Out and about with a highly recommended 'CCD Resurgence' digital SLR camera kit, a vintage 14.2MP CCD Sony DSLR-A350, mounted with an equally but earlier vintage Minolta AF wide-angle zoom, the Minolta AF Zoom 24-50mm f/4. On the Sony DSLR-A350, the 24-50mm zoom is equivalent to the standard-normal 35-70mm zoom on a 35mm full-frame camera, a versatile general-purpose standard zoom suitable for most photography genres, including landscapes, portraits, and everyday snapshots.
Short zoom lenses, especially the 35-70mm, or equivalents, are broadly defined as standard zooms that have a midpoint near the classic 50mm mark, the focal length that defines 'standard normal,' or what the eyes see, with natural perspective. The zooms may range between 2.5× (28–70 mm) to 5x (24–120 mm), with the 3x (24–70 mm) being the most common.
The concept, as introduced by Canon in 1973, saw the FD 35–70mm f/2.8–3.5 as the first practical solution for 35mm SLR film cameras. The idea was later carried by other manufacturers who joined the bandwagon to promote their own versions of the standard as well.
As for the selection at hand, the Minolta AF Zoom 24-50mm f/4, introduced in 1987 as part of Minolta's AF lens lineup following the launch of the Minolta Maxxum 7000 system, is a lightweight and compact constant aperture standard zoom is a 7-element in 7 groups design with spherical elements and conventional multi-coating to control aberrations.
The lens is highly regarded by both Minolta analog enthusiasts and, later, by Sony Alpha users for its excellent build quality and optical performance. It features both autofocus and manual focus options, focuses down to 0.35 meters (with a maximum magnification of 1:5.56 at 50mm), measures 69 mm in diameter and 60 mm in length, weighs 285 grams, and accepts 55 mm filters.
The Sony Alpha DSLR-A350, on the other hand, is a mid-range APS-C DSLR introduced in 2008. It is notable for its 14.2MP CCD sensor, body-integrated Super SteadyShot stabilization, and an innovative Live View feature enabled by a tilting mirror mechanism. The DSLR was Sony's top-tier consumer SLR for 2008, with the second-highest pixel count for an APS-C format DSLR at the time of its launch, and it was positioned between entry-level A200/A300 and the prosumer models.
For the CCD enthusiast with a passion for the legendary 'Minolta Colors,' which may be more myth than reality, the Sony DSLR-A350 and the Minolta AF 24-50mm f/4 are both available at affordable prices on auction sites or even in brick-and-mortar stores. The kit won't cost you a fortune, and for a small investment, you'll get the chance to explore the film-like, high-quality, and low-light capabilities that CCD sensors are known for.
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