Minolta MC 100mm f/2.5

One purpose of this blog is to discuss the photographic tools I use to create my visual art. This is one such post and the tool I am discussing today is the Minolta MC 100mm f/2.5.

In the past year or so I have discovered the joy of vintage glass. In particular, Minolta. This is a dead brand in a sense. Minolta was bought by Sony in 2005 I believe but the tech they pioneered lives on in the Sony line of cameras and lenses. More on this in a later post.

I was surprised to learn just how sought after this old glass is due to its incredible performance and character. This particular lens was made circa 1970 and looks and performs just as it did then. Beautifully. I will briefly discuss the pros and cons of vintage glass and describe what I like about this lens in particular.

A modern lens is like a modern car. It’s designed for speed and efficiency. A contemporary lens is often sterile and lacks something that is of great value to the artist and that is a unique visual character. This lens in particular has a prismatic color flare that resembles a rainbow. You have to search for it but when you find the right combination of light and framing, the colors shoot across the image in spectacular fashion. This lens is quite sharp even wide open and is great for portraits and close-ups. Wide open, the background melts away and produces subtle and appealing bokeh. The obvious con is the minimum focus distance at about four feet.

Vintage glass is not for everyone nor is it for every job or photographic task but it is for the artist. I took this lens to Turkey Mountain here in Tulsa today and am very pleased with the images. Below I have added several stills, some before and after editing, as well as a short video. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy.