Minolta MC Rokkor QE 100mm 1:3.5 Macro – MC II – review

Minolta MC Rokkor QE 100mm 1:3.5 Macro – vintage manual lens review (Minolta MC Macro Rokkor-QE 1:3.5 f=100mm)

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

The first feeling: it’s not a lens – it’s a howitzer. Every Rokkor from pre-rubberized generations looks like a rock, but this macro-hundred is the champion among others. Even huge and twice heavier Rokkor MC 300mm 1:5.6 looks more elegant than this hunk of metal with a few pieces of glass.

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Minolta MD 28mm 1:2.0 two copies comparison – LensRomantic

Minolta MD 28mm 1:2.0 two copies comparison (New-MD, MD III or Plain MD design)

The description of a LensRomantic test is here. These comparisons are for collectors or tech-enthusiasts. Photographers may go directly to a lens review.

Minolta New-MD 28mm F2.0 is the best one from the 28mm manual lens line. I have a dream to compare it with modern lenses by Leica or Sony or something like that but today can offer to read just one another LensRomantic photo session.

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Minolta MD 50mm 1:1.4 two copies comparison – LensRomantic

Minolta MD 50mm 1:1.4 two copies comparison (New-MD, MD III or Plain MD design)

Introduction note for the first article in this category – LensRomantic:

Such comparisons can give us a piece of information about the degree of trust and the degree of applicability of lens testing results. It can be interesting mostly for collectors or technicians and doesn’t contain extended conclusions or descriptions with transcripts of results – everything can be seen on sample diagrams. True photographers can skip it and immediately go to the lens review pages.

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Minolta MC Rokkor PF 85mm 1:1.7 – MC II – review

Minolta MC Rokkor PF 85mm 1:1.7 vintage manual lens review (Minolta MC Tele Rokkor-PF 1:1.7 f=85mm)

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

Let’s look at another one legendary lens produced by Minolta. A lot of photographers consider that this is the best portrait lens ever. And in overall unformal rating, it may stay in second place by popularity, right after the bokeh-monster Rokkor 58mm F1.2 which I consider as mostly known Minolta lens.

One time I was lucky to get the copy in ‘like new’ condition with original lens-shade, caps, and case and that occasion has driven me to find and review the full set of MC-II line Minolta Rokkor lenses. Some of the articles have been published earlier but this lens was a pusher to the full idea. (UPD: it is done! – the site contains articles about the whole line of MC II lens)

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Minolta MC Rokkor PF 100mm 1:2.5 vs MC Rokkor QE 100mm 1:3.5 vs MD 100mm 1:2.5 – comparison

Minolta SR 100mm lenses comparison:

  • Minolta MC Tele Rokkor PF 100mm 1:2.5 (MC II)
  • Minolta MC Tele Rokkor QE 100mm 1:3.5 (MC II)
  • Minolta MD 100mm 1:2.5 (MD III)

100mm is a very popular portraiture focal distance for today, greatly demanded by photographers. Historically, the number of available 100mm lenses is much less than 85 mm or 135mm for example, and prices can’t be called small. Each of these three tested objects has its own feature that makes the lens strong. Therefore, the final choice is likely to be based not on the sharpness but on personal preferably of a photographer. Anyway, let’s select a champion in resolution.

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