Minolta MD 28-85mm 1:3.5~4.5, Walking The Zoom

The Vintage Enthusiast: Walking the Zoom with a Minolta MD 26-85mm 1:3.5~4.5 Zoom, is a delightful experience.

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One lens I have been deferring from doing the normal image test that I do with most of the lenses in my collection. Fitted to the Olympus Pen E-P5 the lens is quite a monster both in size and weight. The lens itself is 65mm in length and weighs 470 grams, heavier than the 460 grams of the E-P5. Mounted on the E-P5 with the third-party MD-M4/3 adapter the extension is now a hefty 115mm.

My first test was to take the lens down to the park and settle on the children's play yard as the zoom range test subject. The images were shot at the lens's zoom setting of 28mm, 35mm, 50mm, 70mm, and 80mm. On the E-P5, of course, the focal distance is double that of these settings. Unless you have very steady hands, hand-holding the camera while shooting at the long end of the zoom is an art you have to learn while using your fingers to facilitate both the zoom and focus.

Olympus E-P5, Minolta MD 28-85mm 1:3.5~4.5

The test session went well images turned out to be a real surprise. Images were sharp and clear, and color rendition was fantastic, even when shot at almost full aperture.

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