Minolta 100mm f/2

This was a lens that I found in a local shop at a very good price. I asked to handle it, and immediately bought it just by the sheer feeling of quality! A lens with this weight and mass simply had to be optically good. And it was!

This is definitely the best telephoto lens I ever owned and a very sharp and at the same time very "forgiving" lens with a fine bokeh.

Its handling was also very nice, with an excellent size, a very durable construction, and a good AF speed in spite of the age of the construction. I only disliked the narrow focus ring, but that was a small thing and easy to forgive.

Stolen!

On the way home from the trip to Belize, where the above picture was taken by the way, I packed half of my photo gear in my suitcase and brought the rest in the hand luggage.

Needless to say that the luggage was broken into (in Heathrow) and a lot of stuff was stolen, including -- of course -- all the photo gear, some snorkling gear and other stuff (including a pair of sneakers!). And my 100mm was amongst the lenses that went. Together with a Sigma 28-70mm f2.8, a Minolta 50mm f2.8 macro, a Minolta 28mm f2.8, a Minolta 500si body and a few other things.

The 100mm was a grave loss, but the worst damage was the exposed films that also went. I will never pack film in my check-in luggage again. Come to think of it, I will never pack film again, period.

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I am not the only person who loves (or rather loved) this lens. The Dyxum-crowd is thrilled too.