 BetterPhoto Member |
Maxxum 7 Lens Choices I am going to buy a Minolta Maxxum 7 and am having trouble deciding on a lens choice to go with it. The majority of my photos deal with pics of my children in play and for still portraits, indoors and out situations, along with some scenery/vacation. I like to zoom in for closeups and back out for wide shots quite a bit. I have heard just about everything from different dealers and sites, and now I am totally confused as to which lenses will give me the best pictures! :-( My questions are: 1. Is it better to buy a 2 lens set made by Minolta (28-105 AF and 80-200 AF) or will a Tamron 28-200 do just as good a job, even indoors? 2. Is a Tamron 28-300 a better choice? (I was told it had better qualities and sharpness) 3. Is a Sigma 28-200 (or 300) lens better than Tamron's? 4. Is the Maxxum 7 really all it's hyped up to be? Great for an amateur like me who wants to grow with it? Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated!
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Lyndon Guy |
I have the Tamron 28-300 for Nikon. It's a really nice lens but it is a big, fat heavy clunker. I also have the Sigma 28-200. I can't tell the difference optically (other than the focal length, of course) but there is a world of difference in size and weight. Just my two cents.
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Roland Towey |
Hi, I read a number of photographic magazines. The one I read recently [Amateur Photographer] - a highly respected, long publication magazine - made a comparison test between Sigma's 28-300 & Tamron's 28-300. Sigma came out on top in all areas from performance to price. I am contemplating purchasing a 28-300mm in the future and it will be the Sigma. I am mailing from England but if you like, visit www.f22.co.uk You won't be disappointed. Hope this helps.
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Jeffrey Lazo |
Hello! I have been using my Maxxum 7 for about three months. I carry a Minolta 50mm 1.7 for indoor, low light, and macro shots. I have a used Minolta 70-210mm f4 which is great due to the fixed f4 aperture. Minolta replaced this with a 70-210mm, though it now is a variable aperture. My lens is a tank compared to the new glass. I also have a Tokina 19-35mm wide angle lens. I shoot mainly langscapes so this is the lens I use the most. I have heard that the one problem with a large lens like 28-300mm is the restriction on speed and sharpness. I really like my 50mm prime for these reasons. As far as the Maxxum 7, I love it! There are so many features, I find that I read the manual quite often, and still learn something new. I really like the mid-roll rewind feature, not included in my Xtsi. This feature works great when I shoot Velvia, and need to switch to print or Sensia.
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Elaine S. Robbins |
I don't know the specs for any of these lenses, but I'd definately go for whatever lens or two lenses are FASTEST. It does make a difference, esp. if you want to use it to shoot a variety of things (indoor/outdoor/kids/etc). Changing lenses isn't that hard, and if you do anything indoors you'll need that extra speed. I'm guessing that probably the 2-lens set will be fastest, as from what I've heard really long zooms like that tend to be a bit slow. Beyond that, try them all out at a store and note what ones feel best in your hands. How smooth is the zoom? How is the focus? I have a Canon Rebel, and while I could get a Tamron or Sigma 75-300, I'm saving up for the Canon IS version (IS essentially get you 2 stops extra speed in the lens), because I want to have a lot of flexibility in what situations I can handhold. Good luck!
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Jeff |
I highly sugggest reviewing this site. You can search the archives for information on Minolta related photography, the Maxxum 7 and lens combinations. Also, current users can give you advice from their experiences.
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