Minolta AF 100-400mm f/4.5-6.7 APO

A great alternative telephoto zoom for Sony cameras This is a sharp lens. I was probably lucky to get one that looks and feels like brand new. Obviously it hasn't been used much. It compares very well to more modern lenses. It is certainly a lot smaller and lighter than the Tamron 150-600mm lens I used to have. The focus is fast and the slight motor noise is not a problem with me. The only issue is lens creep when the camera is held downwards. Otherwise this is a great value for the $189 I paid for it. The bird photos I have taken with it are very sharp. That's mostly what I use it for. If you need a long lens for your Sony camera, you should get one of these. It was made for full-frame 35mm cameras, so with the 1.5X crop factor on my APS-C sensor camera, this makes the lens a 150-600mm lens equivalent. There is no tripod mount but I use it with a monopod. You could also hand hold it but I recommend some sort of mount.

A Smart Choice for Sony A-mount Bodies The 100-400 APO Minolta A-mount is one of the best values available for a Sony A-mount DSLR. I bought this (from Japan) to use with a 24MP Sony A65 crop-sensor body, where it functions like a 150-600 on a full frame body. I've used it for for several long-lens assignments now, also shooting the same subjects with my Nikon D3x and a Sigma 150-500 (my usual option, also 24MP but full frame). The in-body stabilization in the Sony works very well with the 100-400, and the focus is fast enough not to be a problem. There's some hunting if there is anything near your target, but the focus-lock button on the side of the lens is very useful. I generally shoot at f8 whenever possible, and the 100-400 on the D65 is sharp enough at that aperture to produce results very similar to the Sigma 150-500 on the D3X. I use them both handheld, and was pleasantly surprised at the Minolta 100-400 performance. Color and contrast are very good, the lens is well constructed, and the size of the lens is much smaller and lighter than a current design with VR or IS. The flare isn't bad for coatings from 25 years ago, and the cost is a small fraction of the price of the current Sony 100-400 G lens. I am tempted to try the Minolta 100-400 on a full-frame Sony A-mount body to use the lens' full potential.

Minolta 100mm f4 Macro lens This is a good Macro lens. The focal length is a good one; the 100mm gives you a bit more subject distance compared to the 50mm macro lenses. This is a very sharp lens with very little vignetting. It is better than the Minolta MC 100mm f3.5 lens in both these respects (rokkorfiles dot com did a good comparison test). There are two main drawbacks to the lens. First, with an f4 maximum aperture, it is very dark and can be difficult to focus. Secondly, the lens itself only goes to a 1:2 macro ratio, and you've got to attach the 1:1 adapter for true macro shots. I personally use a Kiron 105mm f2.8 macro lens which corrects both of these issues. I haven't shot the two lenses head to head, but I've always been impressed with the optical quality of both. Other competitors include the Tamron adaptall 90mm f2.5 (also has a 1:1 adapter), the Vivitar 100mm f3.5 lenses (a budget option; 1:1 is via a screw-in front filter, and a few others. There really aren't any bad 90-105mm macros, as it is a relatively easy lens to design and construct. Even ones from Panagor and Elicar are reputed to be pretty good.