Is German 35-70 F3.5 any good?

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I know that it has been mentioned here that the R 35-70 F3.5 by Sigma is not such a hot performer. I have a chance to get at a faily decent price the German version of the lens, which I assume are somewhat scarce. They command quite a high price on the used market. Would I be paying for better performance, or strictly the 'made in Germany' etching. Any thoughts on how it performs compared to the newer 35-70 F4. Thanks.

-- Bob Todrick (bobtodrick@yahoo.com), July 26, 2001

Answers

Bob, the 28-70 is a Sigma design, not the 35-70. The 35-70/3.5 was a Minolta lens; the first version (commonly denoted in ads as "Japan" and/or "E60", referring to the filter size)is mechanically inferior to the second version, the one you are talking about, which has an E67 filter and a non-rotating front element. But both versions are optically identical. The second version is easier to use a polarizer, in fact much easier than even the new 35-70/4, if that's a major consideration. The 35-70/3.5 focuses only to 1m, as opposed to the 35-70/4 which has a "macro" mode and focuses down to 26cm. The 35-70/3.5 is an excellent performing lens especially considering it's a Minolta zoom design dating from 1983. The current 35-70/4 is a late-90's Solms design, though it is built by Kyocera in Japan. It is from all accounts, and personal ownership experience, a remarkable lens, which though it has a tad more distortion, outclasses the 35 Summicron-R and gives the 50 Summicron-R a real run for the money. I wish it had a little more reach, but I couldn't ask for better optical quality.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), July 26, 2001.

So brass tacks - I have a chance to buy a 35-70 F3.5, the German E67 version, which looks new, completely legit, from a private owner for $225.00 US. I take it I should jump at thi

-- Bob Todrick (bobtodrick@yahoo.com), July 26, 2001.

>>>I have a chance to buy a 35-70 F3.5, the German E67 version, which looks new, completely legit, from a private owner for $225.00 US. I take it I should jump at this <<<

IMHO you'd be a fool if you didn't.

-- Douglas Herr (telyt@earthlink.net), July 27, 2001.


$225 for a Leica zoom lens ? Bargain of the year

-- martin tai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), July 27, 2001.

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