Your Must have On-Camera Lense

[james_frater]

Ever since upgrading from my old 7xi, to the 7D I have spent money

on a collection of lenses and so far have yet to satisfy my hunger

for the lense I want to commonly have on my camera (my standard

Lense)

 

Here is my collection list so far

 

Minolta 50mm 1.7,

Minolta 28-80xi (that was on my 7xi),

Sigma APO 75-300,

Sigma 20-40 2.8 DG (I like this, BUT....),

Sigma 28-70 2.8 DF,

Konica Minolta 28-100,

Konica Minolta 70-300,

 

Now I just do not know, 5 of those lenses I have bought in the last

5 months.

 

My favorite is the 50mm and the Sigma 20-40 2.8 DG, which in on line

reports have shown the Sigma 20-40 to be a very professional quailty

lense in what it produces. Just that I would have liked it to be a

bit longer.

 

The Sigma 28-70 2.8, I also like the feel, but would have liked it

better if there was ADI integration, and not TTL metering, but I

suppose I should have then bought the newer 24-70 2.8 DG lense if I

wanted digital compatibility with ADI (oh well)

 

So my first question is does the xi series of lesnes work on the 7D

just the same as it did on the xi camera's, thus you get the power

zoom on the 7D?

 

and last,

 

What lense is usually stuck on your camera that you feel happy to

walk around with all the time taking pictures.

 

I just want something that gives me quality, maybe I already have

it, but would like to hear from others in what they are using.

[weatherman]

I have the 5D. I have bunch of primes and a 24-105 zoom. I realised that I always have 28 f2.0 Af on all the time. It is simply so small, powerful and image quality and bokeh is the best.(Yes I generally have lots of time to walk around and compose, and I don't have a wife yet!!!). Having a dynax 7 (film) body also makes an overall versatile kit as I can choose a wider perspective down to 24mm if I really need to..

[miguel_rodriguez5]

The 50 f1.7 stays most of the time in my cameras, either the Af version or the MD version. I also like the sigma 24mm f2.8 very much. I don't think the powerzoom of Xi lenses works in any other minolta cameras that are not from that line (xi).

[matt hedgecoe]

I use the Minolta AF 24-105/3.5-4.5(D) as an everyday lens. It's a good all round performer in my opinion with a useful enough range that I don't need to carry another lens for most subjects.

 

Matt

[clinton_abe]

J.S.- No the power zoom function of the xi lenses do not work with the 7D.

[cmphoto1]

35mm f2.0 on my 7 or 9. I suspect my 24mm f2.8 on a 7D or equivelent.

 

chad

[phil_derosier]

Clinton: this can't be true--your comment concerning xi lens incompatibility with 5D or 7D bodies.

 

While I don't have a 7D or 5D, I however took my 35-200xi lens to a local BestBuy to specifically check out the compatibility question, as I was contemplating purchase at one time.

 

It worked just fine, zoom and all. In fact, I felt this was one of the better lens/body combinations for the *D bodies, as it corrected a pesky issue with this lens--vignetting at the wide end--due to the APS crop.

[james_frater]

I have it here, but have just been worried about putting the 28-80xi lense on the camera. Just in case sparks fly.

 

Maybe I should email my local minolta sales person and ask.

[jamesdak]

Ummm, understanding has always been that the "power zoom" function of the xi lenses was only supported by the xi series of bodies.

[george_setterfield1]

The 28mm f2.0 on my 5D gives the the equivalent of a 40mm with a 35mm camera. This is an ideal focal length for my style of street photography and it works fine for me. The 18-70mm kit lens is more versatile for everday mixed photography, and the famous 24-105 gives even more focal range, although I haven't used it much.

Have you ever had a "bad" lens from a reputable maker? At the maximum enlargement size I use, 11x17", I have never had lens quality problems. The only clearly mediocre lens I ever had was 40 years ago, the Nikon 43-86mm zoom. Pop Photog magazine never ever reviewed it.

[james_frater]

I keep seeing on ebay that the xi lenses will work on the 7D & 5D camera's. Maybe it will focus, etc, but what about the zooming, considering that is what the xi camera was all about.

 

Has anyone actually got one and tried it. I simply do not want to risk it on my 7D, not that it will most likely harm it, but I just do not want to try.

[james_frater]

Has anyone got or used the Sigma 20-40 2.8 EX DG lense. If so what do they think.

 

People keep trashing Sigma, but this lense seems to produce great images, as shown on pbase. I like it, just wish it was a touch longer.

 

http://www.pbase.com/cameras/sigma/2040_28_ex_dg_asp

[james_frater]

xi series of lenses.

 

Just got an email back from my KM tech support. All xi series lenses will fully work on the 7D & 5D (including the motorized power zoom)

 

And just to be sure, I attached my 28-80 lense on the 7D and everything fully works, just like it did on the 7xi. After the tech person said there was not chance of anything busting my 7D after putting the lense on.

 

Even including the auto focus distance button on the lense.

 

Cool.

[clinton_abe]

I'm surprised that KM had reversed engineered the 5D and 7D to accept the xi lenses. It seemed like KM had abandoned the lenses after the xi bodies were discontinued.

[james_frater]

From what I am told the xi lenses work on a couple of later model Minolta SLR camera's.

 

Either way it was not so much reversed engineered, but more so getting the power to the xi lense to motorize the zoom. Which I am told by the tech person was quite simple to add to the later camera's.

 

There were some good lenses in that range.

[jamesdak]

Well, I stand corrected!

[dennis_fallon1]

> I keep seeing on ebay that the xi lenses will work on the 7D & 5D

> camera's. Maybe it will focus, etc, but what about the zooming,

> considering that is what the xi camera was all about.

 

Well, the xi cameras provided more than power; they could also control the power zooming, so they could provide features like subject-size-tracking (zooming as a subject moved closer/farther to maintain subject size), zooming out to show you a wider view of the scene before zooming in just prior to opening the shutter, auto composition ... goofy stuff like that. I know that one/both of the fantasy effect cards worked by altering focus during the exposure; not sure if either one had a zoom-during-exposure option. I think those features were only in the xi line. Never gave any thought to the fact that later models had to provide power for power-zoom ... never tried an xi lens.

 

- Dennis

[james_frater]

I believe the xi range of camera's where Minolta's main line up for about 4 years? So it was their major range for a long time in camera body and range terms.

[bill_ratch]

I'm using the 7D and mostly have the KM 28-70mm 2.8. Fantastic setup!!