minolta maxxum 70-210mm f/4 - aka "the beer can"

[reciclatoru]

hi everyone...
can somebody please tell me something about the famous "beercan" - minolta maxxum 70-210mm/f4...?
as i told you i own a sony alpha200 and while looking on internet for some lens in order to improve my 18-70mm kit lens i found a lot of beercan lens (second hand of course)...
i need some opinion about investing something around $200-250 in an over 20 years old lens...
thank you

[Faldrax]

It is generaly well regarded as a very solid and dependable lens.

Try lookin at http://www.dyxum.com/lenses/detail.asp?IDLens=48 for user reviews and more info on it.

Note that some internet adds for the 'beercan' actualy refer to other lenses - either non f/4 70-200's, or sometimes the 35-70 f4 (which is also refered to as the 'baby beercan').

The latter, by the way, is also very sharp with lovely colours - I have a copy and have still kept it despite now also having the Zeiss 16-80 (which is on my camera 75% of the time).