Let me tell you about my little photography buddy – this Minolta 100-200mm f4.5 lens. It’s not the fanciest piece of equipment out there, but man, does it have character!
The Surprise Performer
I bought this lens used for $30 and thought I’d only use it occasionally, but it turned out to be my go-to lens for landscapes. The 200mm range is like putting binoculars on a camera. It turned out to be my go-to lens for landscapes. 200mm is like gluing a pair of binoculars to your camera. At the lake last month, it captured details the eye could never see! The maximum aperture of f4.5 isn’t super bright, but it keeps the lens tight and works well in daylight.
Less is More
That’s the thing about long lenses – they force you to really look. At 200mm, you can’t just point and shoot. I’ve learned to hunt for “hidden” compositions – like the time I zoomed in on a single red leaf clinging to a bare branch instead of trying to cram the whole autumn forest into one frame. The bokeh? Creamy enough to make coffee art jealous.
My Walkaround Warrior
This lens is lighter than my lunchbox – seriously, it weighs 378g. The collapsible design means it shrinks to just 95mm when not in use. I’ve taken it on hikes, to farmers’ markets, and even to soccer games. The manual zoom feels satisfyingly clicky, though the focus ring could be smoother – I call it my “thumb workout”.
Final Thoughts
Is it perfect? Nope. Low light performance makes it a daytime only friend, and the plastic body won’t survive a drop. But for its size, price, and that magical compression effect? 10/10 for anyone who wants to try telephoto photography without breaking the bank. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to stalk some squirrels in the park – photographically speaking, of course!
General Comment
Considering its current retail price, the overall performance of this lens is very good.
Pros
Lightweight. It is only 49mm in diameter, and the weight of a telephoto lens is really crucial.
The maximum aperture of f4.5 is quite good, and the sharpness improves when stopped down one stop. Do we really need a 70-200mm f2.8?
The color is appealing at first glance.
It has high sharpness and is the top choice among budget telephoto lenses.
The color is excellent and there is almost no purple fringing when used with digital cameras in most cases.
The price is affordable.
Disadvantages
Purple fringing appears in bright light when used with digital cameras.
The minimum focusing distance is 1.9 meters, which is a bit inconvenient. It would be better if it could reach 1 meter.
The autofocus is slow in low light, considering that the aperture is only f4.5.
It makes a relatively loud noise during autofocus.
The bokeh effect for portrait shots is not as good as with f2.8 lenses.
The lens body is made of plastic.
