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Minolta MD rokkor 50mm F1.4
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PostPosted: Fri May 15, 2015 4:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
OK, to enlighten the darkness I've made some sample shots of some Minolta lenses I have easily found (others are somewhere in boxes..).
As usual (for me) there was NO MANIPULATION what so ever (except resizing WITHOUT sharpening)!
Camera: Ricoh GXR-M (RAW) and Ricoh GF-1 flash.
The flowers are really purple on the edges in real life. So that's not any failure.
You should also be aware that you see here the worst performance of these lenses as all pictures have been taken with MAXIMUM aperture. Focus was always on the green vertical stem (middle of crop) and distance approx. 90cm and for the 85mm lens 1m.
So to the contrary to some other folks who prefer to show how excellent their lenses are (after some manipulation in Photoshop and alike) I am showing you here the REALITY from the lenses in their weakest performance. (The 85 and 45 lenses I've added for personal interest and share the results also here).
The main pictures are clickable to be seen in a larger size.

1/1 Minolta MD Rokkor 50mm 1:1.4 (49mm filter thread):



1/2 100% crop:



2/1 Minolta MC Rokkor -PG 58mm 1:1.2 (55mm filter thread):



2/2 100% crop:



3/1 Minolta MC Rokkor-PF 50mm 1:1.7 (55mm filter thread):



3/2 100% crop:



4/1 Minolta MD Rokkor 45mm 1:2 (49mm filter thread):



4/2 100% crop:



5/1 Minolta MC Rokkor-PF 85mm 1:1.7 (55mm filter thread):

[url=http://forum.mflenses.com/userpix/20155/big_2460_Example142_1.jpg]
[/url]

5/2 100% crop:



PostPosted: Fri May 15, 2015 4:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
More samples of the Minolta MD 50mm f/1.4 can be found at http://www.talkemount.com/threads/974/

I like mine.


PostPosted: Fri May 15, 2015 5:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
@tb_a

any effort to do lens performance test is appreciated, but where is your focus point I wonder? Shocked
Cheers,
Rado


PostPosted: Fri May 15, 2015 6:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
radissimo77 wrote:
@tb_a

any effort to do lens performance test is appreciated, but where is your focus point I wonder? Shocked
Cheers,
Rado


As stated in my posting: "Focus was always on the green vertical stem (middle of crop)....."


PostPosted: Fri May 15, 2015 8:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
May be my ageing eyes but I see 50mm f1.7 as being sharpest Embarassed


PostPosted: Fri May 15, 2015 9:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
kryss wrote:
May be my ageing eyes but I see 50mm f1.7 as being sharpest Embarassed


I am sharing your impression. Generally the F1.7 class tend to be better than the super fast lenses fully open.
A real fair comparison would be to test all lenses at the same aperture. However, this was not the intention of this comparison, because stopped down are all excellent anyway and I doubt that on digital the differences would be obvious at all.
My intention was rather to find out, whether the subjective criterias such as bokeh justify to spend 10 times more for a Minolta lens in this class than for another.
For instance for the 45mm/2 lens including original caps and rather expensive B+W filter inclusive posting I've spent 30 Euro (received today) and I've seen that for the 58mm/1.2 lens prices around 500 Euros are spent nowadays, to name the two extremes.
The 50mm/1.7 in the old version as tested can be found even from a (not so cheap) dealer in excellent condition for 69 Euro:
http://www.leicashop.com/vintage_de/minolta-mc-50-1-7-rokkor-pf-sku24266-1.html
The F1.4 versions are at least above 100 Euro, depending on version and condition.
So from my point of view the F1.7 would the best choice in terms of quality versus price and definitely my recommendation. Maybe the bokeh is not as "sexy" as from the F1.2 version. I don't know. This would still be another test. Wink
If the most shallow DOF is a criteria, then the F1.2 lens wins anyway. That was clear even before.
Back to the start: The 50mm/1.4 lens even in the newer version is an excellent lens. I think at least this should be clear now.


PostPosted: Sat May 16, 2015 11:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Amazing shots!!
!Karen Smile


PostPosted: Sat May 16, 2015 2:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Pentax M 50mm f1.7 wide open. This lens is sharp wide open whereas the 50mm f1.4 needs to be stopped down at least one stop and of course is far more expensive,go figure.




PostPosted: Sat May 16, 2015 3:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
To my eyes, OP !Karen's shots are so much better - natural and tasteful.


PostPosted: Sat May 16, 2015 3:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I thought we were comparing lenses,please post some of your efforts so we can critique. Rolling Eyes


PostPosted: Sat May 16, 2015 3:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Kryss, are these shots straight out of camera? Is that the natural bokeh from this lens?


PostPosted: Sat May 16, 2015 3:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Yes Ed this is bokeh produced with this lens, shot in RAW probably adjusted exposure in ACR cropped to size and converted to jpeg.


PostPosted: Sat May 16, 2015 3:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I did post a link to more samples of this exact lens (Minolta MD 50mm f/1.4 55mm filter thread). Here're a few from me.

Yo La Tengo live!













Table Mountain, California











Last edited by eno789 on Sat May 16, 2015 5:29 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Sat May 16, 2015 4:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Another from this shoot,it was a very bright sunlit background with leaves blowing in breeze had to adjust exposure to compensate bright background.These were the only ones with this Bokeh.



PostPosted: Sun May 17, 2015 11:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thank you for the contributions

Here are a couple more from the neighbours cat and a couple of 100% crops
last one was stopped down to F2

I think it is acceptable wide open.
I also think with non moving subjects I can probably get the focus even better, it's tricky at 1,4!


Minolta MD Rokkor 50mm F1,4 (6) by K a r 3 n, on Flickr









PostPosted: Sun May 31, 2015 10:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
More testing on f1.4


SD Schoonselhof 2 by K a r 3 n, on Flickr


SD Schoonselhof 3 by K a r 3 n, on Flickr


SD Schoonselhof 5 by K a r 3 n, on Flickr


SD Schoonselhof 6 by K a r 3 n, on Flickr


SD Schoonselhof 7 by K a r 3 n, on Flickr

This last one was f5,6


SD Schoonselhof 9 by K a r 3 n, on Flickr


PostPosted: Sat Jun 13, 2015 6:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Casa! Sta bi drugo bilo? by Zoran Rodic, on Flickr

Sesiric by Zoran Rodic, on Flickr

Press the Bored Button! by Zoran Rodic, on Flickr

Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ 1000 by Zoran Rodic, on Flickr

Canon Power Shot G1X mk II by Zoran Rodic, on Flickr


PostPosted: Sun Jun 14, 2015 3:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
radissimo77 wrote:
Lovely pictures !Karen, especially bokeh in the first photo is sensational.

Both PG and 49mm versions are pleasure to use-focusing ring is so buttery... Laughing

On the other hand- both of my Minoltas were bested by other brands, -but could be a sample variation (since then I have 2nd PG lens-I will retest). It is a shame as they are just pleasure to use. Wink
Cheers,
rado


I could not agree more about the boken and composition of the first picture. Simply amazing.


PostPosted: Sun Jun 14, 2015 11:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I do own the 50/1.4 Rokkor PG, which is a way fine prime, i must say.
Karen, are you also into the Statues/Cemetery Photography, it seems? Cool

I have a few statues onto my 1x Account, and way much more onto my
deviantart account.

https://1x.com/member/doomedforever


PostPosted: Sun Jun 14, 2015 4:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Yes, there is a HUGE cemetery right around the corner. I go there all the time.


PostPosted: Sun Jun 14, 2015 4:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I see...i do photograph Statues since the early 90's, one of my fave objects.


PostPosted: Thu Jun 18, 2015 12:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
My MC PG is the one lens closet to my heart. Never, ever disappoints me.



PostPosted: Mon Nov 26, 2018 10:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Another one review about Minolta Rokkor MD 50mm 1:1.4 - MDI version. 55mm filter thread. 7x5 design


PostPosted: Mon Nov 26, 2018 5:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Like 1


PostPosted: Tue Mar 26, 2019 4:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
2nd Version MD II introduced 1979 with the "new" 7/6 Ultron design (like MD III and AF) and 49mm filter thread on Sony A7R II.
All previous versions with 55mm filter thread have been 7/5 Planar type designs.

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