[美能达] Minolta MD 100mm 1:2.5
Part 1 MD
Link: https://lensqaworks.com/minolta-md-100mm-2-5/
I can not be objective, because this lens is one of my favorite – the second number in any trips (after 50mm normal). It’s a bomb, surprise, gem, etc. I use it for portraits a lot, but not only. Need a great shot? Just point and shoot a camera with this lens. On any aperture. Wide opened this is absolutely sharp. It has nice fire resistance and build-in hood for hard light conditions. And one of the best bokeh I have ever seen with really little aberrations, that is strange for such beautiful bokeh. Small-sized and lightweight for this focal distance. Previous years I thought that this is one of most underrated Minolta lens ever, but not for today – prices fly up more and more.
- 1st place: Minolta MD 100mm 1:2.5 of course. It’s for ages younger than Rokkor 100/2.5 and one-stop faster than Rokkor 100/3.5
- 2nd place: Minolta MC Rokkor QE 100mm 1:3.5. This lens so cool, that it can fight against New-MD with one-stop difference. Magic. So, if a photographer needs compact and lightweight 100mm than this small one can be recommended instead of the winner
- 3rd place: Minolta MC Rokkor PF 100mm 1:2.5. But very close to the top-two
Link: https://phillipreeve.net/blog/review-minolta-md-100mm-12-5/
pros
- Bokeh
- Sharpness
- Size & Handling
- Price
- Distortion
average
- Flare Resistance
- Build Quality
- Vignetting
cons
- Axial CA
- Only 6 aperture blades
The Minolta MD 100 mm 1:2.5 is one of the best manual lenses I have reviewed. It is very sharp with pleasant bokeh and since it is just 310g I don’t hesitate to actually carry it with me unlike some other very nice lenses which I often leave at home because of their weight. Other lenses are often either very good as a landscape lens or a portrait lens but the Minolta performs very well in both categories.
I see no seriousdrawback of the Minolta but of course there are a few things it does less well. The axial CA is a weakness of nearly any short tele lens and not much of an issue for most applications like portrait or landscape. Then there is the issue of the 6 straight aperture blades which can be bothering if you shoot for example portraits at f/4. Since the Minolta is very good from f/2.5 and I am a sucker for shallow depth of field I rarely do that but YMMV.
At about $140 the Minolta MD 100 mm 1:2.5 offers great value if you ask me. Sure it isn’t super fast but usually fast enough and it performs better than most faster lenses and it’s handling is superior as well so I got many good images out of it and I bring it with me very often.
All in allthe Minolta MD 100 mm 1:2.5 is a pretty great lenswhich’s many strengths faroutweigh it’s weaknesses. At the moment it is one of my most used lenses and I will certainly keep it, especially because it is very affordable.
Part 2 MC
Link: https://lensqaworks.com/review-minolta-mc-tele-rokkor-pf-100mm-12-5/
After all the tests: this Rokkor isn’t a killer in resolution terms if wide opened, but displays total sharpness over the frame at F8 at least. This is a very good result for optics from that era and makes the lens interesting for modern photographers: well balanced – great for portraits and ready for landscapes, street or something like. Other tested aberrations are quite typical for tele-lenses – it has noticeable chromatic, vignetting is presented too, but nothing special, and on the other hand – little coma and good geometry.
Traditionally for ‘curly’ designed lenses this MC Rokkors MC 100/2.5 is quite heavy but well built in demand for today ‘steel&glass nostalgia’ style, it can be easy reassembled for maintenance/CLA and has a chance to be in the same condition next thousand years (‘Master, save us from elements separation…’).
As a result, we see the fast lens with a combination of popular focal distance, good enough sharpness, nice rendering, and solid feeling in the hands. Sum of all of these traits means that it is a popular aim for photographers and auctions listings confirm it too, but I can’t say that lens is overpriced (instead of younger MD-III incarnation – the price of which is crazy growing last a few months). So, after all, finally, yes – Rokkor MC 100mm F2.5 can be recommended without doubts for any styles of photography – it is absolutely ready for creating masterpieces in your hands.
Link: https://phillipreeve.net/blog/minolta-mc-tele-rokkor-100mm-12-5-review/
The Minolta MC 2.5/100 is a very enjoyable lens.
The built quality is beteras that of modern $1000 Sony Zeiss lenses and the lens is small enough to be well balanced on my Alpha 7.
The age shows in not very effective coatings, the lens does not like bright light sources in the image and contrast at f/2.5 is somewhat muted. But that’s about the only weakness I can report: The lens is my favourite portrait lens, at f/2.5 the bokeh is superb and sharpness is good enough.
But it also works very well for landscapes, stopped down to f/5.6 sharpness is very good to excellent across the frame.
There is only one reason why I don’t use it that often: My Tokina 2.5/90 Macro which is more versatile and a bit sharper.
At the current price of around $100 on the used market I can only recommend this lens.
