Does anyone own or have previously owned a Minolta C.E. Lens for enlargers? I'm interested in the 80mm 1:5.6 lens. How are they optically? I am wondering if they are as good as my El Nikkor's.

-- George Lee (glee@haglerbailly.com), May 11, 1999

Answers

I pulled this information from the Minolta User's Group page (www.hempac.net/mug/), from the Manual Focus Lens FAQ. -----

Date: Fri, 04 Sep 1998 08:55:44 +0100 From: Mike Nobbs (viking01@globalnet.co.uk) Subject: Re: Minolta Miscellany

The Minolta enlarger lenses are in 2 types: a) E.Rokkors which from were made in 30, 50, 75 and 105mm b) CE Rokkors which were made in 30, 50 and 80mm focal length.

The E Rokkors are satin chrome and small and 4 elements The CE Rokkors are bigger and have rubber grip similar to MD lens and are 6 element I believe the C has something to do with colour correction.

All have normal 39 thread. The 30mm whilst apparently attractive as a WA lens will not cover a 35mm neg as it was intended for 16mm.

The CE Rokkors are superb lenses, probably without equal. The E Rokkors are fine but do not equal the CE especially in colour work. Later CE may not be called CE Rokkor, I have a later one called The 50 CE has a usefully larger aperture of 2.8 compared with 4.5 of E

Data on CE Rokkors: 30 f2.8: Variant Gauss type for up to 13x17 6 elements in 5 groups, Amber coating f2.8-16 50 f2.8: Variant Gauss type for up to 24x36 6 elements in 5 groups, Amber coating f2.8-22 80 f5.6: Orthometar type for up to 6x7cm, 6 elements in 4 groups, Amber & Magenta coating f5.6-45

Mike Nobbs, King's Lynn, England

-- Hal Haygood (hhaygood@earthlink.net), May 14, 1999.

ARGH! Sorry about the formatting. Fixed here:

I pulled this information from the Minolta User's Group page (www.hempac.net/mug/), from the Manual Focus Lens FAQ. -----

Date: Fri, 04 Sep 1998 08:55:44 +0100 From: Mike Nobbs (viking01@globalnet.co.uk) Subject: Re: Minolta Miscellany

The Minolta enlarger lenses are in 2 types:

a) E.Rokkors which from were made in 30, 50, 75 and 105mm

b) CE Rokkors which were made in 30, 50 and 80mm focal length.

The E Rokkors are satin chrome and small and 4 elements

The CE Rokkors are bigger and have rubber grip similar to MD lens and are 6 element

I believe the C has something to do with colour correction.

All have normal 39 thread.

The 30mm whilst apparently attractive as a WA lens will not cover a 35mm neg as it was intended for 16mm.

The CE Rokkors are superb lenses, probably without equal. The E Rokkors are fine but do not equal the CE especially in colour work. Later CE may not be called CE Rokkor, I have a later one called The 50 CE has a usefully larger aperture of 2.8 compared with 4.5 of E

Data on CE Rokkors:

30 f2.8: Variant Gauss type for up to 13x17 6 elements in 5 groups, Amber coating f2.8-16

50 f2.8: Variant Gauss type for up to 24x36 6 elements in 5 groups, Amber coating f2.8-22

80 f5.6: Orthometar type for up to 6x7cm, 6 elements in 4 groups, Amber & Magenta coating f5.6-45

Mike Nobbs, King's Lynn, England

-- Hal Haygood (hhaygood@earthlink.net), May 14, 1999.

Funny you should ask. I just traded an El Nikkor for a C E. Upon first use the Minolta seems sharper and a little more contraster. My tests are limited for I am playing with film and developer combos.

-- Rod Rich (rodrich@mindspring.com), February 19, 2000.