Minolta MC Tele Rokkor PE 200mm 1:4.5 – MC II – review

Published by Tony on 2019-04-032019-04-03

Minolta MC Rokkor PE 200mm 1:4.5 vintage manual lens review (Minolta MC Tele Rokkor-PE 1:4.5 f=200mm )

• Official classification: MC
• Collector’s classification: MC II, Hills &Valleys, Knurled

This is a “classic” or “vintage” long lens with elegant shape and with a good enough IQ for any photographer task. Of course, it has “steel and glass” construction as any lens from this line.

(Note: this is the starting article of the reviews cycle about Minolta MC Rokkor lenses in “Hills and Valleys” body design. The author hopes that every lens from this line will be tested on the site. Stay tuned.)

Minolta MC Rokkor PE 200mm 1:4.5 specifications:

More data

This lens was designed in the period of permanent experiments and improvements in Japan optical industry. Different copies of this model may have different performance, but I believe that for such long focal distances (300mm) difference in sharpness won’t be significant.

Minolta MC Rokkor PE 200mm 1:4.5 lens exterior

Minolta MC Rokkor PE 200mm 1:4.5 mounted on Minolta SR-T 101 camera

This combination of lens and camera is authentic – both are produced very close in time and belong for the same series.

Minolta MC Rokkor PE 200mm 1:4.5 sharpness

Сlose-distance resolution test, minimal distance

Testing methods description

• Target: 10-15 cm picture, printed on glossy photo paper
• Distance: 2.7m
• Camera: Sony A7II (24mpx, full-frame, tripod, remote control). M-mode, ISO fixed, WB fixed, SteadyShot – OFF.
• The test was repeated for every F-stop on every focus position with manual focus adjustment for each shot. That is to avoid the effect of field curvature.
• RAW processing: Capture One, default settings. All quality settings – 100%. Crops – 300×200 px

Original target image (printed in horizontal orientation on 10cm X 15cm glossy photo paper)

Scene preview

Test results

Long-distance resolution test

Testing methods description

• Target: cityscape
• Distance: > 200 meters to center focus point
• Camera: Sony A7II (24mpx, full-frame, tripod, remote control). M-mode, ISO fixed, WB fixed, SteadyShot – OFF. The focus point is on the center only.
• RAW processing: Capture One, default settings. All quality settings – 100%. Crops – 300×200 px

Scene preview

(Information for perfectionists: yes, the horizon line is tilted in the photo, due to binding some key positions for comparisons)

Test results

Minolta MC Rokkor PE 200mm 1:4.5 aberrations

Vignetting

Geometric distortion

Coma aberrations

Chromatic aberrations

Long-distance bokeh

Test#1:

Test conditions: the lens was focused on 2.5m, buildings are on “infinity”-distance

Test#2:

Test conditions: lens was focused on 4m

Light bubbles bokeh

Test #1

The lens is on the minimal focusing distance 2.5m, lights are on infinity (cityscape)

Test #2

Test conditions: lens was focused on 4m

Minolta MC Rokkor PE 200mm 1:4.5 final conclusion

Let’s start with the disadvantages

Quite heavy. Not a surprise. This is about any “Hills and Valley” Minolta lens.

Chromatic aberrations are presented a lot of course, but I believe that it isn’t a big disadvantage for digital photography case. Lens not a good in fighting against sun-flares, but it has built-in lens shade (!) – 35mm from the edge of the front lens. And with the small diameter of the front lens – all this construction looks like a bunker.

Advantages

Say thanks for modern digital cameras with IBIS (‘In-Body Image Stabilizer’) – this lens can be used from hands even with insufficient light. The lens is sharp wide open. Great distribution of sharpness over the frame – center, and corners are the same. The F4.5 is enough to create a thin DOF on portraits distances. All of this isn’t a rare ability for a 200mm lens but it is good to have it in any way.

Bokeh is smooth as it usually happens with long lenses. Additionally, this lens has a quite simple construction, it is very easy in cleaning or fixing issues. Of course, it lies in hands like a rock – this sentence can be applied for any lens from this Minolta line. Anyway, be gentle – don’t use it in a hammer role.

This is one of the cheapest lenses on auctions for today. Independently of the manufacturer and focal distance.

Overall

The price of this lens displays the value quite correctly: not a popular focal distance, not a fast, little bit heavyweight. On the other hand – very good sharpness even if wide open and very easy in maintenance. Not a bad idea to get one. And don’t forget about built-in shade – this ability is unique for today.