Originally designed as Leica Summicron-C 40mm 2.0 to ship with the Leica/Minolta CL, this Minolta 40mm 2.0 M-Rokkor version with same optical design (but allegedly improved coatings) was one of the three M-mount lenses destined to be used with the improved Minolta CLE. This is still one of the most compact M-mount lenses and one of few options if you are looking for a 40mm, so let’s have a closer look. This lens will be reviewed on the 42mp Sony A7rII and the 24mp Leica M10.
In 1971 – two years before the Leitz/Minolta CL with its 40mm 2.0 lens – Minolta released the Hi-Matic E, a compact fixed lens 35mm rangefinder camera with a 40mm 1.7 Rokkor-QF lens.
While this lens is manual focus its aperture is being controlled electronically, which is why it is very difficult to turn it into an interchangeable lens that can be used on other cameras.
There might be only one person crazy enough to salvage the lens elements from such a Hi-Matic E camera, design a new housing for them and adding a manually controlled aperture diaphragm and that is Miyazaki Sadayasu from MS-Optics.
I came across one of these rare lenses in a small camera shop in Hong Kong and as this was a bit of a “once in a lifetime opportunity” I bought it without really knowing what I am getting myself into, so here we are. This lens will be reviewed on the 42mp Sony A7rII and the 24mp Leica M10.
The Minolta 28mm 2.8 M-Rokkor was released alongside the Minolta CLE and is one of the most affordable 28mm M-mount lenses these days. Unfortunately it is also infamous for developing “white dot issues”, probably the main reason for this lens still being affordable on the used market. What is this all about and is it still a good idea to buy this lens or should you rather stay away from it? Let’s find out. Lens is being tested on 42mp Sony A7rII and 24mp Leica M10
The NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4 was the lens that almost all the pro photographers had on their cameras most of the time during the 60s, 70s and 80s and most young and aspiring photographers dreamed of having on their cameras. From an era when Nikon was the undisputed number one 35mm camera/lens system among professional photographers worldwide. The NIKKOR lenses had a reputation for being tough with outstanding quality, both optically and mechanically. This lens was, because of its popularity, in production long after the advent of the autofocus and even digital cameras and was sold new alongside AF and digital lenses until mid 2005. Let’s see how it fares today!
Meyer-Optik Görlitz Domiplan (Black Version) on Nikon Z6
The Meyer-Optik Görlitz Domiplan is a very small and compact lens, a classical anastigmatic triplet lens. It was the standard kit lens on EXA II cameras but was also sold as kit with many EXA I & Praktica cameras. Opinions on the Domiplan are very different. Some love it for its sharpness and its bokeh, especially its so-called “Soap Bubble” bokeh, others think it is nothing more than average in performance. In the manufacturer’s brochure of this lens from 1960 you can read:
“With our new Domiplan 2.8/50 mm we have combined the advantages of the modern lens mount and the fully automatic pressure diaphragm with an extremely inexpensive three-lens construction.”
I’ll come back to “the fully automatic pressure diaphragm” later in the review. Also as the first point in a features list in the same brochure you can read:
” – Inexpensive three-lens anastigmat of the proven triplet type”
The underlining is done by me, not in the original text. So it should be clear that we are dealing with a cheap and simple lens. Just to have our expectations at somewhat right levels. Do not despair though! It can produce very nice pictures and is quite cheap too. Continue reading and it might be the next lens you invest in after all. Let’s have a closer look!
Sony α | Leica M | Nikon Z/F New articles every week
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