Anyone using Minolta Rokkor Lenses?

[soundfanz]

G'day,

I now own a Sony NEX5N, and over the last month have picked up some legacy glass to use with it. Plus the required adapter.
In particular, I got a Rokkor MC PG 50mm 1.4 (love this lens) and also picked up a Rokkor HG 35mm 2.8 and a Rokkor Tele MC 135mm 3.5.
I've only had the glass for a couple of weeks, but the 50mm lives on the camera at the minute.
Love it.
To be honest, I wasn't real keen on the kit lenses that came with the camera, although to be fair they haven't had much time in use.

Anyone else using Rokkor glass on a digital camera? Quite a cheap but very good alternative to Sony E lenses currently available IMO.

Chris

[ameerat42]

Not on a digital camera (yet), though I have an MC Rokkor, f=50mm/1.7, and an MD Rokkor f=50mm/1.4. The first used to be a top lens, and I hope this latest one I got is too. The f/1.4 isn't too bad (from memory).

[soundfanz]

Thanks for reply. I found this site very good, it helped me decide which lens's to purchase:

*removed-please read site rules 3-7: the site rules *

[mongo]

There is some very excellent Rokkor original glass if you can find it just as there was some really excellent Zuiko glass for Olympus. Like every brand, these makers had made some outstanding lenses in the ranges they offered; but note that not all were in this category. You have to do your research to find out which specific lens(s) were the outstanding ones

[ameerat42]

Just to add: I once borrowed a fast Minolta MC Rokkor, f=50 or 55mm/1.2 for some shots of the stars at night. (Thoughts like, Oh, this'll be good!) Well! I soon gave it back - even faster than f/1.2, as all the "stars" around the edge had turned into little oval-shaped comets, with all their heads pointing towards the centre of the field. I figured it had a lot of "cometic aberration".

[soundfanz]

There is some very excellent Rokkor original glass if you can find it just as there was some really excellent Zuiko glass for Olympus. Like every brand, these makers had made some outstanding lenses in the ranges they offered; but note that not all were in this category. You have to do your research to find out which specific lens(s) were the outstanding ones

Thanks mongo.

I've certainly been burning the candle researching good (and affordable) lenses.
As for Olympus, I have an Olympus Zuiko 21mm f/3.5 wide angle lens coming my way soon, and also a Tokina AT-X 90 f2.5 Macro (with Olympus mount) to cover the Macro side of things.
I look forward to using them.

Chris

[mongo]

Thanks mongo.

I've certainly been burning the candle researching good (and affordable) lenses.
As for Olympus, I have an Olympus Zuiko 21mm f/3.5 wide angle lens coming my way soon, and also a Tokina AT-X 90 f2.5 Macro (with Olympus mount) to cover the Macro side of things.
I look forward to using them.



Chris

pleased to hear it. that Tokina 90mm f2.5 macro is perhaps the best 90 mm macro Mongo has seen; if not one of the best outright. It certainly has the best MTF figures and acclaim

[andrewc999]

Chris. I've been using Rokkor on a Nex 5 for some time now. As you might expect, the Rokkors are much sharper than the kit lens. I've used both a 50/3.5 and a 100/4.0 macro lens for close ups. Manual focusing with the magnifier is so easy. For general scenes, any of the Rokkor lens also do a great job, remembering the crop factor, especially with the flaring focus aid. And the best part is that you can still pick up very clean examples of some of the lens for under $100! I've found the kit lens great when doing low light night time work or general crowd/street work. The high ISO with image stabilisation produces very acceptable pictures. Cheers.