Minolta 90mmf4 Rokkor on an M6?

OZ13

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Hi Folks,

I've just picked up a minty Minolta 90mm f4 Rokkor for £127 from fleabay. I'm proposing to use it on my M6 along with my 50mm f2 cron, in what will eventually be a 3 or 4 lens kit. Are there any compatability issues I should be aware of? - Thanks for any advice,

David.🙂
 
Theoretical it should differ (different helical on M and CL) but in praxi no problems are reported (even @ f4.0) .
You know it is a original Leitz one - it isthe only Leitz lens labeled under an other brand. Only the coatings are not the Leitz/Leica type but Minolta (and of course the filter thread)
 
Theoretical it should differ (different helical on M and CL) but in praxi no problems are reported (even @ f4.0) .
You know it is a original Leitz one - it is the only Leitz lens labeled under another brand. Only the coatings are not the Leitz/Leica type but Minolta (and of course the filter thread)

Mine is labeled "M-Rokkor" and "Lens Made in Germany" and has the gradual, standard focusing cam. The steep cams were only on the Elmar_C, I'm pretty sure. If the cam follower in the body is properly adjusted and should not cause a problem. If it's isn't you'll be missing focus with any lens you put on the body.

If you run across an M-Rokkor made for the CLE, it will have the serial number back by the lens mount with a slightly different optical formula and coatings.
 
I have a Rokkor 90f4 made in Germany and the bokeh at f4 is not very much but still a wonderful lens. Maybe the coating is different but I can't tell if it could be better for portraits with another lens. I also have used it on an M6 and glad it has the proper M mount.
Joe
 
Theoretical it should differ (different helical on M and CL) but in praxi no problems are reported (even @ f4.0) .

The original poster has not stated which of the 2 Rokkors it is, it may not be the Leitz made version.

Thanks for the info, sounds like I'm good to go! Knowing that it is Leitz glass makes the deal even sweeter. I knew the camming was different, as long as it doesn't affect close focus performance.

OZ13 we havent enough information to determine if its the 90mm Rokkor for the Leitz Minolta CL which was made by Leitz or the later CLE version that was Made in Japan by Minolta.

Mine is labeled "M-Rokkor" and "Lens Made in Germany" and has the gradual, standard focusing cam. The steep cams were only on the Elmar_C, I'm pretty sure.

Sorry Joe but the Leitz Minolta Rokkors have the steep cam the same as that of of the Elmar-C Only the front filter thread and labels differ. Only the Rokkors for the CLE Made in Japan have the standard M focusing cam.
 
Here is the info pulled straight off the ebay add:
"Made in the 1980s, to match the Minolta CLE compact, many people use these lenses on the full-size Leica M-series cameras as an alternative to the Elmar 90mm. Unlike Leica's own compact 90mm f4, this lens has no compatability issues with the M-series cameras. It has a traditional parallel cam, unlike the angled coupling cam of the Elmar C".

So if the lens is made in Japan, then it has Minolta glass in it, here is a pic of it:


 
Ah yes. You're right, of course. I was looking at the cutout on the mount, not the cam itself.
Looking at the photos, the CLE lens also has a different depth of field scale (no '4' in the center, but with an IR mark) and has ribbing on the mounting ring just behind the distance scale where the Leitz-Minolta M-Rokkor is smooth.
 
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Rokkor

Rokkor

Hi Folks,

I've just picked up a minty Minolta 90mm f4 Rokkor for £127 from fleabay. I'm proposing to use it on my M6 along with my 50mm f2 cron, in what will eventually be a 3 or 4 lens kit. Are there any compatability issues I should be aware of? - Thanks for any advice,

David.🙂

David,

I'm using a CLE Rokkor on my M6 and M3. It works just fine. It is beautifully built and I find the IQ to be excellent.

-Tuomas
 
The 90/4 Rokkor M is a great travel lens - small light, like the thin 90 tele-elmarit. It's beautifully built and tack sharp even wide open. It doesn't flare as much as the 90TE either.

Charlie
 
Thats another good point, because it's a compact and light design being f4, it will get more use as I won't hesitate to stick it in the camera bag 😀 .

Thanks to all for info and advice - now I'll start the quest for a medium wide lens - has anyone any experience of the VC 28mm f2 Ultron on the M6?

David.
 
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