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miran
Joined: 01 Aug 2012
Posts: 1364
Location: Slovenia
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 Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2017 6:43 pm Post subject: Testing Minolta MD Tele Rokkor 135mm/2.8 |
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miran wrote:
This lens makes my collection of affordable to mildly expensive Minolta MD (Rokkor) lenses nearly complete.  Now mostly just the expensive to insanely expensive stuff missing, which I won't be getting any time soon.
The lens itself:
 Minolta MD Tele Rokkor 135mm/2.8 by Miran Amon, on Flickr
It's the MD-II type, 4/4 version which seems to be marginally more appreciated on the internet than the newer 5/5 formula. It's a bit on the heavy side but it's a good lens in all respects if not exactly outstanding. Certainly better than the 135/3.5 plain MD but I think not as good as the Carl Zeiss Jena 135/3.5 that I also have. Anyway, a few samples from a short walk today (click each photo for proper size, the reduced size gets overcompressed by flickr):
1.
 NEX6_0003_6419 by Miran Amon, on Flickr
2.
 NEX6_0003_6424 by Miran Amon, on Flickr
3.
 NEX6_0003_6434 by Miran Amon, on Flickr
4.
 NEX6_0003_6447 by Miran Amon, on Flickr
5.
 NEX6_0003_6456 by Miran Amon, on Flickr
6.
 NEX6_0003_6458 by Miran Amon, on Flickr
There's a few more in the album: https://flic.kr/s/aHskNiS2fd
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Last edited by miran on Wed Mar 01, 2017 9:25 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Badr12
Joined: 06 Apr 2014
Posts: 81
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| Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2017 7:45 pm Post subject: |
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Badr12 wrote:
Nice captures, it is also great for portraits. |
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sergtum
Joined: 14 Nov 2016
Posts: 735
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| Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2017 7:51 pm Post subject: |
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sergtum wrote:
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miran
Joined: 01 Aug 2012
Posts: 1364
Location: Slovenia
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| Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2017 8:34 pm Post subject: |
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miran wrote:
| Badr12 wrote: |
| Nice captures, it is also great for portraits. |
Thanks! I'll try to find some... statues.  
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Antoine
Joined: 08 Jan 2016
Posts: 298
Location: London
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| Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2017 8:49 pm Post subject: |
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Antoine wrote:
Excellent! I have the latest 5/5 version which I like as it is very light and discrete. Also happy with result
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Antoine
Sony A6000 APS-C and Sony A7 Rii
Minolta Fisheye MD Rokkor 7.5 mm f4, Fisheye MD 16 f2.8 MD R 17mm f4, MD R 20mm f2.8, MC VFC & MDIII 24mm f2.8, MD 28mm f2.0 &3.5, MD II 35mm 1.8, MD 45mm f2.0, MD 50mm f 1.2 & MD I f1.4, MC PG 58mm 1.2, MD 85mm f2.0, MD R 85mm f2.8 Varisoft, MC 85mm f1.7 MD R 100mm f2.5, MD R 100mm f4.0 macro, MD III 135mm f2.8, MD R 200mm f2.8 & 4.0, RF 250mm f5.6, MD 300mm f4.5, MD APO 400 mm f5.6, RF 500mm f8.0, RF 800mm f8.0 *2 300-s and 300-l
100 mm f4 macro bellows (5/4)
Vivitar 17mm f3.5, Elicar 300mm mirror f5.6, Zhongi turbo ii
Sigma 16mm f 2.8 fish eye
Zooms:24-50 mm f4, 35-70 mm f3.5 macro, 28-85mm f3.5-4.5, 50-135 f 3.5, 70-210 f4 and MD APO 100-500 mm f8 |
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Lloydy
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Posts: 7785
Location: Ironbridge. UK.
Expire: 2022-01-01
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| Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2017 8:50 pm Post subject: |
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Lloydy wrote:
Very nice pictures, it's obviously a very good lens. Which is annoying......because my copy sits on the shelf unused, I can't find any sharpness in it at all. It must be faulty. 
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LENSES & CAMERAS FOR SALE.....
I have loads of stuff that I have to get rid of, if you see me commenting about something I have got and you want one, ask me.
My Flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/mudplugga/
My ipernity -
http://www.ipernity.com/home/294337 |
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tb_a
Joined: 26 Jan 2010
Posts: 3678
Location: Austria
Expire: 2019-08-28
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| Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2017 10:31 pm Post subject: |
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tb_a wrote:
Nice examples and a good lens!
I have exactly the same heavy Version (MD II, 4/4). Maybe I should use it as well. 
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Thomas Bernardy
Manual focus lenses mainly from Minolta, Pentax, Voigtlaender, Leitz, Topcon and from Russia (too many to be listed here). |
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BeardsAreBest
Joined: 09 May 2014
Posts: 286
Location: Australia
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| Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2017 9:43 am Post subject: |
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BeardsAreBest wrote:
I have the 3.5 and same, have not really used it. best get onto that. |
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miran
Joined: 01 Aug 2012
Posts: 1364
Location: Slovenia
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| Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2017 9:48 am Post subject: |
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miran wrote:
Thanks all. Yes, it seems to be quite good, if only it was smaller and lighter. I think I'll try to get the 5/5 to see if it is as good.
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tb_a
Joined: 26 Jan 2010
Posts: 3678
Location: Austria
Expire: 2019-08-28
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| Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2017 10:33 am Post subject: |
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tb_a wrote:
I just did a quick comparison between this lens (made 1978) and my Leitz Elmar 135mm/F4 (made 1961), which is a comparable optical design (4/4) but only single coated and was rather shocked:
Below F8 the Minolta lens is rather crappy compared to the Elmar at F4. From F8 the MD starts to be usable whereas the Elmar plays definitely in another league. Maybe it's one of the best 135mm lenses ever. Leitz claimed in 1964 in their catalog that the Elmar is "one of the sharpest lenses ever created."
To summarize: The Minolta MD 135mm/F2.8 is a nice lens and delivers good and sharp pictures, particularly as from F8 (F5.6 seems to be somehow acceptable). However, there are far better lenses around, especially the Leitz Elmar 135mm/F4.
I will do some more tests in this focal length to find out how the Minolta lens compares to other brands like Voigtlander (Rollei), Pentax, Topcon, etc.
I am really curios to check whether the Minolta lens is rather mediocre or the Leitz lens is really that outstanding. For the time being I will put the MD 135mm back to the shelf until further.
BTW, I did this comparison in 100% view on infinity distance pictures ("pixel peepers delight"). Smaller display sizes will deliver far better and still commonly usable results.
Example picture of the MD 135/2.8 fully open of my standard portrait model:
Not bad at all and more than just usable I would say.
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Thomas Bernardy
Manual focus lenses mainly from Minolta, Pentax, Voigtlaender, Leitz, Topcon and from Russia (too many to be listed here). |
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devinw
Joined: 19 Aug 2016
Posts: 207
Location: Portland, OR
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| Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 5:22 pm Post subject: |
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devinw wrote:
Looks good! 
I have one of these. I think it's pretty good. Maybe not eye-bleeding sharp, but sharp wide open. Definitely sharp at f/3.5.
Here is one wide open (unfortunately not unprocessed, but not heavily so):
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Camera: Sony a6300
E-Mount: Zeiss/Sony 16-70 f/4, Samyang 12mm f/2
Rokkor: MD PG 50mm f1.4, MD 100mm Macro f3.5, MD 135mm f2.8, MD Zoom 35-70mm f3.5, MD Zoom 75-150 f4
Canon FD: nFD 50mm f1.4, Tokina AT-X 100-300mm f4
My Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/westonde/
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miran
Joined: 01 Aug 2012
Posts: 1364
Location: Slovenia
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| Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 7:01 pm Post subject: |
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miran wrote:
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miran
Joined: 01 Aug 2012
Posts: 1364
Location: Slovenia
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| Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 7:24 pm Post subject: |
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miran wrote:
I did a quick comparison of three 135mm lenses: this Minolta MD 135/2.8, a Minolta MD 135/3.5 and a Carl Zeiss Jena 135/3.5 (zebra). It's my standard test with one scene at near MFD, one at near infinity and one at around 6-7m. Two shots for each scene, one wide open and one stopped down to f/8. Raw with straight conversion, identical WB, etc.
First is the full scene to give broad impression, second is 100% crop of focused area. Unfortunately the weather was quite foggy so infinity sharpness is affected. And of course no shooting into the sun to test flare resistance this time. Shot on crop camera (NEX6) and no corner sharpness test.
1. near MFD (just over 1.5m)
2. around 6 or 7m
3. infinity (around 100m)
The CZJ might be stopped down to f/5.6 by mistake rather than f/8 but I'm not sure. I thought I had it at f/8 but bokeh and exposure data say otherwise. Will have to check.
Conclusions:
- The 135/3.5 MD is clearly inferior. Softer wide open and it visibly vignettes (on APS-C!) Also it render considerably cooler colours.
- The 135/2.8 MD and the CZJ are about the same in terms of sharpness (though my focusing skill might play a part here) but the Minolta has chromatic aberations where the CZJ hasn't. The CZJ has noticably warmer colours.
From this simple test the CZJ is the winner. It also focuses down to 1m rather than 1.5. On the other hand my copy is pretty beat up and in any case the Minoltas are both mechanically superior (better focus action, nicer aperture ring, built-in hood). Difficult to decide and also I'll need to test for corner sharpness, contrast shooting into the light, etc.
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memetph
Joined: 01 Dec 2013
Posts: 942
Location: Poland
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| Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 9:09 pm Post subject: |
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memetph wrote:
It is a little bit unfair to compare the lenses WO. If you stop down the MD 2.8 at f4 it is much contrastier and most of the CA are gone.
It is nevertheless quite usable at 2.8.
Mine has been cleaned and relubed and it is a very good lens, really sharp with my A7.
PS : I am not very impressed by the picture at f8 of the rabbit eye. |
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tf
Joined: 29 Sep 2017
Posts: 162
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| Posted: Fri May 03, 2019 10:45 am Post subject: |
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tf wrote:
Theme up - one another review of Minolta MC Rokkor-PF 135mm 1:2.8
(I'll update the post when comparisons with other Minolta 135mm published)
As promised:
Comparison of Minolta MC Rokkor 135mm F2.8 vs MC 135mm F3.5 vs MD 135mm F2.8 |
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