Minolta MD 35-105mm f/3.5-4.5 macro zoom

parabellumfoto · Joined: 06 Apr 2013 Posts: 413 Location: Sydney, Australia

I got a this lense with a bunch of other lenses and a mint looking X-700 Minolta film camera.

I sold everything else except this. All of the lenses had major fungus but this one also has decent chunks taken out of the front element along with obvious signs on the barrel that it had been dropped.

My initial intention was to keep this lens so I could practice lens surgery on it one day after buying all the proper screwdrivers and tools. Anyhow, today I did do so preliminary dismantling and managed to clean one element. I also did some research and what little I could find on the net is entirely good. One link claims it's Tokina manufacture.

http://forum.fourthirdsphoto.com/member-reviews/31308-minolta-md-35-105mm-f-3-5-4-5-macro-zoom.html

That got me thinking, so I a few quick tests and yes it does look like a very sharp lens. I have it on my Nikon D3200 so I'm not getting proper focus but images on camera look pretty good. I figured it's worth sharing here and keeping the information on the database for future reference.

parabellumfoto · Joined: 06 Apr 2013 Posts: 413 Location: Sydney, Australia

Some quick photographs of the lens in my iPhone

You can see the chips in the glass as well as the fungus but images I have taken still look ok.

I will post some decent samples tomorrow.

Lloydy · Expire: 2022-01-01

If it's as good as the 35-70 / 3.5, which is currently my walkabout lens, it will be well worth keeping.

parabellumfoto · Joined: 06 Apr 2013 Posts: 413 Location: Sydney, Australia

parabellumfoto · Joined: 06 Apr 2013 Posts: 413 Location: Sydney, Australia

It took me a long time to work out how the macro switch worked. The zoom is push/pull and initially I didn't even notice this as its very firm and it was pushed back to 35mm. Once I managed to pull out the zoom to 105mm the macro switch worked a charm

buerokratiehasser · Joined: 12 Jun 2011 Posts: 470

Hmm-mhhm? It looks like Minolta (of course at the end, no one can tell where in Japan it was actually made, one big family enterprise one thinks)
with the macro cyan labeling and all

Maybe it's the same as the 35-105 (old, metal pipe) AF optically, people love that lens - I only have the plastic N version which is definitely different in optics, but very light and compact.
But youd have to ask an old Minolta expert for that. One who would never sell his only XG :P

parabellumfoto · Joined: 06 Apr 2013 Posts: 413 Location: Sydney, Australia

woodrim · Joined: 14 Jan 2010 Posts: 4060 Location: Charleston

If this is the MF version of the AF version made in 1985, it will have 14 elements in 12 groups and be a superb lens. Mine is the AF version which has a clunky focus, but is spot-on and pretty quick. The macro works very well, but of course is a close-up, not real macro. The later AF version made three years later in 1988 has 12 elements in 10 groups and is less highly regarded. People often refer to them as early or late versions, being careful to identify the early as the better of the two. I suspect the MF lens which preceded the 1985 version is identical optically. I've posted about this lens several times as the only AF lens, and only zoom that earns time on my camera. Every time I use it I'm amazed at its performance - this coming from someone with a strong bias toward MF primes.

To my knowledge, although we frequently learn of exceptions, Minolta made their own lenses at least up until the Konica merger. This picture is a good example of the 35-105 performance at full aperture and near the end of the zoom range. It was probably manually focused in macro mode due to the short distance.

1/320s f/4.5 at 100.0mm iso100

parabellumfoto · Joined: 06 Apr 2013 Posts: 413 Location: Sydney, Australia

Thanks Woodrim.

I thought this lens was useless and didn't even bother posting details here. Glad I did some research and re-checked performance. When I first got all I thought about was the big chips in the glass and the fungus. Now I will order the vacuum cups and callipers to open it up and clean it out.

There's another copy (I think) of this lens at the flea market I visit. I will have another look to next time I go there.

parabellumfoto · Joined: 06 Apr 2013 Posts: 413 Location: Sydney, Australia

Many stunning shots taken and yes this lens has the goods.

I thought I would start with a shot taken almost directly into the sun to see how it handles direct sunlight. Image looks a bit flat but I really like the effect. It's almost ghostly.

First off, the full sized image brought down to 500 pixels

Now the 100% crop showing the veins and two holes in the top petal

More to come.

parabellumfoto · Joined: 06 Apr 2013 Posts: 413 Location: Sydney, Australia

I chose this spider because the way the sun was shinning through what was a very shaded area. The spider was well hidden.

Most of the spider is out of focus but I am pretty sure the tiny eyes are in focus.

Nice smooth bokeh from this lens. Typical Minolta.

parabellumfoto · Joined: 06 Apr 2013 Posts: 413 Location: Sydney, Australia

Amazing lens~! Shocked