A Weekend with Legendary Minolta Optics
As a fan of vintage Minolta glass, I was thrilled to recently add two legends to my collection: the Minolta MD Zoom 35-70mm f/3.5 Macro and the MD W.Rokkor 28mm f/2. The 35-70mm is famous for its Leica connection because the optical design and glass elements are virtually identical to the Vario Elmar R. It is a lens known for sharpness that rivals the primes of its era while maintaining those classic “Minolta colors.” In contrast, the 28mm f/2 is a high speed wide angle lens known for its dreamy character and painterly fall off when shot wide open. Adapting these vintage lenses to a modern sensor is a rewarding process as it allows for a unique look to be created that blends legacy glass with today’s digital clarity.
Below are some shots taken with the 35-70mm:
Below are some frames from the Rokkor 28mm f/2. Included are shots taken wide open, to showcase that dreamy vintage glow, and shots taken stopped-down to show that the lens is also capable of achieving clinical sharpness where needed.
All photos in this post are taken with my Fujifilm X-E1. That first generation X-Trans sensor is fantastic.