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Minolta 200 2.8 or 200 2.8 HS - What's the differnce?

JMaher

New member
It's all in the title. Is there a difference in sharpness, etc between the Minolat 200 2.8 and it's HS brethren?

Jim
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Buy the damn lens. Seriously I just shot it again 3 days in a row and it is just outstanding even wide open. Even shooting extremely demanding podium type work with AFS it's pretty much on the money but MF with focus mag its killer good on he A7II. It's no bigger than a 24-70 really and I have the HS model even though screw mount it's just flat out impressive. To me and I have shot everything on the planet . I never meet a 200mm 2.8 this good under 1k PERIOD. I don't know the difference between the two but get either one if its the same optical formula.
 

pegelli

Well-known member
Besides a higher focusing speed (higher gearing) the HS version has so-called "focus hold" buttons on the barrel. Optically they're both the same (and excellent). Sometimes you can find older "non-HS" versions that have been officially upgraded by Minolta workshops to the high speed gearing, but they could not add these "focus hold" buttons (a minor detail in my mind, I never use them anyway)
 

JMaher

New member
I will probably buy one - just looking for the right one and trying to make sure the non hs would not be a mistake.
Jim
 

MGrayson

Subscriber and Workshop Member
My High Speed arrived this morning. It is sharper than my 70-200/2.8L v1 at 200, but that's not surprising. I wish I had the version 2 to compare it against.

My Canon 200/2.8L prime on the A7II is almost indistinguishable from the Minolta. It's a bit hard to compare as I have to MF the Canon, and it's very difficult to MF the Minolta; its focus throw is quite short. Fortunately, the AF is very fast and accurate. As near as I can tell, the two primes have very similar performance at all apertures. Any perceived differences in C1 quickly disappear when I turn off noise reduction. Now it's possible that some AF micro-adjust will improve the Minolta. It's snowing lightly outside, so it's hard to test conclusively against distant objects.

More later,

Matt
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Awesome you have it in time for the workshop. I'll help you fine tune it. Mine needed -5 I think. It's also really nice manual focusing on the A7II since IBIS works well. It is a short throw but I'm nailing everything with it and AF is accurate but it can hunt sometimes.
 

MGrayson

Subscriber and Workshop Member
It is a gray day here, but the local hawk gave me a profile. The AF is very good. My Canons have a lot of trouble with all the branches nearby. I posted pictures of him recently, but with the 400/5.6. This is as good!



--Matt
 

MGrayson

Subscriber and Workshop Member
Guy,

One thing I'm noticing is vignetting in the extreme corners even at f/8. Possibly the adapter? Or maybe just the extra-small FE lens mount. It strongest in the upper left corner. You can see it in the full hawk picture, which is at f/5.6:


Do you see that on your copy?

--Matt
 

MGrayson

Subscriber and Workshop Member
Not to :deadhorse:, but the LCCs make it much clearer. The f 2.8 vignetting was expected.
Here are the corner crops:



To be clear, I don't think this is a big deal. At worst, it means a slight crop - and there are pixels to spare. In most cases, a little retouching would do.

--Matt
 
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Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Matt let's check your adapter I sold you against mine in Bryce. The transulent glass maybe damaged will check it to be sure. Mine is new
 
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