Minolta 50mm 2

While looking for the next lens I wanted to try, I stumbled upon a few reviews of the Minolta 50mm f2. A lot of folks had some lovely images, and I decided I'd give it a try. A trip and a modest price later, I had it.

This lens has a lot of plastic on it, which makes it a lot lighter. It's not the nasty kind of plastic you'd get with some '90s budget lenses, the kind that feels brittle. It's a good kind of plastic. That being said, the aperture and focus rings are not a joy to use. You get used to them, but it's not something you look forward to using. Weight and size are superb. This lens is compact, and you won't even know you're carrying it in your bag. It takes 49mm filters, which is a plus, since I have plenty of 50mm lenses with the same filter size.

The close-focus distance is what you'd expect.

I noticed some chromatic aberration wide open, but nothing too severe. The lack of vignetting surprised me. I expected a lot more. But by f2.8, I'd say I was happy with where things were.

You can expect soft corners wide open. Center sharpness is okay, improving in leaps once you stop down. Curiously, I found I was perfectly content using the lens at f5.6 when I wanted good sharpness, while with most lenses that cost this much I usually lean towards f8.

I love the colors and the feel this lens has. It's down to earth and natural. A gentle caress and a careless whisper. (I'm not a good dancer anyway.)

This lens stands in its spot. People know about it, and it's not rare. It seems well regarded. If you need a good performer and your bag is already heavy, go for it. It's a strong lens that doesn't bring anything that exciting or special to the table.