Minolta's compact early portrait tele — the 100mm f/3.5 Tele Rokkor-QE from the late 1950s.
The Minolta Tele Rokkor-QE 100mm f/3.5 is a compact short-telephoto manual-focus lens for Minolta reflex cameras from the late 1950s. The Tele prefix marks its telephoto function. As a slower, lighter 100mm it served as an affordable portrait and general telephoto lens in the first generation of Minolta SLR optics.
This is a manual-focus short-telephoto lens with a 100mm focal length and a maximum aperture of f/3.5. The QE designation encodes the element and group arrangement in Minolta's scheme. Beyond the confirmed focal length and aperture, exact construction figures for this early lens are not verified here and are omitted rather than estimated.
The 100mm focal length is a classic portrait length, giving pleasant compression and comfortable working distance. With a moderate f/3.5 maximum aperture the lens is compact and light, well suited to portraits, travel and general telephoto duty in good light where extreme speed is not required.
On the used market this is a common and affordable early tele Rokkor, popular with Minolta collectors and vintage-glass adapters. Owing to its age, check for haze, fungus and separation, confirm the aperture blades are clean and quick, and ensure the focus ring turns smoothly. Look over the single coating for wear, and use an appropriate adapter for mirrorless mounting.