Fast Soligor 135mm f/2.8 for Minolta MD, brighter and better bokeh than the standard f/3.5 at budget pricing.
The Soligor 135mm f/2.8 is a fast telephoto prime in Minolta MD mount, offering a brighter f/2.8 aperture than the typical f/3.5 135mm lenses. The faster aperture provides better subject isolation, brighter viewfinder, and improved low-light capability at the popular portrait telephoto focal length.
The f/2.8 aperture is notably faster than Minolta's own MD 135mm f/3.5, providing significantly more background blur for portraits and easier manual focusing thanks to the brighter viewfinder image. Soligor lenses were manufactured by various quality Japanese optical companies under the Allied Impex trading brand.
Build quality is solid with an all-metal barrel and smooth focusing ring. The lens handles well on Minolta MD bodies, and the wider aperture provides a genuine practical advantage over slower 135mm alternatives for portrait and low-light work.
The Soligor 135mm f/2.8 offers a faster alternative to Minolta's own 135mm at affordable used prices. The f/2.8 speed advantage provides meaningfully better portrait bokeh and low-light capability than the more common f/3.5 135mm lenses.