My first SLR (a long time ago and really my first camera!) was a Minolta SR-1 with a Rokkor 1:1,8 55 mm. For long it was my only camera, I still have it and use it.
Unfortunately in order to afford some other lenses I sold this nice normal lens and got a MC Tele Rokkor 3,5 100 and a MC W Rokkor 3,5 28 mm. Perhaps not the best lenses, but they served me quite well.
Now coming in is a SR-7 with what looks as a nice 1,8 55 and a 2,8 135. Looking forward to that (even though I have some more or less working SR-1, SR7, SRT and a very nice XE-1).
Especially I would like to have a nice working SR-7 – a very handsome camera that I couldn't afford at the time when this interest for photography started.
Something pleasant with nostalgia, when times goes bye.
/Bertil

Hmm, I sure don't remember my last Minolta purchase. My last expenditure was refurbishing an XE-7, and it may have been early this year. It sure is a nice camera, though having used it a few times I may not keep it. The power switch is very unfortunately placed, right under my right thumb when the camera is in shooting position. It's annoyingly easy to turn the camera off just when I want to take a picture!

Ah, my last purchase just came to me! It was an XD-11 the repairman sold me when I took the XE-7 in. The XD-11 is an all-time favorite of mine, a very smooth performer. I've tried fancy leather coverings in different colors, but I keep returning to simple black.

Received today the SR-7 – well functioning and looks as if never used!
The Auto Rokkor–PF 1:1,8/55 mm is nice but obviously used, though not abused.
The MC Tele Rokkor–PF 1:2,8/135 mm is like the camera = as if never used.
Very satisfied with this!
Question: what does PF stand for in these lenses?
/Bertil

Good morning, Bertil;

Funny thing that you should get a MINOLTA MC AUTO TELE ROKKOR-PF 1:2.8 f=135mm lens. Just today I was handed a MINOLTA AUTO TELE ROKKOR-PG 1:2.8 f=135mm lens. I believe that this is an ancestor to the one you have. Like yours, this one is also in excellent shape for an SR mount lens. Oddly enough, the front lens cap has the Diamond-EP engraving indicating "Export Permitted" or "Export Production" that was in vogue during the MIOJ (Made In Occupied Japan) time period from 1945 to the early 1950s, but there is no similar engraving on the lens itself, and the lens cap is of the type in the same time period as the lens, the 1960s. Strange. The lens back cap also is the early 1960s molded soft plastic push-on type with the Minolta Triangle logo.

Now. Your question. The first letter in the two letter group is for the number of lens groups in the lens design, while the second letter in the two letter group is for the number of glass elements in the lens design. The first letter is also for the first letter in the Latin ordinal number; Bi for two (2), Tri for three (3), Quad for four (4), Penta for five (5), Hex for six (6), Sept for seven (7), Oct for eight (8), Non for nine (9), and so on. The second letter is just for the order of the letters of the alphabet; B for two (2), C for three (3), D for four (4), E for five (5), F for 6 (6), G for seven (7), H for eight (8), I for nine (9), J for ten (10), K for eleven (11), L for twelve (12), and so on. This listing will cover almost all of the Minolta lenses you are likely to encounter, including most of the zoom lenses. A lens group may be made up of two or more lens glass elements cemented together to form that group.

So, your MC TELE ROKKOR-PF will have "Penta" or five (5) groups with "F" or six (6) glass elements. My AUTO TELE ROKKOR-PG has "Penta" or five (5) groups with "G" or seven (7) glass elements.

OK. Now you have a complete listing of the Minolta lens design codes. You can translate those cryptic letters into their true meanings and really impress the ladies at the cocktail parties.

Enjoy;

Ralph
Latte Land, Washington

Hello Ralph, as I just said in my rely to your kind private message, I got the list of the code from another thread, but here you also explain the "secret" behind the choice of the choice of letters – very nice. Will print out your information, and yes really the ladies!!!!
Best
/Bertil

A MD Tele Rokkor 200mm 1:4
As new, and very light weight, though just 1:4 – but amazingly sharp – seems to be sharper than my MC 2,8/135 mm!!!
/Bertil

Good morning;

In the continuing unashamed demonstration of my known addiction to Minolta cameras, now there is also a Minolta SR-3a in BGN cosmetic condition with an AUTO ROKKOR-PF 1:1.4 f=58mm lens that has been purchased and just had its upon-receival CLA (but the lens to body connection is still loose), an Extension Bellows 1 Deluxe Type for Minolta SR with Slide Duplicating Attachment in the Extension Bellows 1 box, an AngleFinder-V, and a Minolta X-700 body in EXC+ cosmetic condition for $10.00 that needs work on getting the film advance lever to actually move the film transport mechanism.

Enjoy; Ralph, Latte Land, Washington

I'm relatively new at this. My old Minolta SR-T101 has been one of my main cameras since I bought it in Minneapolis back in 1972. I suspect it really doesn't count as a new purchase. However, I finally did send it to KEH for a CLA and to update the meter circuit. I can finally start using more easily available silicon cells. I have thought about picking up a back up camera for years but never got around to it. However, while the old 101 was out for service this last time I started thinking about it more seriously. I finally bought a SR-T 201 with a 45mm lens from the APUG Classifieds. It hasn't arrived yet but I'll post a few shots when it does. It was actually the lens that attracted me since I have wanted one of those 45mm Rokkor X lenses since way back when. I never felt like I could afford it back then. I guess I can now.

Have a great Holiday Season

Good morning;

Another Minolta lens; the Minolta MD ZOOM ROKKOR 100-500mm 1:8 lens. I do not really need it; there is a Tamron Type 31A SP 5.6/ 200-500mm zoom lens here already, but this one is a Minolta lens. And it came at a very attractive price. It will be interesting to see how they compare.

Enjoy; Ralph, Latte Land, Washington

Just finished my Minolta Manual Focus SLR collecton last week with the addition of an XK with AE finder, flash attachment, an 450 Electro Flash and a MC rokkor f1.7 for this camera. Nothing really more to collect, I have an SR-1b, An SRT101, that I refurbed, an SRT 202, that I refurbed, an XE-7, 2 XD11's one of which I refurbed both in Black and 2 X-700's both totally refurbed with new capacitors. My lens collection runs from everything from 21mm to 500mm RF's including 2 macros a 50mm and a 100mm bellows lens. Guess what ? I actually used the XK today with the Electro Flash. Shooting subjects, my grandchildren. Their aunt, my oldest daughter, laughing at me for carry this huge photographic rig. Asking why I can't be "normal" and use a point and shoot digital. My answer to her was "I use the stuff because I can." The real answer is that this is the stuff I wanted 40 years ago and couldn't afford because I was too busy raising her and her siblings. I'm seriously looking at a Sony a850 demo or a used a900 to be able to go digital with my collection of AF Minolta lenses. Fortunately, I bought them way before the release of the Minolta and Sony digital SLR's which made their street value cimb dramatically.

My newest addition is the Minolta MD Rokkor 200mm f2.8 and a Minolta 300S 2x tele converter. I am still playing with the lens and haven't really had an opportunity to use the tele converter with it.

I captured this in someone's front yard yesterday with the 200 and the SRT 101.

Good morning;

The most recent purchase was the Minolta X-500, the European and Asian designation for the X-570. Then there is the MINOLTA ROKKOR-TC 1:4.0 f=135mm Preset telephoto lens that takes 47mm filters. It is a slender, lightweight thing.

With the return from the Camera Guy of the SR-3 that had been taken to him for repair and CLA, it was discovered that it is actually the SR-3b, so it does complete the SR-3 Model Series of the Minolta SR Cameras. Now there is only one more elusive variant in the original SR Series of SLR Cameras to be located; an original introductory model SR-7.

There are a couple more that will be located in order to answer questions about them also. It really feels pretty good to finally have a representative sampling of the Minolta Manually Focusing SLR Cameras. With the 16mm Sub-miniature Cameras, the 35mm SLR and Rangefinder Cameras, and a 120 roll film Minolta Autocord, the sampling is doing well as being representaative of the Minolta film cameras.

It is time to get the needed equipment to properly photograph the things that are here. There is a quantity of history in the samples that are here.

Enjoy; Ralph, Latte Land, Washington

I given a mint X-700 with a MD Rokkor 50 f1.7 lens last night.

.
A Minolta SRT-101, for $ .69 from KEH.
A bit banged up, but the price was right !

Ron
.

Managed to find a Minolta SR-Meter-2 to my Minolta SR-1 - my first camera from 1964, still in use, but my original meter hasn't been working for 20 years.
This SR-Meter-2 seems to work just fine, thus I'm back where I started - feels good!
/Bertil

My latest isn't here yet but its on the way! Just found a nice Minolta Hi-Matic G on eBay.

Finally found the N49ND lens shade for my Hi Matic E.

Minolta XE-5 with a 100mm f/2.5 last month. I can hardly wait to use it for portraits.

Just received a nice Minolta Auto Rokkor PF 1:1,4 58 mm with the original conic sun shade, fits my SR-1 and SR-7 very well!
/Bertil

Good morning, Bertil;

The Minolta AUTO ROKKOR-PF 1:1.4 f=58mm "normal" lens was the original lens provided with the SR-7. The standard lens for the SR-1b was the AUTO ROKKOR-PF 1:1.8 f=55mm. Due to my being there at exactly the right time, the fellow in front of me who had purchased an SR-7 really wanted the 1.8/55mm instead, although I am not fully sure why. We exchanged lenses. I wound up using the 1.4/58mm lens as my normal lens on the SR-1b for many years, until it went away. Since then, I have accepted the 1.4/58mm lens as my preferred normal lens on all of the cameras I have where I can fit such a lens. And, yes, the DK57KB lens shade with the small chrome clamp screw to push the clamp ring in against the filter ring of the lens really is a nice addition. I have found that the combination of the slightly brighter viewing screen coupled with the slightly shallower depth of field of the f:1.4 lens helped me to get the focusing right.

Congratulations, sir. You have a very nice lens.

Enjoy;

Ralph, Latte Land, Washington

Good morning, Ralph;
many thanks for your congratulations Ralph– nice to hear that I got "the best"! Interesting to know, the original lens for the SR-7.
Yes, I think my original SR-1 came with the 1,8/55mm lens, later I bought a Minolta conic lens shade "with the small chrome clamp screw to push the clamp ring in against the filter ring" (!). Unfortunatel I sold that lens many years ago, but recently got a nice 1:1,8 55, though not with the original lens shade (just got a round one D52ND).
Thus got very happy when this nice 1,4/58mm came with this conic lens shade with the small chrome clamp screw (my shade has the kode: D57KB).
Have a nice day!
/Bertl

Good morning, Bertil, and Congratulations;

Yes, the D57KB is the original lens shade intended for use with the AUTO ROKKOR-PF 1:1.4 f=58mm lens. Congratulations on that find, sir. The lenses and bodies we can easily find. Everyone knows about those. Finding the accessories for them can be the real challenge.

Enjoy;

Ralph, Latte Land, Washington

Good morning;

A couple of things have appeared. One of them is the Minolta XM, or the European labeled version of the Minolta XK (or, is it that the XK is the North American labeled version of the Minolta XM?) has arrived, and it has the Minolta AE light metering pentaprisim viewfinder on top. This is the final model that I wanted to get for the Minolta Manually Focusing SLR 35mm Film Cameras. While I did want either the XK or the XM with the AE-S viewfinder, I am happy with finally getting at least one of that model with the AE viewfinder.

And, another camera that I thought was lost has been sent back to me. The box really is in poor condition, but the return address label part is still readable. The inner wrapping for the camera seems to have been quite effective. This is a relief.

I think I have done it, I have succeeded; I have the collection of Minolta film cameras that I had thought of getting several years ago, and now I have done it. There is the complete SR Series, the SR-T Series, and at least one of all of what may be considered to be the significant and popular models in the X Series that I wanted to get, although I admit that I did emphasize the X-700 and derivative models quite heavily. Now I have encountered a problem that I had not anticipated, nor had I made any preparations for it: What do I do now?

Enjoy;

Ralph
Latte Land, Washington

Hi Ralph,

Autocords? Rangefinders? Binoculars???

Mike

Howdy Ralph,

Congratulations on completing the collection! I have about decided to begin collecting the Minolta SR system at this point. I just looked at a DVD of scans I got back from Mpix of some Portra from a recent trip to the Smokies. I didn't have time to get any Ektar, so I used what I had. The Minolta has surpassed all of my expectations! I think I have fallen in love with analog again for sure.

Any suggestions on "the" gear to look for is always appreciated. Right now I plan on a 35-70 f3.5 as the next addition. I would like to also add the XD11 and a good macro prime.

Thanks for all of the info and encouragement. Have a great evening!
Aubrey