Minolta MC Rokkor QF 200mm 1:3.5 – MC II – review

Published by Tony on 2019-04-242019-04-24

Minolta MC Rokkor QF 200mm 1:3.5 vintage manual lens review (Minolta MC Tele Rokkor-QF 1:3.5 f=200mm)

• Official classification: MC
• Collector’s classification: MC II, Hills &Valleys, Knurled

The first impression was – it’s solid and heavy. It would be strange to recommend this lens today for photographers because many other much lighter options on 200mm focal distance are available, but for guys who like to take portraits with the feeling of a big piece of steel and glass in the hand – that’s the paradise. Anyway – a good IQ is also a trait of this lens.

Minolta MC Rokkor QF 200mm 1:3.5 (MC-II) specifications:

More data

Minolta MC Rokkor QF 200mm 1:3.5 lens exterior

Minolta MC Rokkor QF 200mm 1:3.5 mounted on camera Minolta SR-T101

Minolta MC Rokkor QF 200mm 1:3.5 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 QF 200mm 1:3.5 aberrations

Vignetting

Geometric distortion

Coma aberrations

Chromatic aberrations

Long-distance bokeh

Test#1

Test conditions: the lens was focused on 2.5m, buildings are on “infinity”-distance

Test#2

Test conditions: lens was focused on 4m

Light bubbles bokeh

Test #1

The lens is on the minimal focusing distance 2.5m, lights are on infinity (cityscape)

Test #2

Test conditions: lens was focused on 4m

MINOLTA MC TELE ROKKOR QF 200MM F:3.5 – final conclusion:

As I said above – there is no need to recommend this lens for everyone because of the combination of a couple of factors. Firstly – it’s big and heavy. From my point of view of course. There are enough options with this focal distance are presented on the market for photographers, including made by Minolta too – look at the reviews of New-MD generation on this site. The difference with Minolta New-MD 200mm 1:2.8 is just about 10%, not a big, but in real life that 80g can be important. And don’t forget about long zooms, which can provide speeds close to F4. And remember about modern lightweight lenses too.

Secondly, it is slower (F 3.5) than later modifications (F 2.8), this is not a big difference at all but in sum, we have the lens which is a little bit slower and a little bit heavier.

What about the advantages? Definitely, it’s a nice performer. I don’t think that a photographer will feel the lack of IQ if shooting with this lens. Only chromatic aberrations can be called as heavy, all other tests show very nice results. Of course, it draws creamy bokeh and can cut an object from a background on any reasonable distance, yes, I know – it is not a surprise for any lens with such focal distance but anyway.

Like many other lenses of Minolta MC, it is easy to service and the owner can fix most of the possible issues without special skills and expensive tools.

And… It has a build-in lens-shade! The really great advantage.

The conclusion is predictable – a little bit heavy portrait lens but with a nice IQ and for a reasonable price.