Production
1958 – 1967
Country
Japan
Optical
6 elements in 5 groups
Updated
Jul 16, 2026
Minolta Rokkor PF
Minolta SR · 55mm · f/2
Compiled from 1 real reviews · AI-assisted · accuracy-checked · Updated 16 Jul 2026
Overview
The Rokkor-PF is one of the cornerstone standard-lens families from Minolta, a Japanese maker (founded 1928, camera division active until Sony took over in 2003) that was one of the most innovative optical houses of the 20th century — first with TTL metering on the SR-T, an early adopter of computer-aided lens design, and a firm whose reputation led to a well-documented cooperation with Leica. The 'PF' is a period Minolta construction code, not a coating claim: P = Penta (five groups) and F = Six (six elements), so every Rokkor-PF is a classic 6-elements-in-5-groups design. Note that on the MC lenses the letters 'MC' likewise mean 'Meter Coupled' (communicating the set aperture to the camera meter), not multi-coating. The designation spans several focal lengths — the Auto Rokkor-PF 55mm f/2 (introduced 1958, four versions), the MC Rokkor-PF 58mm f/1.4 (MC I from 1966, MC II from 1969), and the MC Rokkor-PF 100mm f/2.5 (1969) all wear it. The 58mm f/1.4 in particular is described as a legendary piece of glass among vintage enthusiasts and is 'sometimes referred to as the bokeh king of its era,' loved for its dreamy wide-open look that firms into a fairly sharp performer stopped down. A useful bit of lore: unlike the faster 58mm f/1.2 (which is radioactive) and some rival 58mm designs, the Rokkor-PF f/1.4 does not use Thorium elements, so it is not prone to the glass-yellowing that plagues those lenses. The cult following rests on that combination of legendary rendering, tank-like all-metal build, and famously cheap used pricing.
Verdict: This is a character-first family for photographers who prize mood over clinical resolution: shoot it wide open and you get the gentle, dreamy, low-contrast look that made the 58mm f/1.4 a fabled 'bokeh king,' then stop down and it becomes a genuinely competent, detailed standard lens. It will frustrate anyone chasing corner-to-corner sharpness or high contrast on the cheap, but for those who want a beautifully built, endlessly affordable all-metal classic with a distinctive soft-to-sharp dual personality, the Rokkor-PF is a joy.
Optical Character
Sharpness wide open
Very good center and good midframe wide open with only the extreme corners soft, rising to very good/excellent center and very good midframe by f/2.8; corners lag until stopped down further.
Contrast
Low global contrast wide open, improving when stopped down but never truly brilliant.
Vignetting
Moderate wide open (~1.9EV at f/2), roughly ~0.9EV by f/2.8 and ~0.4EV by f/4, described as average for a normal lens.
Community Insights
What people love
- The dreamy, atmospheric wide-open rendering — the 58mm f/1.4's reputation as a 'bokeh king' is the headline draw
- Excellent, all-metal build quality; on the 55mm f/2 the reviewer notes it still operates like new after 50+ years and 'doesn't get much better than this even if you spend $1000 today'
- Silky, well-damped focus rings (the 100mm's hills-and-valleys ring is called silky smooth) and, on the 55mm, one of the nicest aperture rings the reviewer has used, with distinctive half-stop clicks
- The way it firms up dramatically when stopped down one to two stops, giving both a soft look and a usable sharp look from one lens
- Being genuinely cheap on the used market for the character it delivers
- On the PF f/1.4 specifically, no Thorium/radioactive glass, so no yellowing to correct — unlike the faster f/1.2 sibling
What people dislike
- Soft and low-contrast wide open — the reviews are explicit that if you want a sharp, cheap vintage lens, this isn't it
- Contrast that stays merely good rather than brilliant even after stopping down (noted for the 100mm f/2.5)
- Corners that remain soft until you stop down well past maximum aperture
- Visible vignetting at the widest aperture that some shooters will want to correct
- On the 100mm, an aperture ring described as feeling somewhat simple and very 'clicky'
Pro Tips
- Embrace the wide-open personality: shoot the fast versions at maximum aperture when you specifically want the soft, dreamy, low-contrast look — that's the lens's signature, not a fault
- For critical sharpness, stop down one to two stops (about f/2 on the 58mm, f/2.8 on the 55mm, f/4 on the 100mm) where centers snap into very good territory
- Expect low contrast wide open — meter for the highlights and plan to add contrast in post if you want punch, rather than fighting it in-camera
- Correct or compose around the moderate wide-open vignetting; it largely disappears by f/2.8–f/4
- Use the smooth, long-throw manual focus deliberately — precise focus matters most wide open where depth of field is thin and rendering is softest
Sample Photos
Sources (1)
Web research
This is a character-first family for photographers who prize mood over clinical resolution: shoot it wide open and you get the gentle, dreamy, low-contrast look that made the 58mm f/1.4 a fabled 'bokeh king,' then stop down and it becomes a genuinely competent, detailed standard lens. It will frustrate anyone chasing corner-to-corner sharpness or high contrast on the cheap, but for those who want a beautifully built, endlessly affordable all-metal classic with a distinctive soft-to-sharp dual personality, the Rokkor-PF is a joy.
https://opticallimits.com/vintage/vintage-lens-test-minolta-mc-rokkor-pf-58mm-f-1-4/https://opticallimits.com/vintage/vintage-lens-test-minolta-mc-rokkor-pf-100mm-f-2-5/https://phillipreeve.net/blog/review-minolta-auto-rokkor-pf-55-mm-f-2/