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Minolta MD 24-50/4: is this normal?
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 24, 2024 1:39 pm    Post subject: Minolta MD 24-50/4: is this normal? Reply with quote

Just received this lens from Ebay but noticed something strange.

With the aperture set @ f/4, the aperture looks a little bit closed down @ the 24mm setting.
When zooming to 50mm @ f/4, the aperture is fully open. I don't see an obvious change in exposure on my camera body when I do this.

Is it possible, that the aperture is slightly closed at the 24mm setting, when the aperture ring is @ f/4? Or is there something wrong?

Here's the lens @ f/4, first @ 24mm setting, and then @ 50mm:




PostPosted: Mon Jun 24, 2024 2:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't think there's anything wrong there. I have a couple of zooms that do the same thing, to keep the light intensity equal through-out the zoom range. I can't find any differences in what exposure my smarter camera recommends, either.
I think it's one or two of the Tamron's that do that for me.

-D.S.


PostPosted: Mon Jun 24, 2024 2:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Doc Sharptail wrote:
I don't think there's anything wrong there. I have a couple of zooms that do the same thing, to keep the light intensity equal through-out the zoom range. I can't find any differences in what exposure my smarter camera recommends, either.
I think it's one or two of the Tamron's that do that for me.

-D.S.


Thanks for clarifying.


PostPosted: Mon Jun 24, 2024 2:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

My MD-III copy does the same as yours.


PostPosted: Mon Jun 24, 2024 3:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

michelb wrote:
My MD-III copy does the same as yours.


Thanks, that’s reassuring!


PostPosted: Mon Jun 24, 2024 3:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That is a hack to keep a constant aperture. I have several wide zooms that to that. They are actually 28/3.5-4 lenses but IQ would probably be sub standard when not closed down a bit.


PostPosted: Mon Jun 24, 2024 3:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

A clever albeit mechanically complicated way to get more sharpness at the wide end? Also maybe constant aperture selling point instead of saying a f/3.5-f/4 zoom?


PostPosted: Mon Jun 24, 2024 5:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

D1N0 wrote:
That is a hack to keep a constant aperture. I have several wide zooms that to that. They are actually 28/3.5-4 lenses but IQ would probably be sub standard when not closed down a bit.


That is the case with 35-70mm F3.5 lens. Some even modify it to perform as F2.8 lens at 35mm, and it does perform worse that way, but I'm guessing that they did this more to avoid having a variable aperture; making the lens more "pro" or whatever.


PostPosted: Tue Jun 25, 2024 11:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dejan wrote:
D1N0 wrote:
That is a hack to keep a constant aperture. I have several wide zooms that to that. They are actually 28/3.5-4 lenses but IQ would probably be sub standard when not closed down a bit.


That is the case with 35-70mm F3.5 lens. Some even modify it to perform as F2.8 lens at 35mm, and it does perform worse that way, but I'm guessing that they did this more to avoid having a variable aperture; making the lens more "pro" or whatever.


I was gonna do it for both macro and not macro 35-70mm Minolta 3.5, but if it only affects the wider aperture on 35mm FL, it's not really worth it I guess