 mm F4,5 HS APO |
| price paid: | €950 |
| positive: | Sharp, already at F2,8 Beautifull colors Amazing bokeh Build is excellent Fast (especially with SLT A77) |
| negative: | Heavy |
| comment: | My most favorite lens. The IQ is amazing even at full diafragm and the bokeh is stunning. I don't think I will ever part with this lens. |
| SteveMRose#11389 date: Oct-14-2013 | |
|---|---|
sharpness: 5 color: 5 build: 5 distortion: 5 flare control: 5 overall: 5 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | Sigma 70-210mm f/2.8 APO Sony 70-400mm G SSM Sony 70-300mm G SSM |
| price paid: | approx. $1,200 |
| positive: | Super fast focusing. Sharp Sharp Sharp. Magnificent colors |
| negative: | Heavy but can hand hold if braced well. |
| comment: | Really great lens. Just got it and have used it a lot recently. One thing- might need micro-adjustment on the a77. |
| SChurchill#11263 date: Jul-22-2013 | |
|---|---|
sharpness: 4.5 color: 5 build: 5 distortion: 5 flare control: 4 overall: 4.7 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | Beercan Big Beercan Sigma EX DG IF F4 100-300mm |
| price paid: | 663 GBP |
| positive: | Constant f2.8 Fast focusing Great colours and microcontrast |
| negative: | On the A77 the AF is a bit brutal. Close up performance not great Minimum focus distance Not exactly silent |
| comment: | It took me a while to get the hang of this lens. Its high geared AF combined with the A77's powerful AF motor can be handful. The combined torque can actually twist the camera and lens in your hand if you're not prepared. I also struggled with the AF at close range which was very hit and miss and found manual focus far better in these situations. However, once its frisky nature is understood, it is a great lens for capturing fast action and low light scenarios. It can exhibit some chromatic aberration is certain circumstances but DxO Optics Pro's profile neutralise this and enhance sharpness brilliantly. I'll update when I've tried this lens on my A700 and some of my film bodies. |
| JakobProgsch#11223 date: Jun-30-2013 | |
|---|---|
sharpness: 4.5 color: 5 build: 5 distortion: 5 flare control: 5 overall: 4.9 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I used to own this lens |
| compared to: | Minolta 70-200/2.8 G SSM Minolta 100/2.8 macro D |
| price paid: | 1500 CHF (used 2005) |
| positive: | die hard build quality image quality focusing speed |
| negative: | non removable collar 1.8m close focusing distance not compatible with minolta/sony APO converters |
| comment: | Extremely solid build and overall great performer. I sold it after getting a good deal on a 70-200 SSM but not before doing some comparisons. Focusing speed is on par with the SSM in my experience. The SSM beats it with its close focusing distance (1.1 vs 1.8m) and image quality at close range and longer focal lengths (the 80-200 shows quite some spherical aberration at 200mm when focused below about 3m). |
| GeirJ#11172 date: Jun-1-2013 | |
|---|---|
sharpness: 5 color: 5 build: 5 distortion: 5 flare control: 5 overall: 5 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | Sony 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G Sony 70-400mm G F4-5.6 G Minolta 200mm F2.8 APO G |
| price paid: | $1500 |
| positive: | Sharp Compact Fast autofocus Great build quality |
| negative: | Noisy autofocus |
| comment: | I wanted a faster zoom than the 70-400mm G, but my budget did not stretch to the 70-200mm G, so I bought this lens on Ebay from SK Photo in Japan. It was not cheap, but it was in absolute mint condition. This is one lens I cannot see myself selling. It works great on both the A77 and A99, the autofocus is fast and the build quality is excellent. The lens is compact for its focal length range and balances well on the camera. I used to have the Minolta 200mm F2.8, but I much prefer the zoom. DxO Optics Pro even has a module for this lens, so I see no reason to upgrade to the 70-200mm F2.8 G SSM. |
| vincentyfsiew#10860 date: Jan-19-2013 | |
|---|---|
sharpness: 5 color: 5 build: 5 distortion: 5 flare control: 5 overall: 5 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | missing |
| price paid: | 1600 SGD (Used) |
| positive: | sharp throughout all aperture and excellent built |
| negative: | Slightly heavy purely because of good built |
| comment: | Just got a second-hand lens a couple of hours ago. Though it's almost 20 years old... I have a mint copy and enjoy it thoroughly. Tried it on my A350 and A77. Great lens! |
rating summary
- total reviews: 100
- sharpness: 4.87
- color: 4.96
- build: 4.93
- distortion: 4.92
- flare control: 4.75
- overall: 4.89
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