Best set of MD lenses

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Javelin
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Best set of MD lenses

Unread post by Javelin »

Just a though. In view of the new E-mount coming. I'm thinking after its release there will, in pretty short order, be an adaptor to fit the old manual focus lenses for it. The rumors already say there will be an adaptor to fit m-AF lenses to it or maybe in the least the SAM lenses. Well in any case if the flange distance is smaller than what he have now they should fit and work with a simple adaptor. I don’t see the flange register being bigger, it just doesn’t make sense. So My though it to compile a list of the best lenses to have in MD mount from widest to say 300mm

I already have a 50 1.2 my siggy 70-210 F2.8 a 135mm F2.8 which are all fantastic lenses. But what else is there?
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pakodominguez
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Re: Best set of MD lenses

Unread post by pakodominguez »

24 f2.8 (specially the 55mm filter size, but the 49mm is good too) the 21mm supposed to be wonderful.
There is a 35mm f1.8 that I've never seen with my own eyes.
The 50mm f3.5 Macro is a good one too (I understand there is a 100mm macro, but I don't have that one)
The 200mm f4 and the 300mm f4.5 are good and not that big.
avoid old MC lenses unless you are looking for a dreamy effect (they are way more prone to flare)
There are a couple of zooms, the first incarnation of the beercan and a 28-70 (I guess) that are very well regarded.
on the expensive ones, the 85mm Varisoft, the 24mm VFC and the 35 Shift VFC.
DK and Olaf will have more information, otherwise consult the MinoltaManualFree yahoo group.

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Pako
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Javelin
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Re: Best set of MD lenses

Unread post by Javelin »

giving this more though I would probably carry the body and just a few primes. the specialty ones I'll leave for the SLR. I shure would use my 70-210 though. and what about the 3rd party makers? are there any interesting primes in that regard? I just read that my 50mm 1.2 isn;t as good as the 58mm but they are pretty scarce even now
01af
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Re: Best set of MD lenses

Unread post by 01af »

pakodominguez wrote:Avoid old MC lenses unless you are looking for a dreamy effect (they are way more prone to flare.
No! Do not avoid MC lenses generally! Actually, many MC are great even by today's standards, and some are even better than their successors.

MC lenses to look for are:

MC W.Rokkor-NL 21 mm 1:2.8
MC W.Rokkor-SI 28 mm 1:2.5
MC Rokkor-PG 50 mm 1:1.4
MC Rokkor-PG 58 mm 1:1.2
MC Rokkor-PF 85 mm 1:1.7
MC Tele Rokkor-PF 100 mm 1:2 (rare)
MC Tele Rokkor-PF 100 mm 1:2.5

Others are fine, too.
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pakodominguez
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Re: Best set of MD lenses

Unread post by pakodominguez »

01af wrote:
pakodominguez wrote:Avoid old MC lenses unless you are looking for a dreamy effect (they are way more prone to flare.
No! Do not avoid MC lenses generally! Actually, many MC are great even by today's standards, and some are even better than their successors.
Thanks Olaf for coming to the rescue!
;-)
Pako
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David Kilpatrick
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Re: Best set of MD lenses

Unread post by David Kilpatrick »

Old pre-MC Minoltas - before Double Achromatic Coating - can indeed be flare prone but not all are. The old 100mm f/2 was a very contrasty lens and I shot into the light with it with success many times (using a very deep flock lined hood made, I think, by BDB). The later 85mm f/2 MD actually flared into the light more readily.

David Hamilton single-handedly gave old Rokkors a reputation for a soft dreamy quality and his books were so massively popular it was the one way of using certain lenses (58mm f/1.4 mainly) which stuck.

Now old SRT viewfinders ARE very prone to flare, and this is where some of the reputation no doubt comes from too. Just because the prism/optics tended to get veiling glare too easily did not mean the actual picture was always the same.

David
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