Minolta's standard f/1.7 fifty — the workhorse MC Rokkor that equipped a generation of Minolta shooters.
The Minolta MC Rokkor PF 50mm f/1.7 is the standard fast fifty from Minolta's MC-era lens lineup, produced throughout the 1970s. The PF designation indicates a 6-element, 5-group optical design. As the most commonly supplied standard lens with Minolta SRT bodies, it was the lens that introduced millions of photographers to the Minolta system.
Optical performance is good for a vintage standard prime. Sharpness is acceptable from f/1.7 and good by f/2.8, becoming excellent at f/5.6. The Rokkor multi-coating provides decent flare resistance. Colour rendition shares the warm, pleasant character of the Minolta Rokkor family. Bokeh is reasonably smooth with six aperture blades — not as refined as the f/1.4 version.
Minolta SR mount (MC series), manual focus. Filter thread is 55mm. Weight is approximately 210 grams — compact and well-balanced. Build quality is solid metal construction with a smooth focus helicoid. Several versions exist with minor cosmetic and optical variations across the production run — all are optically similar and perfectly capable.
Very common and cheap on the used market — often under £30. Check for haze, fungus, and smooth aperture ring operation. An excellent budget option for vintage lens enthusiasts. Adapts easily to Sony E-mount via SR adapters. The f/1.4 MC Rokkor-PG version offers superior rendering for those willing to pay more.