{"id":9710,"date":"2017-12-15T17:28:47","date_gmt":"2017-12-15T16:28:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/?p=9710"},"modified":"2026-01-14T08:47:54","modified_gmt":"2026-01-14T07:47:54","slug":"review-minolta-md-28mm-12","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/review-minolta-md-28mm-12\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: Minolta MD 28mm 1:2"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Released in 1981 the Minolta MD 28mm 1:2 is Minoltas joungest manual 28 mm lens. In this review I test it on the a7II to see how relevant it is today.<\/p>\n

Specifications<\/h1>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Diameter<\/td>\n64 mm<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Length<\/td>\n50 mm<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Filter Thread<\/td>\n49 mm<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Weight<\/td>\n265 g<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Max. Magnification<\/td>\n1:8<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Close Focusing Distance from the sensor<\/td>\n0.3 m<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Number of aperture blades<\/td>\n6<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Elements\/ Groups<\/td>\n9\/9<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
The Minolta MD 28mm 1:2 usually sells for around $200<\/strong>\u00a0used at ebay.com <\/a>or <\/em>around 200<\/strong><\/em>\u20ac<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>at ebay.de<\/a> (affiliate links).\u00a0<\/em><\/address>\n
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Image Samples<\/h1>\n

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You can find most of the images in this review and more in full resolution in this Minolta MD 2\/28 flickr set<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/address>\n

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Versions<\/h1>\n

Minolta made two optically different 2\/28 lenses in SR-mount:<\/p>\n

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  1. The Minolta MC W.Rokkor 1:2 f=28 mm\u00a0<\/b>was released in 1975. In 1977 it was updated to MD but there were no mechanical or optical changes done to it. It has floating elements and the front rotates when focus is changed. Build quality is excellent, few lenses surpass it. It weights 340 g.<\/li>\n
  2. The\u00a0Minolta MD 1:2 28 mm\u00a0<\/strong>was released quite late in 1981 and dropped the Rokkor from the front plate. It is different in several ways from its predecessor. First it has a different optical design and performance was significantly increased. Build quality in contrast decreased. The focus isn’t as smooth and the aperture ring is made from plastics. This came with a significant reduction in size and weight so that it it 75g lighter than the Rokkor version. While the front lens rotates the 49 mm filter thread does not. According to artaphot.ch <\/a>the optical design was carried over to the AF version. This review is about this later version.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    I think the older Rokkor version serves quite different purposes than the newer plain MD version. The Rokkor version is a joy to use and a low contrast character lens wide open with decent but not great performance stopped down. The newer version still has quite a bit of character wide open but better sharpness and contrast. I is not quite as pleasant to handle but lighter and a strong performer stopped down.<\/p>\n

    With input from Dennis Lohmann’s Minolta List<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

    Build quality and handling<\/h1>\n

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    Minolta’s last generation of MD lenses still offers very good build quality by modern standards but compared to other legacy lenses they are not quite as nice.<\/p>\n

    Focusing Ring<\/strong><\/p>\n

    The focusing ring\u00a0travels around 65 degrees from 0.3 m to 1 m and a further 18 degrees to infinity. This is a little steep for a wide angle but not much of an issue.<\/p>\n

    The rubberized focusing ring offers good grip and a pleasant diameter. The resistance is higher than I like on my copy and I have made a similar experience with other plain MD Minoltas.<\/p>\n

    Aperture<\/strong><\/p>\n

    The aperture ring is made from plastics and shows some sign of usage on my otherwise little worn copy. It\u00a0feels a bit cheap<\/strong>\u00a0and while the click-stops are\u00a0distinctive enough<\/strong>\u00a0I have seen better implementations. It has no click-stop between f\/2.8 to f\/4 and f\/16 to f\/22 but half-stops in between.<\/p>\n

    \"\"Hood<\/strong><\/p>\n

    I like the native hood which doesn’t do a lot to shield the front lens but it is small and protects it well from any damage so that I can use it without a lens cap.<\/p>\n

    Size and Weight<\/strong><\/p>\n

    At 265g and with a length of 50mm the Minolta is small but not tiny and well balanced on the a7 series.<\/p>\n

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    Optical performance<\/h1>\n

    These results are based on the use with a Sony Alpha 7\/7II.<\/p>\n

    Flare Resistance<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    Flare is definitely an issue with this lens. If you have a stronger light source in the image you get a very big ghost and veiling flare in a large area of the image. For me this is a limiting factor since I like to shoot backlit scenes. If you like the effect though it might be just the lens for you.<\/p>\n

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    Bokeh<\/h2>\n

    The Minolta MD 2\/28 has rather busy bokeh wide open. Stopped down you get hexagonal oof highlights because it only has six aperture blades but bokeh gets smoother.<\/p>\n