Anyone got experience with Minolta's 58mm 1.2 Rokkor?

[Lockless]

I like vintage/full manual lenses because even if Metabones made adapters and speedboosters with auto-focus, the part that manual focus lenses are analogue makes them much more viable with mirrorless cameras and certain DSLR's that have a short enough flange distance that adapters are more widely available. Anyways, back on topic.


Yeah, I've kinda grown more interested in this lens and I'm somewhat on a hunt for it. But before I do find someone who's selling this, anyone got any experiences with it that some/alot of reviewers have missed out on the lens? 

[ALwin]

Try asking on a photography forum.  I've tried getting a hold of that lens, but all the ones I found were in bad condition.

[Lockless]

Try asking on a photography forum.  I've tried getting a hold of that lens, but all the ones I found were in bad condition.

Well, I'm asking for more opinions though. Sometimes posting in Facebook groups, other forums, etc... don't really get that much attention. I've actually been asking this question for around three months with other forumers since there might be some things that reviewers have missed out and haven't followed up on. Like the time Fuji had to fix the light leak problem in their XT1 (I think its not only that, but oh well... still love Fuji though) and some other issues.

[ALwin]

Well if you want to get it and is able to find it at a local dealer, try it out before you fork over your money.  I wouldn't trust ebay/online sellers for a lens like this.

 

I've been able to locate 3 of these in the past few years.

• One had a badly scratched front element
• One had a jammed focusing ring
• One had a worn out lens mount that could've been fixed easily, but someone else beat me to the purchase.

[Lockless]

 

Well if you want to get it and is able to find it at a local dealer, try it out before you fork over your money.  I wouldn't trust ebay/online sellers for a lens like this.

 

I've been able to locate 3 of these in the past few years.

• One had a badly scratched front element
• One had a jammed focusing ring
• One had a worn out lens mount that could've been fixed easily, but someone else beat me to the purchase.

 

I'm planning to buy one locally. The problem is finding them since majority of them don't advertise or post in our "ebay/craigslist version" on the internet. The ones that do, though... some of them think I'm after a lens cap while the others that do know it, don't have it.

[ALwin]

I'm planning to buy one locally. The problem is finding them since majority of them don't advertise or post in our "ebay/craigslist version" on the internet. The ones that do, though... some of them think I'm after a lens cap while the others that do know it, don't have it.

 

But do you really need the lens?  Is it the f/1.2 you are after or the vintage look that the lens could provide, newer lenses tend to have better optical nano coatings.

[Lockless]

But do you really need the lens?  Is it the f/1.2 you are after or the vintage look that the lens could provide, newer lenses tend to have better optical nano coatings.

I prefer vintage or manual (like the old Canon FD or the current Samyang lineup) lenses for the sake of variety when the time comes that Sony, Panasonic, Olympus, Samsung, or even Canon or Nikon produce a mirrorless camera that actually convinces me to convert.

The problem with the newer version/s are the following:

1.) How many companies make a 58mm F/1.2 lens that was made to be used for full-frame to begin with? Last time I checked, only a handful.

2.) What about some proprietary bullshit like how Fuji's lenses are electronic to the bone with the exception of the element and the body of the lens? The fact that its meant to be an 85mm equivalent on a crop sensor, and even made with crop sensor size in mind, plus its a Fuji mount, even if the image quality is great, if I can't keep it when I do plan to convert, then screw it. Atleast Metabones makes it easier for those who want to convert from SLR to mirrorless.

[ALwin]

snip

 

Well most lenses these days, apart from focusing and zooming, the aperture is electronically controlled.  That's why half my lenses are Nikon non-G lenses.  I need the aperture ring for video, not for photos.

 

And I'm not a fan of current Sony E-mount lenses which seem to use a fly-by-wire electronic control for focusing.  It's frustrating when you want to focus quickly the focusing mechanism doesn't react as fast as on mechanical focusing rings.

 

As for vintage or modern lenses, again I say each to their own. I prefer modern lenses because they are faster to react than old vintage lenses.  I don't always have the luxury of taking 5mins to prepare each shot, half the time what I am covering is live action that doesn't stand still.  Even when I do portraits in a controlled studio type environment I prefer faster reacting lenses.  I would not trade away Nikon TTL and CLS for anything.

 

The only time I go full manual is when I use my 40+ year old Hasselblad 500 C/M medium format camera. Now that's full manual I could work with, but only for stuff where I have the luxury of time, like landscapes.  I've wanted to try large format photography too, but haven't found a good second hand model I like, or a new one I can justify the cost.

[Lockless]

Well most lenses these days, apart from focusing and zooming, the aperture is electronically controlled.  That's why half my lenses are Nikon non-G lenses.  I need the aperture ring for video, not for photos.

 

And I'm not a fan of current Sony E-mount lenses which seem to use a fly-by-wire electronic control for focusing.  It's frustrating when you want to focus quickly the focusing mechanism doesn't react as fast as on mechanical focusing rings.

 

As for vintage or modern lenses, again I say each to their own. I prefer modern lenses because they are faster to react than old vintage lenses.  I don't always have the luxury of taking 5mins to prepare each shot, half the time what I am covering is live action that doesn't stand still.  Even when I do portraits in a controlled studio type environment I prefer faster reacting lenses.  I would not trade away Nikon TTL and CLS for anything.

 

The only time I go full manual is when I use my 40+ year old Hasselblad 500 C/M medium format camera. Now that's full manual I could work with, but only for stuff where I have the luxury of time, like landscapes.  I've wanted to try large format photography too, but haven't found a good second hand model I like, or a new one I can justify the cost.

Well, I do a fair lot of street photography. First of, I'd argue auto-focusing is actually more effective for street photography. I just like totally analogue/manual lenses out of personal preference.

[ALwin]

Well, I do a fair lot of street photography. First of, I'd argue auto-focusing is actually more effective for street photography. I just like totally analogue/manual lenses out of personal preference.

 

I have no problem using AF, I use it a lot.  I just prefer that when I need to quickly switch to MF that the lens react as fast as I am turning the focusing ring and stop when my hand stops.  I'm trying out different Sony E-mount lenses to use with my soon to arrive video camera, and that electronic focusing ring is slow in every sense when I need to use it manually for focus pulling. Hence, I will be using my Nikon lenses with an E-Mount adapter.

 

But unfortunately I may have to buy a fully compatible E-Mount lens for run-n-gun filming where it may be unwise to rely on my ability to do accurate manual focus pulls when covering certain events.

 

But back to the topic of the Minolta, what about the 50mm version?  Have you looked for that model?

[Lockless]

I have no problem using AF, I use it a lot.  I just prefer that when I need to quickly switch to MF that the lens react as fast as I am turning the focusing ring and stop when my hand stops.  I'm trying out different Sony E-mount lenses to use with my soon to arrive video camera, and that electronic focusing ring is slow in every sense when I need to use it manually for focus pulling. Hence, I will be using my Nikon lenses with an E-Mount adapter.

 

But unfortunately I may have to buy a fully compatible E-Mount lens for run-n-gun filming where it may be unwise to rely on my ability to do accurate manual focus pulls when covering certain events.

 

But back to the topic of the Minolta, what about the 50mm version?  Have you looked for that model?

Well, I wanted an 85mm equivalent. Putting a bang-on 85mm on a crap frame can lead to a cesspool of problems from time to time. I should know, I use one on a crop sensor. I just hate using a flat 50 on a crop because its the same story I've had with a 28mm: A tendency to be tight and a tendency to be too wide. At some point, I'd prefer swapping between the 35 and 24 since for some reason, that extra 4mm focal length can be a bit of a headbanger. Same with the 85 on a crop, except it ends up more often too tight and strangely more impractical than what it is.

[ALwin]

snip

 

Or better yet, get rid of your cropped sensor mirrorless cameras or invest in the Leica rangefinder system? :rolleyes:   There are tons of good manual lenses and those rangefinder stuff are beautiful.

 

Or medium format, like a 500CM if you want vintage or something like a Pentax 645D if you want modern.  You will get super shallow depth of field, nice bokeh and good resolution.

[Lockless]

Or better yet, get rid of your cropped sensor mirrorless cameras or invest in the Leica rangefinder system? :rolleyes:   There are tons of good manual lenses and those rangefinder stuff are beautiful.

 

Or medium format, like a 500CM if you want vintage or something like a Pentax 645D if you want modern.  You will get super shallow depth of field, nice bokeh and good resolution.

Leicas are overpriced and I'm perfectly contented with crop sensors. Having lived with the D800E, I don't want to live with a DSLR anymore... even if it is a 100D.

[1823alex]

I'd recommend you also post this to /r/photography subreddit, there is a much larger community of people who know a LOT about older lens or off lens in general.

[Lockless]

I'd recommend you also post this to /r/photography subreddit, there is a much larger community of people who know a LOT about older lens or off lens in general.

Alright, I'll check that place out.