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Some days ago the sight from my home down to the town of Lugano was quite promising. While waiting for the actual "perfect" light to do the real shots, I decided to run a small comparison between the cheapest and the most expensive lens in the current Sony line-up (well, apart from the 2.8/300mm SSM). To make things more interesisting I've added two of the most expensive lenses from 1985 and 1987, the 4-4.5/28-135mm and the 2.8/80-200mm APO. With some luck you may get a good copy of the 28-135mm for 150$, but a used 2.8/80-200mm APO ist still almost as expensive as it was new back in the eighties. Which means about 1000$, if not more.
All pics are 100% crops from jpgs directly from my alpha 700. All settings in the "neutral" mode, except color ("standard"). The noise is relatively high even for an alpha 700. This is because I used the "Dynamic Range Optimizer" at level 3 (DR+3), and long exposures (up to 15s). After repeatet long exposures the sensor gets hot, causing high levels of noise.
Manfrotto tripod, mirror lock-up, ... the usual precautions.
Link to the corresponding test at f=35mm
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Sony SAL 3.5-5.6/18-70mm
f 5.6/70mm (wide open)
While the center still displays an acceptable resolution (after all: it's a 50$ lens), the borders are just a mess. Certainly not a suitable lens for the 12MP alpha 700, and certainly not a suitable lens for 14MP alpha 350. Probably not the right stuff for the 10MP a200 / a300 as well.
If you intend to use it with a 6MP Minolta Dynax 7D or 5D, then, well, it may suitable.
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Sony SAL 3.5-5.6/18-70mm
f 8.0/70mm
Not much improvement, sorry.
But be aware: the 70mm long end is the worst situation for this little zoom. Between 18mm and 35mm its quite OK. Details will be published later ;)
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Sony SAL 3.5-5.6/18-70mm
f 11/70mm
Generally still the same. Clearly visible the strong de-centering of the lens (points are displayed as short lines). The focusing front part of the lens is clearly wobbling, obviously limiting the qualities of the optical design. Ah yes, the lens I used here is new. Just out of the box.
If you intend to use it with a 6MP Minolta Dynax 7D or 5D, then, well, it may suitable.
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Minolta (Sony) AF 2.8/70-200mm APO SSM
f 2.8/70mm
What a difference !!! Excellent detail and contrast even at the corners, and very little CA's.
It remains to be said that, according to German "Fotomagazin", the 70mm end of the zoom is weaker than the 200mm long end.
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Minolta (Sony) AF 2.8/70-200mm APO SSM
f 5.6/70mm
Not much difference when stopping down - a little bit more detail, maybe. Maybe ...
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Minolta AF 4-4.5/28-135mm
f 5.6/70mm
Actually not exactly 70mm, but almost. This zoom was one of the really professional lenses developped for the Minolta 9000, the first professional autofocus camera. Detail resolution almost reaches the level of the 70-200mm SSM, but the contrast is lower.
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Minolta AF 4-4.5/28-135mm
f 8.0/70mm
Slight improvement. Both the centre and the corners are now almost perfect. No CA's visible - even better than the 70-200mm SSM with its four AD lenses!
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Minolta AF 2.8/80-200mm APO
f2.8 @ 80mm
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Minolta AF 2.8/80-200mm APO
f5.6 @ 80mm
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