Cherry Blossom season arrived in mid April here in Wigan. For my annual Hanami to appreciate the display of colour near my home, I wanted to use a camera and lens combination that would give me not just well exposed images, but also allow me to get close ups of the blossom high in the trees before it gets past it's best and starts filling the path and road with pink petals. I have several candidates, but I have been hunting for a 70-210mm zoom lens that my Grandson can use on his Minolta Dynax 500si Super when we go out during the summer. It would also complete the basic kit he can use to learn with alongside his 35-70mm.
My hunting expeditions to the bay proved successful recently when I finally found a Beer Can lens. Yes, I said a Beer Can and it's not just any old beer can either. It's a tall beer can that gives you just that bit more beer than your standard beer can, allowing you to enjoy more beer for your money. That lens is the Minolta AF 70-210mm f/4.
In order to earn that name the Minolta 70-210mm f/4 needed to be pretty special on the inside as well as having a unique appearance. The lens is made of metal tubes and 12 pretty heavy duty glass elements in 9 groups and an Iris built from 7 blades to give an aperture range of F4 wide open to f32 at it's narrowest. That F4 is also constant. Some zoom lenses will change the aperture as you zoom in and out, but not the Beer Can, if you set it at f/4 it stays at f/4. This is a feature you expect to see on high end professional lenses, but this lens doesn't command professional prices.
So, with the technickery done, how does it handle? My Grandson's Minolta Dynax 500si Super is plastic and weighs next to nothing, but it holds the Beer Can steady all day. However this does make it front heavy so carrying it on a strap around your neck may get a little tiring after a while. On a pro metal body it wont be a problem because the body will balance the lens, but whatever camera you fit it to, put it in a backpack or messenger style bag and it's no problem.
To zoom from 70mm to 210mm takes 1/4 of a turn on the zoom ring making this one of the tightest zooms I have used. For a lens designed and introduced in 1985 it focuses quickly and accurately in most lighting conditions too. It also has a macro facility on the long end which means you can get some close ups without having to get too close. This makes it great for photographing flowers and insects without having to put your back out by bending down a lot.
I nipped out with it and shot a roll of Kodak Ultramax 400 of the Spring blooms that seem to sprout daily right now and make my hay fever kick off. I took a couple of anti histamines, gritted my teeth and took some tissues with me. The local Cherry Trees were in full blossom and I spent a while photographing them, taking aim at far away blooms in the top of the trees and using the long focal length to compress some long shots along the row of trees down to a more manageable level. The macro facility came in very handy too for close up shots of blossom I couldn't get close to.
I was enjoying being out in the sunshine despite the brisk wind we had on the day. I haven't been out for a bit because of the Lurgi I suffered with just after easter and I wasn't 100% over it, but cabin fever was setting in and the Blossom wouldn't stay on the trees forever. It's amazing how the simple act of enjoying Cherry Trees for being bright and colourful during Spring lifted my spirits and before long I had used all the roll and the camera automatically wound my film back into the cartridge, telling me it was time to go home.
I developed my roll of Ultramax later that evening in my Cinestill Cs41 kit and hung it to dry in my bathroom. Minolta Dynax cameras are noted for being able to produce well exposed photos and from what I could tell from my drying film I knew I had some great shots and couldn't wait to see what I had managed to capture with my Beer Can. I scanned my film with my trusty Ion Slides2PC 35mm scanner and processed them with Affinity Photo 2.
Here's a few favourites from my first use of the fabled Minolta Beer Can 70-210mm f/4 lens. As always I have placed them and more in an album on Flickr you can visit using the link below. I enjoyed popping the Beer Can cherry and like my first experience with Minolta cameras I'm wondering what took me so long. It's a great lens that gives you just that little bit more beer for your money, it certainly brought the best from my Kodak Ultramax 400 and it's currently a very affordable lens for all Minolta/Sony A Mount camera users. I hope you enjoy them.
Minolta 500si - 70-210mm f/4 Beercan
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