Minolta MC Rokkor HF 300mm 1:4.5 Tele – MC I – review

Published by Tony on 2019-04-182019-04-18

Minolta MC Rokkor HF 300mm 1:4.5 vintage manual lens review (Minolta MC Tele Rokkor-HF 1:4.5 f=300mm )

• Official classification: MC
• Collector’s classification: MC I

It’s difficult for me to make an objective conclusion about this lens – I don’t use such focal distances in real photo-sessions. This lens is for something like birds or foxes or maybe for Moon. Anyway – I can test it in the standard way.

Minolta MC Rokkor HF 300mm 1:4.5 specifications

More data

Minolta MC Rokkor HF 300mm 1:4.5 lens exterior

The lens mounted on camera Minolta SR-T101

BTW – this camera is a big brick of metal, but here it looks very elegant

Minolta MC Rokkor HF 300mm 1:4.5 sharpness

Сlose-distance resolution test, minimal distance

Testing methods description

• Target: 10-15 cm picture, printed on glossy photo paper
• Distance: 5m
• Camera: Sony A7II (24mpx, full-frame, tripod, remote control). M-mode, ISO fixed, WB fixed, SteadyShot – OFF.
• The test was repeated for every F-stop on every focus position with manual focus adjustment for each shot. That is to avoid the effect of field curvature.
• RAW processing: Capture One, default settings. All quality settings – 100%. Crops – 300×200 px

Original target image (printed in horizontal orientation on 10cm X 15cm glossy photo paper)

Scene preview

Test results

Long-distance resolution test

Testing methods description

• Target: cityscape
• Distance: > 200 meters to center focus point
• Camera: Sony A7II (24mpx, full-frame, tripod, remote control). M-mode, ISO fixed, WB fixed, SteadyShot – OFF. The focus point is on the center only.
• RAW processing: Capture One, default settings. All quality settings – 100%. Crops – 300×200 px

Scene preview

Test results

Minolta MC Rokkor HF 300mm 1:4.5 aberrations

Vignetting

Geometric distortion

Coma aberrations

Chromatic aberrations

Long-distance bokeh

Test#1

Test conditions: the lens was focused on 4.5m, buildings are on “infinity”-distance

Test#2

Test conditions: lens was focused on 8m

Light bubbles bokeh

Test #1

The lens is on the minimal focusing distance 4.5m, lights are on infinity (cityscape)

Test #2

Test conditions: lens was focused on 8m

Minolta MC Rokkor HF 300mm 1:4.5 final conclusion

Of course, the weight of this lens should be mentioned: 1150 g. For example, younger New-MD modification is 705g, lighter for 445g. Test results show that this lens doesn’t have something which can compensate for the weight. The IQ is nice, but without surprises, looks standard for long lenses of that era.

Everyone who says on photo-forums something like ‘real steel lenses are the best’ – have to get this one and enjoy. For collectors this lens is also ‘must-have’ – a beautiful example of engineering from ’60 which can be acquired for a reasonable price. And if you put it on the shelf, it will amaze your guests.

This lens took part in battles: