@nomad thanks for your infos, the 24mm f2.5 is a different cup of tea? I can get it for cheap... Is this one "the one" 24mm 2.8 MD? http://www.ebay.de/itm/Minolta-MD-2-8-24mm-Weitwinkel-E-55-/400331635710?pt=DE_Foto_Camcorder_Objektive&hash=item5d359ffbfe#ht_1090wt_1182
Absolutely, that's why I'm sticking with all Zeiss lenses. Selling my last Leica R lens, the Angenieux 45-90mm f2.8. No doubt it's vintage year, plus the fact it was the first Leica zoom in history, farmed out to Angenieux only because Leica didn't hv the technical knowhow at that time, i still much prefer Zeiss colours on digital.
Sure it's ironic, and I don't subscribe to the rumor that they were tested to higher standards. Leica is good glass, without a doubt, but you are name buying too. I could never afford the pretty collection of Minoltas I own if Leica or Zeiss were written on them.
BTW, most Zeiss lenses for the Contax/Yashica mount are still cheaper than their Leica counterparts and they are no slouch either. If you need a name ;-)
Think Minolta (or was it Sigma?) was commissioned by Leica in the 80s to produce a few zoom lenses, most noticeably the 28-85mm. So the joke that Minolta being a poor man's Leica is ironic. When you carry a Minolta, at least you know you're using the real thing. Some people dun even realise that the 28-85 Leica R is a rebadge
The Minolta 24mm F 2.8 is a great lens, very sharp. The 35-70mm zoom is fantastic too, very close to primes in IQ and constant aperture (by mechanically adjusting while it's zoomed!). You may call Minoltas 'poor man's Leicas', since they are so close in philosophy. MCs are good too, but a tad more prone to flare, most MDs have improved coating.
@jimtreats: Leica-Rs are completely different from Leica-Ms. The latter are quite small, it's hard to get any FF attached and they'll only fit µFT, NEX or the like. Leica-Rs are much longer, anything below 50mm is retro-focus and, sorry @andres, some breathe quite a bit. The faster ones are getting very expensive, since folks are hunting them down to get them cinefied. Understandable, given the price of new PL-mount Leica lenses…
BTW, the prices from meister-camera look quite reasonable, given the crazy offers in the bay. But compare Minoltas too.
@andres could you explain which of the 24mm are the ones to go for? the Minolta MD W. Rokkor 24mm F2.8? osawa? mc? did you have any experience with the minolta 16mm and 24mm on the gh2?
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