Minolta's soft-focus portrait lens — the Varisoft Rokkor 85mm f/2.8 with adjustable diffusion.
The Minolta Varisoft Rokkor 85mm f/2.8 is a soft-focus portrait manual-focus lens for Minolta reflex cameras from the late 1970s. The Varisoft name marks its defining feature, a control that adjusts the degree of soft-focus effect, letting the photographer dial in controllable diffusion. It was a specialist portrait lens rather than a general-purpose optic.
This is a manual-focus soft-focus lens with an 85mm focal length and a maximum aperture of f/2.8, distinguished by an adjustable soft-focus control that introduces spherical aberration deliberately. Only the focal length and aperture are stated as verified; other construction figures for this specialist lens are not confirmed here and are omitted rather than guessed.
The 85mm focal length is a classic portrait length, and the variable soft-focus mechanism lets the user grade the effect from sharp to strongly diffused, producing a dreamy glow around highlights favoured for flattering portraiture. Used at its sharpest setting it behaves closer to a conventional short telephoto, giving flexibility across styles.
On the used market this is a rare and specialist Varisoft Rokkor sought by collectors and portrait photographers wanting an in-camera soft-focus look. Given its age and unusual mechanism, inspect for haze, fungus and separation, confirm the aperture and the soft-focus adjustment both operate smoothly, and check the focus helicoid before buying. It is a niche lens that commands a premium.