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Minolta 70-210 f/4 Beer Can Lens Review- amazing glass at an outstanding price for Sony Users

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beercanlens

Having been a Nikon shooter for the first 7.5 years of my career I was completely in the dark as it related to the lens options available with Sony.  When I made the switch over to Sony (click here to see why) I loved the camera bodies but didn’t know anything about the lenses.

DSC04839

Image taken with the Minolta Beer Can Lens…Sony A7ii

I bought some Sony lenses and loved them…but then I started hearing from some circles of the Sony universe about these legacy Minolta lenses that worked with the Sony cameras.  I was like, “WHAT?  Are you serious?”  I was a little hesitant at first because I always wanted the best lenses possible for my shoots and these lenses were over 30 years old.

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I was wondering…would the lenses be any good?  Would they auto focus?  What would the optics look like?  And what did they cost?  So I started googling used lenses (which by the way I’m never scared to buy a used lens if it comes from a reputable source) and was amazed to see that the vast majority of these lenses were CHEAP.

So I thought, “What the heck?  The lenses are so cheap that if they suck it didn’t put me out that much money.  But if they do indeed perform up to their legendary status…this could be a huge coup for me.  Amazing lenses at outstanding prices…SIGN ME UP!

So let me start off by saying that I use Sony Mirrorless so that means I’m shooting with the Sony a7ii, A7s, A7, and the A6000.  For any legacy Minolta glass (also Sony A Mount Glass) to work on one of those cameras you need to purchase the Sony LAEA4 adapter.  laea4 adapterThis adapter takes any Sony A Mount glass (which Minolta legacy glass is as well as Sony a mount glass) and makes it compatible with your Sony mirrorless camera.  It’s AWESOME!!  The adapter costs about $350 and makes it totally worth it as it opens up the entire stable of Sony and Minolta lenses to mirrorless users.  This is the only adapter that allows you to have auto focus and auto exposure functionality with these lenses and your Sony mirrorless camera.

So I ordered the LAEA4 and the beer can lens at the same time.  I was excited but a tad skeptical…but I kept my hopes up that it would work out.  The Beer Can lens only cost me $135 on B&H Photo used…I was thrilled!  So for less than $500 I had a 70-210 lens straight f/4 which is critical for me as a wedding and portrait photographer.  What’s better is now that I have the adapter I can just stock up on all the other Sony and Minolta glass and use the same adapter…so I’m saving even more money.  BUT, this post is about the Beer Can lens so let’s get back on track.

So I had a shoot coming up in the beautiful Nelson, Nevada Ghost Town and decided to give the Beer Can lens a few laps around the track.  Let me tell you…it was fabulous!  The images you see below were all captured with the Sony A7ii and the Beer Can lens.  All images were edited in Lightroom only, no Photoshop…:)  The model is the beautiful Sam Sherwood from Las Vegas, Nevada.

Sony A7ii, 1/500 sec, f/4.5, 75mm at ISO 64DSC04865

Sony A7ii, 1/500 sec, f/4.5, 135mm at ISO 64DSC04881

Sony A7ii, 1/500 sec, f/4.5, 210mm at ISO 64DSC04896

Sony A7ii, 1/500 sec, f/4.5, 75mm at ISO 64DSC04887

Sony A7ii, 1/500 sec, f/4.5, 75mm at ISO 64DSC04892

For comparison purposes the images below were taken with the Sony FE 16-35 Zeiss lens.  Same location within 1 minute of taking the shots with the Beer Can lens.  I think it shows that both lenses are outstanding…but it really shows how that old Minolta legacy glass can still hang with the big boys…even Zeiss lenses!

Sony A7ii, 1/500 sec, f/5, 23mm at ISO 64DSC04906

Sony A7ii, 1/500 sec, f/5, 18mm at ISO 64DSC04914

Sony A7ii, 1/500 sec, f/5, 23mm at ISO 64DSC04923Please keep in mind that this was a simple 5 minute shoot.  All of these images were captured with just natural light.  Some of the focal lengths that are the same appear differently in your view only because of me physically walking closer or further away from the model.  This is by no means meant to be a comprehensive review of the Beer Can lens.  It’s simply meant to show you what it can do and how sharp it is, especially when you compare it to a brand new Zeiss.

I personally believe every Sony shooter should have this lens and the LAEA4 adapter in their arsenal.  With the new advancements in sensors shooting at f/4 with higher ISO’s is completely comparable to shooting in lower ISO’s at f/2.8 in the older days of digital photography.  This lens is a pure gem…and at $150 or less, it’s a STEAL….



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