jacob_napthine

Ed, you are not a seer. You are a rude twit.

Are you really offended that people cant take this ridiculous fantasy of yours seriously? If you are, you need to talk to someone, mate.

It might work well in video cameras, but photography isnt videography is it?

Are you goiong to buy a <1MPX camera the size of a gym bag for $50000?

Me neither. So why compare them?

My wish list:

SSM on all telephoto lenses if not all lenses.

D feature on all lenses under 300mm.

A G-series 28mm f2 for less $ than the 35mm f1.4

A G-series 135mm f2 SSM that takes Minolta 42mm polarizer set.

A 9-style body with 12.4+ MP APS-C size sensor and 8fps (or 5fps with a 10fps high speed crop mode would be even better!)

A new flashgun

I also own a 28mm f2 RS. It is a superb lens. If you can afford it, you will never regret buying one.

See Dyxum.com for reviews.

Cheers

Anyone have a ML screen for a 9 that they want to sell me? Or know where I can

get one? Failing that, how about an M screen?

Thanks.

Jake

PS Come on over to www.dyxum.com you'll find heaps of info about Minolta digital. Im on there as GTjake.

Hope to see you over there, Amanda.

Personally I would say a 50mm f1.7 (or f1.4) would have to be the best money you will ever spend on a lens re price vs performance.

Get one from KEH.com, you wont regret it. They are trully professional glass at a bargain price!

PS Did you know the older Minolta 35-70 f4 and 70-200 f4 are actually a Leica/Minolta collaboration? Minolta used to build the same lenses for Leica. The Minolta versions are a lot cheaper though!

Good luck mate.

Cheers

Jim, excellent pics! BTW love your XD-7. Looks very cool. Did you custom make the leather yourself?

Lucius, very cool pic of the pipes. Like it alot.

Cheers

Jake

Chris, you mention a 35mm f1.4 available. What price and where at, please?

Cheers

Richard,

there are 2 85mm f1.4s in the 'In Transit' section at KEH.com

Submit your email and check often. You get your lens yet.

Good luck

One other item that would be good to get is a lens hood if the 50mm doesn't come with one.

Protects the lens and cuts flare. Less than $10 for a metal one (screw on). They make a difference.

re tripod: If your happy with it and it is sturdy, it's a good one!

Doesn't need to be worth $1000 to be good.

Cheers

Not trying to be smart ass, but a second hand one.

It is a fantastic lens. Well worth waiting to get the real deal.

The closest thing is the 100 f2 but they are near impossible to find.

After that, maybe the 100 f2.8 soft focus.

There are no 3rd party equivalents.

Aw, come on. Don't be so cynical. It works great for advertising.....

photocopiers!

Buy a 50mm f1.8. If you've never used a prime lens, you will be amazed.

Without a doubt the best money you will ever spend on a lens.

You have a good tripod, right?

Peter,

you say they DIDN'T run it into the ground? Really?

What was it then if not astoundingly bad management?

You could be right, maybe it was *magic*.

They may not be doing badly, if you want a photocopier!

I'm sure you realize we talk of the camera side of things, not copiers and faxes.

Don't worry about quality control.

Worry about them making good lenses rather than just consumer zoom crap.

A camera system is the glass not the bodies.

NOT F'N HAPPY!

Kind of asounding really that they could run such an innovative company into the ground. After all Nikon is a smaller, less diversified company (even before the K + M merger) and they aren't going pull the pin anytime soon.

G'day John!

I don't have the Neotec tripod, so maybe my comments are worth only what you've paid for them...

I DO have 3 other Manfrotto tripods and 1 Manfrotto monopod.

IMO the quality of manufacturing is really very good. If you are happy with the design, you wont find fault with the quality.

I have seen reviews in 2 UK magazines, I think Photography Monthly and Practical Photography. In both cases the Manfrotto Neotec was the pick of the bunch tested. Quality vs cost was praised too.

I would have a CF Gitzo if it were free, but I couldn't see myself paying that much to save less than the weight of a small prime lens.

Good luck.

PS what head have you chosen ?

Tim, that is a great shot.

It gives me something nice to look at while I 'm not looking at the new KM goodies they don't want to sell me.

Sigh....

G'day Cristian.

You could always give your money to charity. That won't get you a camera either, but at least you won't feel foolish.

G'day jq!

I don't know where you are, but I'm in Australia. Down here if you want to buy good stuff you either pay through the nose or buy from overseas.

I've bought from stores in the US, UK, Germany and Canada. I've never got screwed, but I put that down to following the advice of photo.netters.

Adorama and B&H are the best bet for new. KEH for used.

Sounds like an absolutely terrible idea! In fact, worst idea I've heard this year.

However, I'm willing to take one for the team and help you out.

I selflessly volunteer to assist you in ridding yourself of all that crappy, soft, outdated Minolta prime glass. Pah! The very idea of using non-zoomy optics! And they are not even Canon or at the least Nikon!

Worthless, the lot of them!

Don't let them sully you gear bag any longer!

Besides, I hear Canon gear while alluring, is a jealous mistress does not like to share affection.

It's for your own good, you know.

PS Paypal OK with you?

:-)

Unfortunately, there is no cheap way out to get a specialist lens. f2.8 is nowhere near f1.4! Macros are too slow (focus and f#).

Minolta's 85 f1.4 is simply astounding. $500 (used) is cheap for what it is. Its nearest competitor would be a Canon 85 f1.2L @ US$1500.

The best alternative sounds like the 100 soft focus. It is also a specailized lens.

The 9D will be big money too. Maybe wait to get a good deal on the lens you really want?

Good luck.

G'day Nathan!

re lens: I believe you may be looking at the limitations thing the wrong way round. I would say the inexpensive zoom has limitations, not the 50mm f1.7/1.8 prime. When you decide to ugrade your body or to add to your lens collection, the 50mm is still a very good lens. The cheap zoom though will get binned.

Okay, it's a fixed focal length, but it's so much FASTER, SHARPER and QUICKER (autofocus). Bang-for-your-buck, they are underpriced, not cheap. Think of it as professional level glass on sale.

For $100 you should be able to get a 50mm f1.7/1.8 and a 28mm f2.8 second-hand in great condition.

re bodies: I don't really know if there's much between them. I know which one I would buy, though (KM 5D). AS/IS/VR/OS/etc is good. AS/IS/VR on fast primes is great. To get it for FREE on every lens you use awesome!

Good luck and enjoy, whichever way you decide to go.

Jake

Good stuff mate! :)

Keep us informed.

Can you take photos of the display and post them?

Cheers