Minolta Lens Line Up

FruitRevolver · Oct 4, 2009

I want to buy some more lens's for my x-700..
I only own the Rokkor - x 50mm 1.7

I would like a nice wide a zoom and a macro.
I do have a budget and dont want to go to crazy, but im sure these can be picked up for not much at all.

I would love to hear what you guys are using and any of your recommendations are very welcome.

Steve Smith · Oct 4, 2009

I have the 50mm f1.4 and 135mm and 28mm, both f3.5.

I find these three to be ideal for me. I also have a Vivitar Series 1 28-105 zoom but I can't comment on it as I have not used it yet.

I think Rokkor lenses are bargains as I got mine for about a third of the price of similarly specified Nikkor prime lenses (which are actually what I wanted to get but couldn't afford!).

The zoom was even more of a bargain as it was a gift.

Steve.

eric · Oct 4, 2009

My 21mm is my fav!!! So is the 85mm. The rokkors have a different quality about it. Its hard to explain. Do you have 49mm version of the 50 1.7? That's a great understated lens. Almost like a macro it focuses so close!

Pumal · Oct 4, 2009

Try the MD Rokkor 1:2 f=45mm or the MD Zoom 70-210 1:4 or the Vivitar Series 1 70-210 or the Rokkor-X 58mm 1.4

Christopher Walrath · Oct 4, 2009

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Typically, a Minolta starter bag would have a 50, a 28 and a 70-210 or so zoom. I have a 28, a 45, a 135 and a 80-200 zoom. Just try and get a couple of lenses that run the perspective gambit. And keep your eyes open for a 28-200 zoom. They're out there. I've had 2.

mjs · Oct 5, 2009

You might take a look at these web sites for more information on Minolta lenses: Dead Link Removed and http://www.subclub.org/minman/index.htm

EricO · Oct 5, 2009

I would go with the following lenses. 50mm, Sigma (28-70mm, and 70-300mm). I have a 28-70/f2.8-4 (for everyday use) and the 70-28/f2.8 (for serious jobs).

Sirius Glass · Oct 5, 2009

eric said:
My 21mm is my fav!!!

Mine too. I also had the 28mm, 35mm, 50mm, 58mm f/1.4 and a Vivitar 7- -205 zoom. The zoom was purchased just before the Series Is came out and it was never a match for the Minolta glass. I got rid of the 35mm because it was too close to the 50mm lens.

Steve

FruitRevolver · Oct 6, 2009

Thanks

Thanks alot everyone,

I bought a 28 2.8 last night which I think will be great for some of my landscape shots.

I think a 70-210 will be my next purchase, these seem to come up quite a bit and I have seen other branded lens's of this size such as the Vivitar, how do these compare to the Minolta ones??

All thats left is a macro now.

Really looking forward to having a wide range of lens's, I love my 50mm but its not ideal for some situations.

Thanks again.

hoffy · Oct 6, 2009

Interesting thread. I am going to butt in here (sorry), but how does the Rokkor 70-210 compare to the sought after later AF 70-210 (the "beercan")?

dynachrome · Oct 8, 2009

I now have a small collection of the "budget" Minolta Celtic lenses. I used a 28/2.8 MD (1st version) recently and found it to be very good. The 50/3.5 MC Celtic is a great bargain when you can find it. It's every bit as sharp as the Rokkor models but with different cosmetics. The 200/3.5 MC (aperture ring near mount) and 200/3.5 MC Rokkor X are both very good. The 100/2.5 costs a little more and is my favorite portrait lens. Mine is the second version MC model.

shotgun1a · Oct 8, 2009

Fruit-- Rokkoritis (which I suffer from) is an incurable affliction, you might as well resign yourself to it. As another resource, look at the Flickr group "Minolta Manual Focus" (http://www.flickr.com/groups/14411702@N00/), one of the group mods, Peter Serbe, is one of the best Rokkor experts I've ever had the pleasure to correspond with. His collection is huge and he's always able to answer questions I have.

The Vivitar lenses are good if you find a Series I. Other than that, or to cover fast super-tele's, there's never a reason to buy non-Rokkor glass. Real Minolta lenses are so cheap on the used market (with about 3 or 4 exceptions) it doesn't make sense to compromise except to cover a focal length/max aperture that you just can't get elsewhere.

For your macro needs, Minolta made 2 very good ones, a 50/3.5 and a 100/3.5. Both are incredible lenses, but most people prefer the 100 for the extra focusing distance. Whichever one you pursue, make sure you get one WITH the 1:1 extension tube, because neither will go to true macro without it.

elekm · Oct 8, 2009

I happen to have an HP Photobook for Minolta written by Carl Shipman. These were popular in the 1070s, and I have them for Nikon and Pentax, too. This one I received from a co-worker who gave me his X-370 and a couple of lenses.

In the book (late 1970s to early 1980s), Minolta sold the f/3.5 35-70 zoom, which looks to be a compact lens. But there also are a lot of other third-party lenses. In the late 1970s, I used a Vivitar Series 1 35-85 variable focus lens -- not a true zoom, because you had to refocus as you changed focal lengths. This lens was also available in the Minolta mount. It's a nice lens, but big and heavy. On the other hand, it's easily available on eBay.

I'd look at adding a wide angle (perhaps a 35 or 28) and a telephoto (possibly a 135). You can do a lot with three lenses.

I'm working with an XD-11 at the moment. What a nice camera.

Jack Xavier · Oct 8, 2009

hoffy said:
Interesting thread. I am going to butt in here (sorry), but how does the Rokkor 70-210 compare to the sought after later AF 70-210 (the "beercan")?

Hi Hoffy
The rokkor 70-210 f4 version and the beercan are optically the same. Coatings differ. Build quality is inferior to the AF version. But optical performance should be fairly similiar. It was also sold as the LEITZ VARIO ELMAR-R.

I would recommend you make sure with any seller that it zooms in and out cleanly without any sticking or grinding. The barrel itself can be deformed enough to stick from knocks that the beercan would shrug off.

Christopher Walrath · Oct 8, 2009

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Another GOOD option for that 70-210 zoom is Quantaray. I have had a few over the years and they have served me very well indeed.

Wade D · Oct 9, 2009

Christopher Walrath said:
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Another GOOD option for that 70-210 zoom is Quantaray. I have had a few over the years and they have served me very well indeed.

I second the vote on the Quantaray. I've used one on my X-700 for 25 years and am very happy with it.

Minolta Lens Line Up

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