Showcase Minolta 35-70mm f/4 AF

[Ad Dieleman]

To test my LA-EA3 adapter I bought a Minolta AF 35-70mm lens together with a Minolta AF 80-200mm 1:4.5-5.6 for the hefty sum of 10 euros. The short zoom didn't look too bad and so I took it with me when we headed out today for a walk in a hilly region in the south of The Netherlands. It saved me the hassle of opening/closing the aperture in the field and in the PP workflow I don't have to add the lens data to the EXIF.

It's quite sharp across the frame once you stop it down to f/8 or f/11, wide-open it's OK-ish at or below 50mm and not great at 70mm. Its contrast is not very high, definitely a notch below that of the FE 70-200mm that I brought as well. Felt right at home with the color balance, typically Minolta. I half expected to be able to use the FE 24-70mm instead but I didn't buy one yesterday, just saw too many things I didn't like and so this humble 35-70mm had to fill in the vacancy.

"ILCE-7"    "35-70mm F4"          1/200s   

"ILCE-7"    "35-70mm F4"          1/200s   

"ILCE-7"    "35-70mm F4"          1/200s   

"ILCE-7"    "35-70mm F4"          1/200s   

"ILCE-7"    "35-70mm F4"          1/200s   

 

[Deadbear77]

Beautiful shots.

 

[Hawkman]

Looks pretty good to me!

 

[NickCyprus]

Looks pretty good to me!

Same here

 

[Amamba]

One of my little used yet treasured lenses.

A bit of passing summer. Which we didn't really have this year, with all the rain and cold days.

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DSC04021 by BugsDaddy, on Flickr

 

[SpaceManSpiff]

These are looking good, gentlemen! I picked this lens up recently (on a Minolta 9000 and with its beer can big brother) and am anxious to try it out once I get an adapter for it.

 

[SteveNunez]

These are also with the 35-70 f4......

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[WoodWorks]

I bet that your daughter is very pleased with all of the portraits you've shown us, Steve. I also bet that when you're not taking her picture, you're busy fending off her suitors with a stick, right?

 

[SteveNunez]

You guys would be surprised....I almost have to beg her to take pictures as she's tired of "posing" every time dad gets a new lens.....she doesn't hate it but if it were up to her she'd rather not. I have to make "deals" with her just to get her to pose......usually our deals are "I'll take you to the mall" or "I have to massage her back" ........funny but true!
As for beating off suitors- she's very Christ-oriented and isn't boy crazy so no drama in that dept.

 

[Amin]

My younger son expects to be paid every time he poses for me now. No trips to the mall or or back massages either. He wants "straight cash homey".

 

[SteveNunez]

Then technically your son is a professional model! LOL

 

[Amin]

Then technically your son is a professional model! LOL

A really, really bad professional model. LOL.

 

[Amamba]

I bet that your daughter is very pleased with all of the portraits you've shown us, Steve. I also bet that when you're not taking her picture, you're busy fending off her suitors with a stick, right?

I bet it's been a while since you had teenage daughters...

 

[WoodWorks]

I bet it's been a while since you had teenage daughters...

No, that part of my education was omitted from the curriculum.

 

[WNG]

That's why I prefer cats as my models. Catnip is cheap!

Portraits are excellent.
Well, back to the mini-beer can (tuna can?). Renders very well and matches the bigger sibling.
Perhaps let her try to compose a few portraits of dad or still lifes, and get her interested in photography.