Chiyoko 85mm 1:2.8 Super Rokkor – review

Chiyoko 85mm f:2.8 Super Rokkor aka Chiyoko Super Rokkor 1:2.8 f=85cm C (Minolta) lens review.

This lens is from the first years after WWII and it’s a part of the history of Japan’s photo-industry, from the times when the poor and the ruined country started the race against the world’s most famous corporations producing photo equipment and finally have won. The reason is clear – one glance at Super Rokkor 85mm is enough to see that it was created and built with incredible quality. Touching this lens drives me to feel that I touch history.

Some amateur photographers say that they love real ‘glass and metal’ lenses, and this feeling drives them to create better photos than with lenses that are built using plastic and rubber elements in construction. Quite often when saying these words they are holding in their hands something like Minolta MC or Canon FL or Nikon pre-AI, etc. I believe that these MC and FLs against this Chiyoko are looking like aluminum trinkets. (more…)

Chiyoda Kogaku 50mm 1:1.8 – review

Chiyoda Kogaku 50mm 1:1.8 (Minolta) aka Chiyoda Kogaku Super Rokkor 1:1.8 f=5cm (Minolta) – Japan LTM/LSM/m39 – vintage manual lens test and review

This is the first lens that was designed by Minolta in the post-war style – all previous lenses look very similar to West Germany Leica or Carl Zeiss designs. So, this Chiyoda Kogaku has started the look which was continued by the SR-mount lenses up to the moment when rubberized focus rings came into the industry – up to the middle of 70′. And it looks like that this lens made a big jump in optical IQ. (more…)