Minolta Alpha 50mm f/1.4 (Images with a Side of Character)

Minolta Alpha 50mm f/1.4 (Images with a Side of Character) | Round Glass Review

Рет қаралды 417

Күн бұрын

The Minolta Alpha 50mm f/1.4 falls right into a strong tradition of good and reliable double-gauss lenses. I love a good double-gauss lens. Yes, I do tend to get a bit bored with them after a while, but from a performance standpoint they deliver predictable and consistent images and their general design and structure lead to good subject isolation, strong contrast, pleasing colors, and lovely blurry areas. Add a good aperture design, and a double-gauss lens can deliver striking source-point stars, too. Were I to rank every double-gauss lens I’ve ever used, this lens would probably be in the 80th percentile which, as of when I write this, places it in a position far above a very good number of other lenses.
For the Sony Alpha mount user; the Minolta Maxxum, Alpha, or Dynax users; or the Sony E users who has an OEM adapter, this lens is a good option for still images and as a very good to exceptional all-around performer. If you can adapt this to your smaller-than-full frame mirrorless camera, it will also be a good portrait lens if not the good all around-performer that it is on full frame.
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Video Index:
0:00 - Intro
0:08 - Minolta Alpha 50mm f/1.4 Round Glass Review
1:16 - Minolta Alpha 50mm f/1.4 Specifications
2:17 - Minolta Alpha 50mm f/1.4 Tips & Tricks
3:50 - Minolta Alpha 50mm f/1.4 Bohek Analysis
8:07 - Minolta Alpha 50mm f/1.4 Diagram
11:13 - Minolta Alpha 50mm f/1.4 Video Use
12:53 - Minolta Alpha 50mm f/1.4 Strengths & Weaknesses
15:50 - Minolta Alpha 50mm f/1.4 Review
References:
lens-db.com/minolta-af-50mm-f...
www.handprint.com/ASTRO/ae4.html
www.pencilofrays.com/lens-des...
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Пікірлер: 18

@derrickalexander5790 2 ай бұрын

It's a great character lens, very vibrant colors and good contrast. I use it often for video work. My favorite of the AF line up is the 85 f1.4

@DavidHancock 2 ай бұрын

Thank you!

@robertcuny934 2 ай бұрын

I have enjoyed using the MD F 1.4 since the mid-1970s on an SRT-101, then an X-700. A wonderful lens for ambient light photos. Only recently have I purchased my first 35mm autofocus camera system. I had intended to purchase additional MD lenses after retrieving my cameras from storage last year but noted that I could purchase a Minolta autofocus body combined with at least one A mount lens for less than the price charged for one MD lens. The F 1.4 A-Mount lens mounted on a Maxxum 9000 has been my most recent acquisition. I have not yet had an opportunity to purchase film to evaluate the lens and cost of a Sony digital body and adaptor are still prohibitive. Despite your comment on manual focus handling, my Maxxum 9000 factory installed focus screen and diopter correction do not appear to impede accurate manual focusing. I look forward to deciding if I like the A mount lens as much as my fifty-year old MD optic. Finding some method of adding an additional gripping surface to the manual focus ring would definitely be a priority for my use; perhaps using a filter ring sans glass filter. Thanks for posting the very interesting and useful video!

@DavidHancock 2 ай бұрын

Thank you and that's a very nice setup! The 9000 was a lovely and stunning camera, absolutely delightful to use.

@Skipsul 2 ай бұрын

It would absolutely make sense for the old SR and A series to have the same formula, considering Minolta made both simultaneously for years. My X700 was from 1993.

@DavidHancock 2 ай бұрын

That's a good point and makes a lot of sense.

@Skipsul 2 ай бұрын

@@DavidHancock I've been thinking about what you noticed as a possible alignment issue too. I have a couple of the f1/7 A-mount 50s, which should likewise be identical with their SR/MD counterparts, but in practice aren't quite and seem to have weird issues on the left side. I would bet this is an issue with that screw drive needing to be fairly "loose" so the worm gear motor could run a loose helicoid without as much work, but with a bias toward the push from the left. Fixing that alignment would have meant tighter tolerances and some sort of right-side guide or force balancer, and that would have required a tougher motor from Minolta - I'm guessing that wasn't in the budget. I don't know if you've read the book "My Journey to America" by Sam Kusumoto - he helped make Minolta a going concern in the US after WWII, and has some interesting insights on the company's operations (it's a great book if you can find a copy). These early A-mounts were developed as part of Minolta's successful attempt to get the first auto-focusing camera to market, and that Maxxum / Alpha / Dynax 7 was created in the utmost secrecy and speed (I have an early 7, and it definitely has some quirks). I suspect they simply lacked the engineering time, budget, or experience to anticipate or fix those alignment issues (which have probably worsened with time), and they had to re-use existing lens formulae and make them work to have a wide and compelling lens selection at launch - critical since pros suddenly had to buy entirely new glass to use it. Your review lens looks like an early copy too - the later ones did (slightly) improve the manual focus ring by changing it from that plastic to a rubber ring. It's still not great, but it is easier to handle.

@jw48335 2 ай бұрын

Love this old lens, I've owned 2 copies over the years. I've been seriously considering acquiring a Sony SLR so I can use these old screw mount autofocus lenses. Perhaps even an A99ii 😂

@DavidHancock 2 ай бұрын

:D If there is a Sony A camera to get, that's the one.

@Skipsul 2 ай бұрын

Sadly the 99ii used ones sell for lots of money. I would love one myself as I have other A mount glass for my old Minoltas.

@michaelc4917 2 ай бұрын

Sony A900 is pretty good and price is reasonable. B&W from that camera is surprisingly decent.