Rokkor Opinion ?

[dee]

I intially boughtthe very '' in '' Olympus OM1, then changed with relief to an old SRt 200 , followed by several more . Now my best SLR is a SRs - without a meter , or SR7v with coupled .The XD7 has been sidelined , but all are gathering dust since I dee's covered the Leica II / IIIc / IIIf !

But I find the picture qualty of my Rokkors to be similar to the Leica lenses - [ auto 55 f1.4 / 1.7 mc 50 f1.4 / 1.7 mc 28 f2.8 mc 85 f1.7 big ! md 45 f2, 50 f2 [ budget lense ?! ] 35 f1.8 ]

Notwithstanding my M 8 , I shall start using them again with colour slides ! Indeed it was the 1933 Leica II and M8 which kickstarted this revival [ or is that out of date - isn't it all push button starting these days - is nothing the same ? ]

the NIkon / Canon / Takumar lenses are somehow different ...

I don't mean the same as 50s Leica glass - they are different , but in a certain , not softness , but a gentle plasticity ...

Anyone have a clue what I mean ?

dee

 

[M. Valdemar]

Read This:

http://www.dyxum.com/columns/dPhotoworld/Historical_perspective_Minolta_lens_design_philosophy.asp

 

[lic4]

I don't doubt it--I saw images from a friend who shoots on an SRT101 with a 55mm, and the prints are really great.

 

[IGMeanwell]

I have a clue what you mean

The one thing I love about Nikkor lenses is their sharpness and general great performance, a big reason why I use Nikon/Fuji for most of my work.

but Nikkor Fmount lenses, with some exceptions (105mm 2.5, 35mm f2, Noct-Nikkor), they have no real signature look.... they are great at reproducing accurate and outstanding results... but their character can be very ho-hum

This is where I love Minolta glass, my 50mm 1.7 MD, 58mm PG MC 1.2, and the 28mm 2.8 MD-X ... (to a lesser extent the 135mm 2.8 MD)... have a very unique characteristics

Its close to Leitz glass but not exact, but if you study the history of Minolta glass (as linked) its no coincidence

The best part is that it is so much more inexpensive than most other glass out there...

I have been told to look for the Rokkor 35mm 1.8 MC W HH as its one of those lenses developed right at the Leica/Minolta agreement and shares various characteristics with its german brothers

 

[dee]

So , I wasn't imagining it then ?
My 50s Leica and Leica style ex-USSR lenses having some kind of connection to my early 70s Minolta lenses !
Thanks everyone .
dee

 

[M. Valdemar]

Maybe being autistic and half out of your mind hides a great depth of perception and understanding. There is a great tradition of English Eccentrics.

.

 

[Graham Line]

MC and MD-mount Rokkors are the biggest bargains going in SLR lenses. I worked in the 1970s with a newspaper shooter who produced absolutely stunning results day after day, and the 'plasticity' of the Minolta lenses was an important part of his success. MD lenses and an X-700 body are a great set-up.