Minolta glass vs Pentax?

axl · 02-10-2010, 07:44 AM

I was just browsing ebay, and found some of Minolta high speed AF lenses, and other G lenses and so on...
I don't plan to skip to Sony (definitely not yet, we'll see what future holds) but how does top grade Minolta glass compare to Pentax glass?
Anybody with experience?

TIA
Peter

wallyb · 02-10-2010, 08:20 AM

The G series that Minolta designed are excellent. The 200/2.8, 300/2.8, and 85/1.4 are all superb quality. I don't know any hard figures about direct comparisons between Pentax and Minolta lenses, but I know most if not all of Minolta's G-series lenses beat out their Canikon equivalents. And the Sony versions are all the same internally.

I know many people who say the 85mm f/1.4 GD lens that Minolta made is the best 85mm lens, AF or MF, ever made by any manufacturer in the history of photography. It might be a stretch, but it is probably the best lens to start out researching to see about their quality.

Also, their "cheap" zoom lenses like 28-85, 35-105, and 35-70, all drastically outperform similar lenses from Canon/Nikon/Pentax and are built much better. They're not really cheap anymore though, usually $50-100 a piece.

axl · 02-10-2010, 08:57 AM

Thanks wally,

shame they sold out to Sony

wallyb · 02-10-2010, 09:32 AM

Originally posted by axl

Thanks wally,

shame they sold out to Sony

A shame in the Now-Sony-Will-Overcharge-For-Everything-And-Probably-Install-DRM-On-Your-Camera sense? Yes. But what's not shameful is that they fortunately kept very true to the lens quality of the previous Minolta generation, instead of, say, licensing everything from Vivitar in order to improve their bottom line (temporarily). And the a700, a900, and a550 are all stellar cams. I wouldn't be caught dead with some of the bodies in their lineup, though

**StephenMerola** · 02-10-2010, 10:28 AM

I was a minolta AF and MF user until i switched to digital. There was a no pixel peeping going on back then, but I thought the lenses I had were were very nice. Mostly fast 50s, kit lenses, and a 35-105mm.

axl · 02-10-2010, 02:43 PM

I was looking at Konica-Minolta whe buying my first DSLR. I really wanted Dynax 5D, but then they sold out to Sony and A100 wasn't really what I wanted. So I bought K100 as soon as it came out.
Frankly, haven't regreted the choice

**StephenMerola** · 02-10-2010, 03:00 PM

Originally posted by axl

I was looking at Konica-Minolta whe buying my first DSLR. I really wanted Dynax 5D, but then they sold out to Sony and A100 wasn't really what I wanted. So I bought K100 as soon as it came out.
Frankly, haven't regreted the choice

That is almost exactly what I did, except with the Maxxum 7D. I even went as far as to order it twice and cancel twice. Glad I did. I bought the K100d and have owned 3 other Pentax camera since.

The maxxum 7D in my opinion is the most bada** looking DSLR ever made. It had a button for everything.

Biro · 02-11-2010, 09:34 AM

I still own the first film SLR I ever bought in the mid 1970s... a Minolta SRT-200 and 50mm f/2.0 Rokkor-X lens. 100% manual operation... only a battery for the light meter. Very much in the original Pentax K1000 mold - but it feels more robust and rugged to me. I sold off almost all of my film gear years ago. But I keep this one for sentimental reasons. I had it out a couple of years ago and it still takes great photos. Excellent lens - but it predates the lenses in discussion here.

B Grace · 02-11-2010, 11:24 AM

I've no hands-on experience with Minolta gear but I've often thought of piecing together a nice manual focus kit. From what I've read during research the Minolta-Leica tech exhange that came about when Leica decided it was time to get serious about SLR's resulted in some wonderful Minolta primes with the 24mm Rokkor being mentioned in two of my Leica texts. And the fact my books openly credit Minolta for the design of several Leica R-system lenses is extraordinary.

I'm still tempted by a kit made up of late small-sized MF body and a 24-35-50 prime combo.

Biro · 02-11-2010, 02:05 PM

Originally posted by B Grace

I've no hands-on experience with Minolta gear but I've often thought of piecing together a nice manual focus kit. From what I've read during research the Minolta-Leica tech exhange that came about when Leica decided it was time to get serious about SLR's resulted in some wonderful Minolta primes with the 24mm Rokkor being mentioned in two of my Leica texts. And the fact my books openly credit Minolta for the design of several Leica R-system lenses is extraordinary.

I'm still tempted by a kit made up of late small-sized MF body and a 24-35-50 prime combo.

If you want to equip that kit with new glass, I highly recommend Voigtlander's excellent lineup of manual-focus lenses. Most even have CPUs in them for metering.

02-10-2010, 07:44 AM	#1
axl Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Nove Zamky, Slovakia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,183	Minolta glass vs Pentax? I was just browsing ebay, and found some of Minolta high speed AF lenses, and other G lenses and so on... I don't plan to skip to Sony (definitely not yet, we'll see what future holds) but how does top grade Minolta glass compare to Pentax glass? Anybody with experience? TIA Peter

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02-10-2010, 08:20 AM	#2
wallyb Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: The Untied States Photos: Albums Posts: 1,881	The G series that Minolta designed are excellent. The 200/2.8, 300/2.8, and 85/1.4 are all superb quality. I don't know any hard figures about direct comparisons between Pentax and Minolta lenses, but I know most if not all of Minolta's G-series lenses beat out their Canikon equivalents. And the Sony versions are all the same internally. I know many people who say the 85mm f/1.4 GD lens that Minolta made is the best 85mm lens, AF or MF, ever made by any manufacturer in the history of photography. It might be a stretch, but it is probably the best lens to start out researching to see about their quality. Also, their "cheap" zoom lenses like 28-85, 35-105, and 35-70, all drastically outperform similar lenses from Canon/Nikon/Pentax and are built much better. They're not really cheap anymore though, usually $50-100 a piece.

02-10-2010, 08:57 AM	#3
axl Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Nove Zamky, Slovakia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,183 Original Poster	Thanks wally, shame they sold out to Sony

02-10-2010, 09:32 AM	#4
wallyb Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: The Untied States Photos: Albums Posts: 1,881	Originally posted by axl Thanks wally, shame they sold out to Sony A shame in the Now-Sony-Will-Overcharge-For-Everything-And-Probably-Install-DRM-On-Your-Camera sense? Yes. But what's not shameful is that they fortunately kept very true to the lens quality of the previous Minolta generation, instead of, say, licensing everything from Vivitar in order to improve their bottom line (temporarily). And the a700, a900, and a550 are all stellar cams. I wouldn't be caught dead with some of the bodies in their lineup, though

02-10-2010, 10:28 AM	#5
StephenMerola Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Wisconsin Photos: Albums Posts: 423	I was a minolta AF and MF user until i switched to digital. There was a no pixel peeping going on back then, but I thought the lenses I had were were very nice. Mostly fast 50s, kit lenses, and a 35-105mm.

02-10-2010, 02:43 PM	#6
axl Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Nove Zamky, Slovakia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,183 Original Poster	I was looking at Konica-Minolta whe buying my first DSLR. I really wanted Dynax 5D, but then they sold out to Sony and A100 wasn't really what I wanted. So I bought K100 as soon as it came out. Frankly, haven't regreted the choice

02-10-2010, 03:00 PM	#7
StephenMerola Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Wisconsin Photos: Albums Posts: 423	Originally posted by axl I was looking at Konica-Minolta whe buying my first DSLR. I really wanted Dynax 5D, but then they sold out to Sony and A100 wasn't really what I wanted. So I bought K100 as soon as it came out. Frankly, haven't regreted the choice That is almost exactly what I did, except with the Maxxum 7D. I even went as far as to order it twice and cancel twice. Glad I did. I bought the K100d and have owned 3 other Pentax camera since. The maxxum 7D in my opinion is the most bada** looking DSLR ever made. It had a button for everything.

02-11-2010, 09:34 AM	#8
Biro Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 1,200	I still own the first film SLR I ever bought in the mid 1970s... a Minolta SRT-200 and 50mm f/2.0 Rokkor-X lens. 100% manual operation... only a battery for the light meter. Very much in the original Pentax K1000 mold - but it feels more robust and rugged to me. I sold off almost all of my film gear years ago. But I keep this one for sentimental reasons. I had it out a couple of years ago and it still takes great photos. Excellent lens - but it predates the lenses in discussion here.

02-11-2010, 11:24 AM	#9
B Grace Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Western Missouri Posts: 429	I've no hands-on experience with Minolta gear but I've often thought of piecing together a nice manual focus kit. From what I've read during research the Minolta-Leica tech exhange that came about when Leica decided it was time to get serious about SLR's resulted in some wonderful Minolta primes with the 24mm Rokkor being mentioned in two of my Leica texts. And the fact my books openly credit Minolta for the design of several Leica R-system lenses is extraordinary. I'm still tempted by a kit made up of late small-sized MF body and a 24-35-50 prime combo.

02-11-2010, 02:05 PM	#10
Biro Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 1,200	Originally posted by B Grace I've no hands-on experience with Minolta gear but I've often thought of piecing together a nice manual focus kit. From what I've read during research the Minolta-Leica tech exhange that came about when Leica decided it was time to get serious about SLR's resulted in some wonderful Minolta primes with the 24mm Rokkor being mentioned in two of my Leica texts. And the fact my books openly credit Minolta for the design of several Leica R-system lenses is extraordinary. I'm still tempted by a kit made up of late small-sized MF body and a 24-35-50 prime combo. If you want to equip that kit with new glass, I highly recommend Voigtlander's excellent lineup of manual-focus lenses. Most even have CPUs in them for metering.