Help with used Minolta glass (planned purchase)

[jr_rodriguez]

I'm thinking of purchasing a used Minolta lens -- the 28-100mm f/3.5-5.6 to replace my kit lens (yes, the terrible 18-70mm DT). Anybody have thoughts on whether this is a good lens? Good/bad idea to purchase used?

Thanks,
Juan

[Peekayoh]

Bad idea, no better than the kit lens.
28-85mm f3.5/4.5 or the
28-105mm f3.5/4.5 or the
35-105mm f3.5/4.5 weren't bad though

[G_lock]

Maybe this site will help:

http://www.dyxum.com/lenses/results....e=3&offset=160

[laydros]

Bad idea, no better than the kit lens.
28-85mm f3.5/4.5 or the
28-105mm f3.5/4.5 or the
35-105mm f3.5/4.5 weren't bad though

Yep. There have been a few bad kit lenses, not so much in the 80's right after the system came out, but from the mid-late 90's on.

The ones listed above are good, and there is a 24-105 f/3.5-4/5 which would be a bit better for a crop camera, since 28mm is not wide at all on crop (it is about a 50mm equivalent). Don had some serious problems with his 24-105, and apparently Sony doesn't have the parts available anymore if you have a problem. However that is going to be the case with almost any Minolta lens that hasn't been updated into Sony form.

I had the 28-85 with my A300 and really liked it. I left the 18-70 in the bag for when I needed wide angle, but for my style of shooting, 28 and up was ok. You should be able to find the 28-58 for $60 or less. I think there was a 24-85 as well, which might be even cheaper than the 24-105.

I would also consider the new sony 18-55 kit lens. I'm not sure how much (or where) you can find one for, but it is a pretty good lens, the only real downsides are the build quality, and pretty small maximum aperture.

And of course the lens you should be aiming for is the Tamron 17-50 f/2.8, but that will cost considerably more.

[SONYNUT]

most of the maxxum len coatings just don't compare to the newer coatings needed for digital

[jr_rodriguez]

Thanks Peekayoh, G_lock, laydros, and Sonynut for your input.

[SONYNUT]

There are some worth getting

the older maxxum 50mm 1.7 or more $ 1.4 are excellent

the fisheye 16mm rocks

many like the 70-210 beer can lens...

the 50mm macro 3.5 is a great macro lens

[SONYNUT]

the sony zeiss 24-70 2.8 is the way to go if you can afford it

[laydros]

the sony zeiss 24-70 2.8 is the way to go if you can afford it

I get the impression that isn't quite the price range the OP was looking for, but I sure can't disagree with that statement.

One could make a pretty strong argument that it is the best normal range zoom ever made.

[fdexclpl]

Try the original (with the focus limit switch) Minolta 75-300 f/4.5-5.6. Also known as the "Big Beercan". I had one of these and it was my favorite lens.
Also the Minolta 28-135 f/4-4.5 is a great lens. Sharp, great color, interesting wide angle macro mode, and FAST AF. I paid $320 for my copy and sold it for over $400.