35-70mm f4

This small zoom is one of the classic Minolta gems. Unappreciated and often under priced, this makes a great eBay bargain lens. Optically the lens is excellent and extremely well constructed. It has a macro feature that has limited usefulness compared to a true macro lens, however it works surprisingly well in this capacity.

The main drawback to this lens is its range. 35-70mm becomes approximately 52-105mm on the current 1.5 crop cameras. It is still a useful range, but doesn't hold as much appeal as the more traditional zoom ranges that tend to start at a wider angle (e.g. 28mm) or modern standard zooms that start even wider (e.g. 16-18mm).

If its range is not a problem for your shooting style, this is one of the best Minolta bargains around. Some consider this lens the little brother to the Minolta 70-210/4.

When shopping don't mistake the 35-70mm f4 for the newer 35-70mm f3.5-4.5. The newer plastic version is still a good lens, but it can't stand up to the real classic.

It can be found on eBay for about $20-70 (Oct 2007). This is not an uncommon lens and I recommend you hold out for one in excellent condition and pay no more than $50.

Below are links to reviews and current Ebay auctions for this lens. (Links open in a new window)

Dyxum Review