Quantaray 500mm f8 Mirror
Most Quantaray lenses were made by Sigma and some were made by Tamron and Tokina. This lens performs like a Sigma Mirror lens. It is reasonably sharp if you can hold it steady. It has the typical ringed bokeh we see from mirror lenses. Contrast is surprisingly high. While it is not a Zeiss or even a Tamron in quality, it is still far better than any of the off-brands flooding the market.




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Minolta Tele Rokkor 30cm f4.5
Filter Size:
Lens mount:
Aperture Range:
Close Focus:
Macro Ratio
Year Introduced:
Tested with...
72mm
Minolta SR
f4.5 - ?
n/a
n/a
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The Minolta Tele Rokkor 30cm f4.5 is capable of producing high quality images if you are willing to remember a few very important things.
First, shoot at f5.6 or higher. F8 is a good choice. Second, use a sturdy tripod with a strong head. This lens is long and heavy. Third, remember that this lens is designed for long distance work and subject isolation. It's not good choice for candids, sports or landscapes.
My Eos M3 looks tiny attached to the Minolta Tele Rokkor 30cm f4.5. Focusing can be a chore because the lens is a 470mm on sub frame bodies. Camera shake is difficult to avoid. The shots below were taken with the lens resting on a bean bag and shuuter speeds of 1/640th or higher. The focus ring is beautifully dampened and silky smooth. The tripod ring is adjustable . It has a built in hood which extends far enough to block any stray light.
Sharpness is very good at f5.6 but fringing can be seen if you are a pixel peeper. The fringing is a simple color shift and easily corrected. It is unlikely that it could be seen in 8x10 prints. At f8 it is very sharp and fringing is not an issue. F4.5 is a bit soft.
Bokeh is very pleasing and smooth. Subject isolation is excellent.
Color rendition is accurate. Contrast is excellent at all apertures. Shadow detail is decent but don't expect a Zeiss Sonnar's performance.
Black & white rendition is very good.
If you have the time and patience to set up a blind, you could get some nice wildlife images with the Tele Rokkor 30cm f4.5.

f8 - ISO 400

f8 - ISO 400

b/w - simple conversion

f4.5 - 100% crop - fringing

f8 - ISO 400

f8 - 100% crop

f8 - ISO 400 - subject isolation