Just purchased a Minolta Maxxum/Dynax/a-7 SLR. Can I get some lens recommendations?

[manfrominternet]

Hello all,

I was fortunate enough to find an unused Minolta a-7 (Maxxum 7 in the US / Dynax 7 (in Europe) on eBay with a Battery Grip and a Minolta AF 50mm f/1.4. I’m immensely excited to use this camera as a lightweight alternative to my beastly medium and large format cameras, however, I don’t know much about the lenses for this system. I do know, however, that Minolta sold their camera division to Sony and the Sony A-line lenses would still fit onto this camera.

Nonetheless, since they are seemingly pretty inexpensive, I wanted to ask you experienced folks which Minolta-branded lenses you’d recommend that I get for this camera. Since I’m already getting the AF 50mm f/1.4, I was hoping to get some recommendations for 35mm, 28mm, 24mm, and 80-ish mm lenses, preferably prime, since with 35mm film, I need all the sharpness I can possibly get.

If it helps, I’m exclusively a landscape and cityscape photographer. Even though I’m not a street photographer, that’s a genre that I’d really like to try.

Anyway, any help is very much appreciated! Thanks for reading this!

 

[Wallendo]

The Minolta AF Macro 100/2.8 is a great lens, but may not be a good focal length for your uses.

I also own the Minolta AF 28/2.8 but don’t use it often. It is serviceable, but not a particularly impressive lens.

Dyxum.com has an extensive lens database which may be helpful. The site itself is almost all digital but the lens database has a lot of information about older film lenses.

 

[hoffy]

There are so many good Minolta lenses, all the way up to and including Sony A Mount lenses. The latest HSM focusing lenses should work on this camera.

A personal favourite is the 70-210 F4, affectionately known as the Beercan. Sure, it doesn't perform as well compared to modern lenses but it had character.

I'd suggest going to the lens database at https://www.dyxum.com/lenses/results.asp?chbLensType=1 and having a browse.

 

[Paul Howell]

The 7 will work with all A mount lens. First generation lens like the already mentioned 70 to 200 F4 and the 35 to 70 3.5 were both based on Leica designs and are solid performers. My fav wide to short tele is the 24 to 85 4.5. I have the 100 2.8 Macro and 135 2.8, of the two unless shooting macro I like the 135mm, lighter with build in lens shade. Minolta and Sony's high end lens are called G, older Gs are gears driven, later micro motor driven. The 70 to 200 2.8 G is really sharp, as sharp as a Canon L. I have the 200 2.8 and 300 F 4 primes, sharp and light. Minolta made a wide variety of 70 to 300 and 100 to 300s, although none are stand outs of the lot the 100 to 300 APO version has really good color. I also have the 100 to 400 5.6 to 6.7 APO, heavy lens without a tripod mount, I generally take an older Tonkia 400 5.6. For cheap long lens, the Minolta mirror lens, 500 F8, its the only AF mirror lens.

 

[dynachrome]

If you don't need a lot of speed, the 35-70/4, 28-85/3.5-4.5, 70-210/4 and 28/2.8 would be a good start. Many of the descriptions and reviews of the older Maxxum lenses are based on use w/non-film cameras.

 

[BMbikerider]

The 28/85 zoom was a cracker of a lens top notch construction and performance. I still have the manual MD version and 12x 16 prints are easily within it's capabilities. The Minolta 20/35AF is equally as good and will give the Nikon equivalent a damn good run for less money. I have had both so know what they can do.

The 70/210 in AF form is also quite good and was one of the Minolta original designs that was adopted by Leitz for one of their R series zoom lenses. The design of the optics is the same, just the body and focussing is mechanical