The Galleria, Photo of the Day

Sony DSLR A-350, Minolta AF Zoom 24-50mm f/4

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The Galleria, Photo of the Day

Sony DSLR A-350, Minolta AF Zoom 24-50mm f/4

<< Click on image for enlarged Lightbox display >>

The Galleria, Photo of the Day

Sony DSLR A-350, Minolta AF Zoom 24-50mm f/4

<< Click on image for enlarged Lightbox display >>

The Galleria, Photo of the Day

Sony DSLR A-350, Minolta AF Zoom 24-50mm f/4

<< Click on image for enlarged Lightbox display >>

Sony DSLR A-350, Minolta AF Zoom 24-50mm f/4

CCD Resurgence: Out and about with the Minolta AF Zoom 24-50mm f/4, an equivalent standard normal zoom lens on the 14.2MP CCD Sony DSLR A-350.

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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 lens with 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 the entry-level A200/A300 and the prosumer models.

Sony DSLR A-350, Minolta AF Zoom 24-50mm f/4

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. 

The Galleria, Photo of the Day

Sony DSLR-A350, Minolta AF Zoom 24-50mm f/4

<< Click on image for enlarged Lightbox display >>

The Galleria, Photo of the Day

Sony DSLR-A350, Minolta AF Zoom 24-50mm f/4

<< Click on image for enlarged Lightbox display >>

The Galleria, Photo of the Day

Sony DSLR-A350, Minolta AF Zoom 24-50mm f/4

<< Click on image for enlarged Lightbox display >>

The Galleria, Photo of the Day

Sony DSLR-A350, Minolta AF Zoom 24-50mm f/4

<< Click on image for enlarged Lightbox display >>

Sony DSLR-A350, Minolta AF Zoom 24-50mm f/4

CCD Resurgence: Image making with the Minolta AF Zoom 24-50mm f/4, a 1992 constant aperture equivalent standard zoom lens, on the Sony DSLR-A350.

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This is not one of my better posts, nor are the images worthy of their first impression presentation; they are just an adequate portrayal of a lens that has just arrived, and the rush to get it online.

The Minolta AF Zoom 24-50mm f/4, introduced initially in 1987, is a constant-aperture standard zoom lens offered as part of Minolta's AF lens lineup following the launch of the Minolta Maxxum 7000 system.

The lens is a compact solution for general-purpose photography with a useful wide-to-normal focal range in its native full-frame mode.

The lens is highly regarded by Minolta analog enthusiasts and later Sony Alpha users for its excellent build and optical characteristics (good color rendering and contrast).

The lightweight and compact 7-element in 7 group lens, designed with spherical elements and conventional multi-coating to control aberrations instead of the more modern aspherical elements and advanced coating technologies, has both autofocus and manual focus capabilities, focuses down to 0.35 meters (1:5.56 maximum magnification at 50mm), measures 69 (diameter) x 60 mm, weighs 285 grams, and takes 55 mm filters.

The lens maintains a constant f/4 maximum aperture throughout its zoom range, achieved through a manual zoom mechanism that extends while changing focal lengths. The polycarbonate barrel construction incorporates metal lens mounts, with user reports indicating that the lens is capable of surviving decades of use with minimal play of the zoom mechanisms.

The lens is seen over a couple of iterations, the original Minolta AF 24-50mm f/4 as released in 1987, and a restyled version, the Minolta AF 24-50mm f/4 RS, as released in 1992.

Sony DSLR-A350, Minolta AF Zoom 24-50mm f/4

On the Sony DSLR-A350, an APS-C sensor digital SLR camera, the 24-50mm zoom is equivalent to the standard-normal 35-70mm zoom, a versatile general-purpose standard zoom lens suitable for most photography genres, including landscapes, portraits, and everyday snapshots. The focal range offers a good balance of wide-angle and standard focal lengths, still with natural perspectives, which is useful for capturing scenes as the eye sees them.