Minolta MD Zoom 35-70mm 1:3.5-4.8 Macro Lens Review

Minolta MD Zoom 35-70mm 1:3.5-4.8 lenses sometimes come bundled with Minolta X-700 film SLRs but can also be found separately on the aftermarket.

This zoom glass caught my attention for its incredibly light 189g/6.7oz frame and the apparent fact that it’s optically identical to Leica Vario-Elmar-R 35-70mm 1:3.5.

Better yet, the lens offers macro focus which lets you get as close as .5m to your subject. The version reviewed here accomplishes this with very simple controls — but there are five more variants of various close-focus, image quality, and ergonomic specs!

In this review, I’ll share my field experience shooting with this highly-regarded vintage zoom lens and discuss its practical usability as a studio lens for product photography.

In this review: Specifications. MD Zoom 35-70 in use: ergonomics. Is this a Leica? Build quality. Image quality. Mounting on digital cameras. Where to buy your Minolta MD Zoom lens. Support this blog & get premium features with GOLD memberships!

Specifications.

Minolta MD Zoom 35-70mm 1:3.5 is very light at 189g/6.7oz.

At its most compact, when focused on infinity and focal length set to 50mm, it protrudes 67mm/2.6” from the mount. Its least compact configuration is at .5m focus mark at 35mm, which elongates the lens to 83mm/3.27”.

This lens accepts 55mm filters. The front element rotates with focus (this may cause issues if you use graduated filters).

The focus ring has a large grip near the front of the lens; if you adjust the focal length (middle ring), the lens will keep its focal point.

When set to a 35 mm focal length, this Minolta MD Zoom has an aperture range of 𝒇3.5 to 𝒇22 with half-stop clicks. When zoomed in to 70mm, the range is 𝒇4.8 to 𝒇30.

The minimum focus on my MD is .5m/1’7.7”. According to the barrel markings, the lens behaves like a macro between .5m and .7m.

There are five variations of this lens. All older variants are heavier. There were macro and non-macro versions; older macro lenses had a button you had to press to switch into the macro mode.

All Minolta MD Zoom 35-70mm 1:3.5 lenses use 8 elements in 7 groups and the same formula as on the much more expensive Leica Vario-Elmar-R 35-70mm 1:3.5s (according to my research, it’s Minolta who built those lenses for Leica). There is, however, some difference in performance between the various versions of this lens. Some tests suggest better sharpness in the corners for the later models.

The variant reviewed here is the latest in the series, built in the early/mid-1980s. Various reviewers and testers claim it offers the best optical performance (and also happens to be the lightest). You can identify it by the .5m/1’7.7” close focus and the lack of a macro lock button.

MD Zoom 35-70 in use: ergonomics.

This MD Zoom is intuitive and quick in the field. My main detractor from zoom lenses is the additional control, which could easily make one miss a shot. Not an issue with this one.

Minolta has done away with the macro lock button in this final version of the lens, which I think is a good call.

Like many other zooms, this MD has a variable max aperture. This means that at its widest 35mm, this lens will open up to 𝒇3.5, but as you zoom in, it’ll gradually contract to 𝒇4.8. The lens barrel (see photo above) indicates both apertures with long orange and shorter yellow lines. The orange line indicates the aperture at the lens’ widest and the orange indicates the “zoomed-in” aperture. Thus, in the illustrated position, this lens’ aperture is 𝒇8. Note that the yellow line will move past the marked 𝒇22 on the barrel, which indeed means that at 70mm, the smallest aperture on this lens is 𝒇30.

The above technicalities only matter if your camera doesn’t have through-the-lens metering or if you prefer to measure your exposures manually. My Minolta X-700 has a small window in the viewfinder that looks at the set aperture; in the case of this lens, it’ll be pointing to the 35mm aperture, regardless of the zoom position, which could cause some confusion if I were to use this combo and meter manually. Still, I’d consider that as an edge case.

I enjoyed the featherweight compactness of this lens outdoors; however, it proved to be the most useful for product photography. The focal length range of 35-70mm isn’t particularly advantageous over using a 35mm or a 50mm lens for streets and landscapes, but in the studio, where I had to make close-ups and overview shots at close distances, this lens proved to be very convenient.

Is this a Leica?

The Leica brand has an enormous pull when it comes to desirability, which, of course, means a higher price. For this lens, an identical optical formula in the Leica R-mount can cost ten times more.

Leica Vario-Elmar-R 35-70mm 1:3.5s sell for $400-900, whereas the Minolta MD version is about $100.

As you’d expect, there is a difference in build quality. Though I haven’t tried the R-version, the MD I used for this review does not look or feel particularly fancy.

Build quality.

The latest in the Minolta MD Zoom 35-70mm series is a light lens with a no-frills plastic exterior. It’s not beautiful, nor does it feel fancy. Older versions were heftier, featuring metal chassis. However, the plastic build is well-designed and well-assembled and works with no issues, forty years after rolling off the factory floor.

This lens’s material choice does not indicate pure corner-cutting. Though the lens is most certainly cheaper to make in this form, it’s also lighter while showing no obvious drawbacks in durability and usability.

Image quality.

Zoom lenses have a reputation for inferior optical quality compared to primes. While this is not necessarily true, especially in modern designs, I admit that I didn’t expect much from this MD Zoom. Adding its uncharacteristical (for zoom lenses) light weight and plastic interior, I was reluctant to even try it.

But I was pleasantly surprised!

This lens rendered sharp photos corner to corner with minimal distortions and aberrations and good flare resistance. It even produced pleasant, non-swirly bokeh.

Others’ reviews of this lens’ variants showed excellent sharpness at all apertures (with some softness on older versions). They also showed vignetting at larger apertures which I haven’t considered an issue with mine in practice:

However, I did notice a significant coma aberration, particularly with shots at the widest aperture that point toward a bright light while obscured by fine objects (like the branches and leaves in the photos below):

Coma aberrations on this lens can be very pronounced. They look like smudgy light streaks around the small objects that block bright light. I’ve also noticed some chromatic aberrations on film — across the entire frame.

That said, these distortions aren’t particularly distracting in my opinion. They disappear at smaller apertures and are fully absent under controlled studio light, which is where I’d use this lens the most.

The above outdoor photo was shot with a smaller aperture without backlit subjects. In this light and settings, I found no noticeable distortion of any kind with this lens (the red glow you may notice around the leaves is the result of the film’s halation).

My verdict on this lens is that it’s an example of an excellent vintage optical formula capable of surprisingly sharp results with medium-high contrast and minimal distortions under controlled light. Some aberrations may show in complex light, but at this price and in a package this light, this could be one of the best options for a versatile, zoomable glass.

Mounting on digital cameras.

With the right adapter for them Minolta SR (a.k.a., MD/MC) lenses, you can mount your 35mm MC Tele Rokkor-X f2.8 on Canon RF/RF-S/EF-M, Sony NEX/ILCE/FE/E, Nikon Z, Panasonic L/Sigma L/Leica L/T/TL, Fujifilm X, Samsung NX, Micro 4/3, and Nikon 1 digital cameras.

Where to buy your Minolta MD Zoom lens.

Minolta MD Zoom lenses aren’t particularly rare or expensive. Given the total number of variants and the potential difference in image quality, consider looking for the version I used, characterized by the .5m/1’7.7” close focus and the lack of a macro lock button. (This is not to say that other variants of this lens aren’t worth a try!)

See this guide if it’s your first time buying a vintage lens or see the below link for active listings to snag a copy right away. 👇

❤ By the way: Please consider making your Minolta MD Zoom 35-70mm 1:3.5-4.8 lens purchase using this link so that this website may get a small percentage of that sale — at no extra charge for you — thanks!