Minolta SRT's -- Gotta Love 'Em.

Outdated XX Borax MQ Aristo #2 RC Multigrade dev by Nokton48, on Flickr

Testing my Minolta XK, before it went to Essex (camera came back right before Katrina hit!) 85mm F1.7 MC Rokkor ADOX Borax MQ
Aristo #2 matte RC Multigrade developer. Modern Enlarging System blue LED Mod 2 head


Taken on some XX no doubt OLD; Dichroic fog level fairly high. With short ends you take what you can get. The dichroic fog does jack with the print contrast. Can't get real DMax out of it, but usuable 🙂 This was shot in full key sun around the corner from Midwest Photo Exchange, when they were still on High St
 
SRT with 21mm F4 MC 1 by Nokton48, on Flickr

SRT with 21mm F4 MC 2 by Nokton48, on Flickr

The spectacular 21mm F4 Minolta MC Rokkor with required finder. This lens replaced my spendy 19mm F3.5 Canon and I don't miss it 🙂
Ready for shooting. Notice the 20mm F2.8 MD lenshood (the only one that fits this one in the Minolta line), as well as the Rokkor filter, TomA softie and hair tie (my own creation). Also in the back is a card with notes I got from TomA regarding exposure using 5222XX. SO NO METER, who cares?

Very liberating and stealthy. And cheap to build

If I drop this and break it, it can all be replaced.
 
I'm wondering, please, if anyone can speak to the relative virtues of the various Rokkor lens offerings in the 200mm focal length? The only one I have used to date is the 200mm f/4.5, and it's the sole Rokkor lens I've used that didn't really stand out (did not seem to be as sharp as Eg my 135mm f/2.8). But a few Rokkor lenses arrived in a lot of items I was asked to sell this week and I'm contemplating selling some of them to myself. I believe I spotted a 200mm in one of the boxes: are there any particular ones to look out for?
Thanks in advance
Brett
 
Sarcophilus Harrisii said:
I'm wondering, please, if anyone can speak to the relative virtues of the various Rokkor lens offerings in the 200mm focal length? The only one I have used to date is the 200mm f/4.5, and it's the sole Rokkor lens I've used that didn't really stand out (did not seem to be as sharp as Eg my 135mm f/2.8). But a few Rokkor lenses arrived in a lot of items I was asked to sell this week and I'm contemplating selling some of them to myself. I believe I spotted a 200mm in one of the boxes: are there any particular ones to look out for?
Thanks in advance
Brett
Click to expand...

Let's give this thread a bump, as I, too, would like to see an answer to Brett's question.

I have a 200mm f/4.0 MD that I bought new, years ago, but I have used it very little and can't really speak to its relative IQ.

- Murray
 
I rummaged around through some boxes of sundry cameras and lenses—in amongst a Plaubel Makina, Nikon F, a couple of folding Bessas and (unwell) Vitessa among other items, were a total of four Rokkor lenses and cases—one zoom and three primes, as pictured.

49251322773_1f4c21f793_c.jpg
 
Sarcophilus Harrisii said:
I rummaged around through some boxes of sundry cameras and lenses—in amongst a Plaubel Makina, Nikon F, a couple of folding Bessas and (unwell) Vitessa among other items, were a total of four Rokkor lenses and cases—one zoom and three primes, as pictured.
Click to expand...

The 24-50 has a good reputation. Is that the 200mm f2.8 on the right?
 
WJJ3 said:
The 24-50 has a good reputation. Is that the 200mm f2.8 on the right?
Click to expand...
Gosh that was a poor photo wasn't it—sorry, Will—I'm hopeless shooting with a phone screen. Yes, it is a 200mm f/2.8 (slightly better pic below). There's some fungus, but I am able to disassemble the lens and clean it. I think it should come off. If the f/2.8 is a decent performer I might keep it.
Cheers,
Brett

49252157896_f206f73bd3_c.jpg
 
Rokkorfiles review of 200mm F2.8 MD Rokkor.

http://www.rokkorfiles.com/200mm.htm

and.............

http://www.rokkorfiles.com/200mm%20Page%202.htm

"The 200mm f/2.8 MD Tele Rokkor is a very fast, high performing telephoto lens designed for use at wide apertures. It features high resolution, excellent corner to corner performance, and minimal vignetting for such a fast telephoto. While it does suffer from some chromatic aberration (common with lenses of this era prior to the general use of APO glass), this is only noticeable at 'grain sniffing' viewing distances on very large prints (A3+ and above).

I personally believe that the 200mm f/2.8 MD Tele Rokkor is one of the real jewels of the Minolta manual focus system, and despite its high price (US$350+ on the used market), it is worth every cent."

I would find the 300-S Teleconverter to embellish this jewel (if you do not already have a 400mm Rokkor MD).

This lens has a good reputation but priced ^^^^^

You are lucky to find one in restorable condition. I'd keep it and use it. 🙂
 
Sarcophilus Harrisii said:
Gosh that was a poor photo wasn't it—sorry, Will—I'm hopeless shooting with a phone screen. Yes, it is a 200mm f/2.8 (slightly better pic below). There's some fungus, but I am able to disassemble the lens and clean it. I think it should come off. If the f/2.8 is a decent performer I might keep it.
Cheers,
Brett

49252157896_f206f73bd3_c.jpg
Click to expand...

Very cool. I haven’t shot such a lens, but the must be some interesting possibilities. Minolta made some great lenses.
 
Minolta's ads in photography magazines of the early 1970's had me lusting for the SRT-101 and that gorgeous 58/1.2 lens.

However, as a student with no money I couldn't dream of affording one. Rather than buying the less attractive sister, the SRT-100, where I'd always be reminded of what I didn't have, I bought a camera which was different in many aspects: a Pentax SP500 - my first real 35mm SLR and which I still have and use.

In the decades that followed and with a bit more money, I went to swap meets to find a nice SRT-101. My criteria was that everything should work, it should have the chrome shutter speed dial and have mirror lock-up. It was very hard to find one that didn't have a mechanical fault or hadn't been damaged. I don't buy online because I want to handle and check the camera before buying. I'd bought and returned two items to KEH (dead on arrival), so I didn't want to repeat that practice. So it was only within the last five years that I bought two SRT-101's.

My other Minoltas are a 7sII and a Maxxum 7 (an astonishing camera with amazing lenses).
 

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Nokton48 said:
Rokkorfiles review of 200mm F2.8 MD Rokkor.

http://www.rokkorfiles.com/200mm.htm
and.............
http://www.rokkorfiles.com/200mm%20Page%202.htm

"The 200mm f/2.8 MD Tele Rokkor is a very fast, high performing telephoto lens designed for use at wide apertures. It features high resolution, excellent corner to corner performance, and minimal vignetting for such a fast telephoto. While it does suffer from some chromatic abberation (common with lenses of this era prior to the general use of APO glass), this is only noticeable at 'grain sniffing' viewing distances on very large prints (A3+ and above).

I personally believe that the 200mm f/2.8 MD Tele Rokkor is one of the real jewels of the Minolta manual focus system, and despite its high price (US$350+ on the used market), it is worth every cent."

I would find the 300-S Teleconverter to embellish this jewel (if you do not already have a 400mm Rokkor MD).

This lens has a good reputation but priced ^^^^^

You are lucky to find one in restorable condition. I'd keep it and use it. 🙂
Click to expand...
Thank you so much Dan, for that link. I always seem to forget the Rokkorfiles web pages. What a great resource that site is.

Do you have the 200mm f/2.8? I know how much you like your Rokkor glass. After seeing that information I think I will probably end up keeping this one, its less than perfect optical condition at present should make for a reasonably friendly price. But if for some reason I don't I can let you know...
Cheers,
Brett
 
WJJ3 said:
Very cool. I haven’t shot such a lens, but the must be some interesting possibilities. Minolta made some great lenses.
Click to expand...
Yes I must admit I'm intrigued. It may well get fitted to a 101 just as it is for a few shots next time I have a roll loaded in one (which is never very far away for me, I love using them).
Cheers,
Brett
 
Pál_K said:
Minolta's ads in photography magazines of the early 1970's had me lusting for the SRT-101 and that gorgeous 58/1.2 lens.

However, as a student with no money I couldn't dream of affording one. Rather than buying the less attractive sister, the SRT-100, where I'd always be reminded of what I didn't have, I bought a camera which was different in many aspects: a Pentax SP500 - my first real 35mm SLR and which I still have and use.

In the decades that followed and with a bit more money, I went to swap meets to find a nice SRT-101. My criteria was that everything should work, it should have the chrome shutter speed dial and have mirror lock-up. It was very hard to find one that didn't have a mechanical fault or hadn't been damaged. I don't buy online because I want to handle and check the camera before buying. I'd bought and returned two items to KEH (dead on arrival), so I didn't want to repeat that practice. So it was only within the last five years that I bought two SRT-101's.

My other Minoltas are a 7sII and a Maxxum 7 (an astonishing camera with amazing lenses).
Click to expand...
I think that after years of being overlooked they are the subject of discussions more frequently in recent years, their reputation as an excellent camera with great build that uses a superb range of glass is only continuing to grow. I don't find them as cheaply as I once did, locally, but I have a policy of snapping up any decent example I ever find because I have no plans to ever stop shooting with my own.
Cheers,
Brett
 
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