Minolta Beercan 70-210 Review

Minolta AF 70-210mm f/4 lens

(image courtesy Wikipedia)

Much has been said and written about the Minolta beercan lens 70-210, but nothing about it is undeserved. It deserves all that praise. Coming from a company like Minolta, this masterpiece of a lens surely has stood its ground since it was introduced in 1985. Recently with some research I came to know there was one for sale from a local guy. I went to visit him and checkout the lens. When I was holding it it was so heavy owing to its all metal construction. You can easily smash somebody's head with it (only in your self defence ofcourse). Here are some pictures shot with the Beercan and a Sony A-200 DSLR :

There is a story to this last picture actually. That's a toy dinner/drinking table made of brass and was under the glass top of the teapoy. I was holding my camera with the beercan lens and was talking to the guy sitting across me and my eyes were drawn to this object. I have to add the only lighting in the room was from a tube light. I myself could not even look at the fine lines of this small toy brass dinner table properly. When I took the the shot I couldnt even make out the object properly but the lens clearly captured it. There at that instant my mind was really blown. I understood something important too. Its not the camera, but the lens that makes the pictures and its importance can never be undermined. All hail Minolta, all hail the beercan. Lets drink to that. Cheers.

--Viisshnu--