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Archive 2008 · Rokkor 85mm 1.7

esanchez
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Rokkor 85mm 1.7

I just picked up this bad boy, what do you guys think

Did I get a good deal or not

? Now I need help from someone to help me convert it to EOS mount.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=220322181631

Dec 04, 2008 at 09:52 AM

cogitech
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Rokkor 85mm 1.7

Yes, a good deal, for sure.

Dec 04, 2008 at 10:20 AM

esanchez
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Rokkor 85mm 1.7

cogitech

Do you have link on how you converted your 85mm 1.7

Dec 04, 2008 at 10:29 AM

cogitech
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Rokkor 85mm 1.7

No. I have not photo-documented the process. In fact, I want to redo mine with a new adapter (I've been waiting forever for a new shipment of adapters) because I screwed up on the first go around and the lens ended up with the focusing scale, etc. on the bottom when mounted on the camera. I should have stayed away from the port till I was finished

Koji has some info and photos here, though:

http://www.pbase.com/kkawakami/mctoef_mount_conversion

Dec 04, 2008 at 10:45 AM

mrladewig
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Rokkor 85mm 1.7

I'm still kicking myself for this mistake over the summer. At my local flea market, a fellow had some minolta gear including the Rokkor-X 35/1.8 and Rokkor-X 85/1.7. He was asking $20 for the 35/1.8 and I suppose I could have gotten the 85/1.7 for about the same, but didn't need the lenses and was out of cash and needed to stop by the ATM. I looked them up at KEH afterwards and immediately kicked myself.

I've watched for that guy at every flea market since and have not seen him.

Dec 04, 2008 at 01:52 PM

Ed Sawyer
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Rokkor 85mm 1.7

I was watching that one. It's a nice example but not a spectacularly cheap price. Id' say about market value generally.

Dec 04, 2008 at 01:56 PM

cogitech
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Rokkor 85mm 1.7

Ed Sawyer wrote:
I was watching that one. It's a nice example but not a spectacularly cheap price. Id' say about market value generally.

You must be shopping in a different market. Prices I have seen range from $275 to over $500.

Even in the Japanese market, I often see them go for between $300 and $400.

It is a relatively rare lens, compared to many other Rokkors discussed around here, as far as I can tell.

BTW, I have seen many people state that the MD and MC 85/1.7s are the same, but they are not:

http://www.rokkorfiles.com/photos/85mm-optical-formula.jpg

(Thank Antony from Rokkorfiles for these, but he also notes; "It is noted, however, that since first publishing this page it has been brought to my attention that Minolta literature exists from late in the MC era that shows the MC lens having the same structure as the MD. Accordingly, we can reach the conclusion that this change was made as a progressive upgrade actually during the production of the MC lens.")

So, when you get an MC, you don't really know which one you are getting

The original MC, BTW, has the best bokeh as tested by Antony:

http://www.rokkorfiles.com/85mm%20page%203.htm

Dec 04, 2008 at 02:53 PM

Ed Sawyer
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Rokkor 85mm 1.7

What, are those prices in Canadian dollars? ;-)

Seriously, your prices are about double what this usually sells for.

Really, not all that rare, in the big picture of rokkors. Varsoft, shift, VFC lenses are all a lot rarer as an example... though perhaps a touch more rare than the 58 1.2

see example ebay sales (these are only the ones I still had tracked, there were more around the same prices):

300274314933

200266021396 ($86! but less than perfect but still looks very usable)

140275297175 (one of the more pricey ones, a fairly rare 85 1.7 MD (which is rarer than MC I think)

360094963188

Even KEH has a half dozen or so between $275 and $350 and they are generally overpriced vs. ebay on most stuff, by a factor of 10-40% I think.

Indeed the formulas are different but both 1.7s are pretty similar. Looks like MD 1.7 was made to be a bit cheaper perhaps and maybe less flare? hard to speculate. Varsoft is quite a unique formula...

If I was looking for one of these I'd try for an MC also.

-Ed

Dec 04, 2008 at 10:24 PM

Planetwide
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Rokkor 85mm 1.7

tough call, the reviewer claims that 85's rated are as follows:

f2, md f/1.7, mc f/1.7 and the varisoft. Soon I will have the MD and access to a MC.

IMHO the best portrait lens is still the N mount 85mm F/1.4 but thats another story

Dec 04, 2008 at 11:09 PM

cogitech
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Rokkor 85mm 1.7

Andrew Gough wrote:
tough call, the reviewer claims that 85's rated are as follows:

f2, md f/1.7, mc f/1.7 and the varisoft. Soon I will have the MD and access to a MC.

IMHO the best portrait lens is still the N mount 85mm F/1.4 but thats another story

Andrew,

His results may be true regarding sharpness, but his results regarding bokeh are also true, IMO, and the MC 85/1.7 is quite respectably sharp even wide open (better than the usual suspects of 85/1.4s out there that I have tried) and the drawing style is even smoother than the 58/1.2 Rokkor (even wide open) but it has that gorgeously smooth Rokkor colour & contrast. Again, another Rokkor that has both Leica-like and Zeiss-like qualities.

Dec 04, 2008 at 11:23 PM

cogitech
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Rokkor 85mm 1.7

All of these are the MC 85/1.7 wide open on 5D:

http://www.cogitech.ca/photos/Rokkor8517/boy2.jpg

100%
http://www.cogitech.ca/photos/Rokkor8517/boy2crop.jpg

http://www.cogitech.ca/photos/Rokkor8517/img_3554.jpg

100% (ISO 1600, unfortunately):

http://www.cogitech.ca/photos/Rokkor8517/img_3554_1.jpg

http://www.cogitech.ca/photos/Rokkor8517/img_6957.jpg

http://www.cogitech.ca/photos/Rokkor8517/img_6968.jpg

http://www.cogitech.ca/photos/Rokkor8517/img_6973.jpg

The MC 85/1.7 could most accurately be described as a very "rich" lens, IMO.

Dec 04, 2008 at 11:31 PM

Planetwide
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Rokkor 85mm 1.7

Looks like I get to keep the MC version as well!

Paul, I am wondering if you encountered any surprises during the conversion?

Thanks

Andrew

Dec 05, 2008 at 09:25 AM

cogitech
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Rokkor 85mm 1.7

Yes. There are a couple of surprises, particularly compared to the 58/1.2 conversion. It is not difficult, but quite different.

I hope to re-do mine this weekend (just received my adapter shipment) and I'll make sure to photo-document the process.

In the meantime see the bottom 1/4 of this page by local member Koji http://www.pbase.com/kkawakami/mctoef_mount_conversion

Dec 05, 2008 at 09:42 AM

Ed Sawyer
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Rokkor 85mm 1.7

That is some smooth wide-open bokeh, no doubt. Almost as good as EF 85 1.2L I'd say.

-Ed

Dec 05, 2008 at 02:48 PM

JimBuchanan
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Rokkor 85mm 1.7

I would suggest using the lens adjustment screws under the ID ring for fine tuning infinity focus. The benefits are: no need for shims if you go too far, a source of error is eliminated (imprecise sanding or grinding, if done for the purpose of focus adjustment), and repeatable. Once you get that ID ring off the first time, it doesn't have to be super re-tightened. Regardless of the level of conversion, this should be part of it.

Ideally, the back should be retained, if possible, on the MC 85/1.7, as that would allow the full aperture mechanism to be retained.

This is the MD 85/1.7 with the full back retained. The silver ring of the MC version is built into the black back of the MD85/1.7, and becomes the new face of the lens that mates with the face of the EF mount on the camera.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3135/3078120550_b257e0fb79_o.jpg

Dec 05, 2008 at 03:14 PM


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