Tuesday, June 9

Long telephoto

Minolta MC Rokkor-PE 300mm F5.6













This lens dates back to around 1975 and was the last MC models before the MD series with its additional minimum aperture coupling tab was launched for the XD7 and XD5 cameras  in 1977.
Optically it uses the same glassware as the MD version but due to only having the one meter coupling can't display the correct reading using the XD series Shutter priority exposure mode  although it will work as well as the X700's program mode (although frankly you'd never use program with a long telephoto lens) as both meter the exposure at the point of taking the picture.
Its maximum aperture is par the course for that era so the viewfinder will be a bit dim but perfectly serviceable compared to the shorter telephoto lenses although I'd point out Olympus only offered a F4.5 version for the OM system and the filter thread is a easy to use 55mm.
The practical upshot is so long as like me you could do without using the Shutter priority mode on the XD7, what you do get is actually a really good marque lens for very little money as trying to make a good lens of this focal length is difficult and back in the 1970's and 80's, many independent lens makes struggled to.
They offered okay rather than great lenses at prices people could afford back then new but today there's no reason to limit yourself that way buying used. 
Serial number: 1018533