MINOLTA 7.5mm f4.0 LENSES

MINOLTA 7.5mm f4.0 LENSES

Most amateur photographers are not familiar with fisheye lenses, and for good reason. They are expensive, esoteric optics that are little advertised and less understood. Regular lenses are all corrected for linear distortion, both barrel and pinchusion, so that straight lines in a subject will appear as straight lines in the picture. A fisheye, on the other hand, is not corrected for this distortion, and straight lines appear curved. There are two types of fisheye lenses -- full-frame and circular -- and Minolta made both types. The 16mm is of the full-frame type, while the 7.5mm is of the circular type.

All lenses create a circular image in the camera, but only the rectangular central portion is captured by the film. The same is true for fisheye lenses. But the 7.5mm optic is different in that this circle is made small enough to fit inside the film frame, and not the other way around. Since the image on 35mm film can only be 24mm across, the image from the 7.5mm lens is 22mm across. It has only 1mm to spare on each side.

In order to see 180°, the front element of the lens actually protrudes. This means that you can't use regular filters on the lens but it has several built-in filters. This may not be all you would like to use, but they cover most situations. And if you are of the creative, mechanical sort, you can even affix gelatin filters to the rear of the lens for special situations. The lens comes with a special metal front lens cap which must be used judiciously.

Unlike many of Minolta's lenses, the 7.5mm fisheye changed very little over time. All of the lenses are fixed-focus at four feet. There is actually little need for a focusing lens in this focal length since the minimum depth-of-field is from 1.5 feet to infinity. And if that isn't enough, you can stop down the lens and focus objects as close as seven inches! And it's a good idea to stop down with this lens anyway. There's plenty of distortion at the edges of the image, and stopping down improves this noticeably. The lens' built-in filters are changed by rotating a collar around the lens body. If you haven't fully clicked-in the filter, a red line appears to warn you.

The 7.5mm lens isn't for everyone. Many people don't like the photographic effect, and some people are even disturbed by its distortion. Add to this the high price tag, and it's no wonder it's not a best seller. But with attention to detail, striking images can be obtained. No matter which version you purchase, you'll achieve outstanding results.

Since all of these lenses see 180° is all directions a lens shade is not supplied, nor is one usable. In fact, it's hard to keep your feet out of the picture!

The competition

While there were a couple of preset fisheye lenses made, there is really only one alternative to the 7.5mm from Minolta, the Sigma 8mm f4.0. It's a quality shooter, but hard to find and nearly as expensive as the Minolta.

MINOLTA 7.5mm f4.0 LENSES

LENS FEATURES IMAGE COMMENTS

FOCAL LENGTH: 7.5mm
f-STOPS: 4-22
PERIOD: 1972-1977
INSCRIPTION: MINOLTA LENS MADE IN JAPAN MC FISHEYE ROKKOR-X 1:4 f=7.5mm
DESIGN: 12/8
FILTER: built-in
DIAPHRAGM: auto
MC: yes
MD: no
CLOSE FOCUS: 1.5'
SIZE: 2.7"x2.5"
WEIGHT: 12.7 oz. The 7.5mm focal length first appeared in the MC Rokkor-X line-up. This lens is a fixed-focus (at four feet) lens with a circular fisheye perspective. Like the 16mm, it has several built-in filters: 1A, R60 (red), 85, Y52 (yellow), 80B, and FLD.

FOCAL LENGTH: 7.5mm
f-STOPS: 4-22
PERIOD: 1977-1981
INSCRIPTION:
EARLY STYLE: MINOLTA LENS MADE IN JAPAN MD FISHEYE ROKKOR-X 1:4 f=7.5mm
LATE STYLE: MINOLTA MD FISHEYE ROKKOR-X 7.5mm 1:4 LENS MADE IN JAPAN
DESIGN: 12/8
FILTER: built-in
DIAPHRAGM: auto
MC: yes
MD: yes
CLOSE FOCUS: 1.5'
SIZE: 2.7"x2.5"
WEIGHT: 12.2 oz. An updated version of the MC Rokkor-X 7.5mm fisheye with the typical changes of the MD Rokkor-X series. It had the same optical design as the original and kept the same built-in filters: 1A, R60 (red), 85, Y52 (yellow), 80B, and FDL.

FOCAL LENGTH: 7.5mm
f-STOPS: 4-22
PERIOD: 1977-1981
INSCRIPTION:
MINOLTA MD FISHEYE ROKKOR-X 7.5mm 1:4 LENS MADE IN JAPAN
DESIGN: 12/8
FILTER: built-in
DIAPHRAGM: auto
MC: yes
MD: yes
CLOSE FOCUS: 1.5'
SIZE: 2.7"x2.5"
WEIGHT: 12.2 oz. A later version of the MD Rokkor-X 7.5mm fisheye with a change to the "names" of the built-in filters. They are now: Normal (1A), R60 (red), A12 (85), Y52 (yellow), B12 (80B), and FLD.

FOCAL LENGTH: 7.5mm
f-STOPS: 4-22
PERIOD: 1981-present
INSCRIPTION: MINOLTA MD FISH-EYE 7.5mm 1:4 JAPAN
DESIGN: 12/8
FILTER: built-in
DIAPHRAGM: auto
MC: yes
MD: yes
CLOSE FOCUS: 1.5'
SIZE: 2.7"x2.5"
WEIGHT: 12.5 oz. An updated version of the MD Rokkor-X 7.5mm fisheye with the typical changes of the MD Minolta series. It had the same optical design as the original and kept the same built-in filters of its predecessor: Normal (1A), R60 (red), A12 (85), Y52 (yellow), B12 (80B), and FDL. The focus-confirmation tab was added (despite the fact that this is a fixed-focus lens) along with the MD lock, but these are the only functional differences.

MINOLTA 7.5mm f4.0 LENSES
LENS FEATURES	IMAGE	COMMENTS
FOCAL LENGTH: 7.5mm f-STOPS: 4-22 PERIOD: 1972-1977 INSCRIPTION: MINOLTA LENS MADE IN JAPAN MC FISHEYE ROKKOR-X 1:4 f=7.5mm DESIGN: 12/8 FILTER: built-in DIAPHRAGM: auto MC: yes MD: no CLOSE FOCUS: 1.5' SIZE: 2.7"x2.5" WEIGHT: 12.7 oz.		The 7.5mm focal length first appeared in the MC Rokkor-X line-up. This lens is a fixed-focus (at four feet) lens with a circular fisheye perspective. Like the 16mm, it has several built-in filters: 1A, R60 (red), 85, Y52 (yellow), 80B, and FLD.
FOCAL LENGTH: 7.5mm f-STOPS: 4-22 PERIOD: 1977-1981 INSCRIPTION: EARLY STYLE: MINOLTA LENS MADE IN JAPAN MD FISHEYE ROKKOR-X 1:4 f=7.5mm LATE STYLE: MINOLTA MD FISHEYE ROKKOR-X 7.5mm 1:4 LENS MADE IN JAPAN DESIGN: 12/8 FILTER: built-in DIAPHRAGM: auto MC: yes MD: yes CLOSE FOCUS: 1.5' SIZE: 2.7"x2.5" WEIGHT: 12.2 oz.		An updated version of the MC Rokkor-X 7.5mm fisheye with the typical changes of the MD Rokkor-X series. It had the same optical design as the original and kept the same built-in filters: 1A, R60 (red), 85, Y52 (yellow), 80B, and FDL.
FOCAL LENGTH: 7.5mm f-STOPS: 4-22 PERIOD: 1977-1981 INSCRIPTION: MINOLTA MD FISHEYE ROKKOR-X 7.5mm 1:4 LENS MADE IN JAPAN DESIGN: 12/8 FILTER: built-in DIAPHRAGM: auto MC: yes MD: yes CLOSE FOCUS: 1.5' SIZE: 2.7"x2.5" WEIGHT: 12.2 oz.		A later version of the MD Rokkor-X 7.5mm fisheye with a change to the "names" of the built-in filters. They are now: Normal (1A), R60 (red), A12 (85), Y52 (yellow), B12 (80B), and FLD.
FOCAL LENGTH: 7.5mm f-STOPS: 4-22 PERIOD: 1981-present INSCRIPTION: MINOLTA MD FISH-EYE 7.5mm 1:4 JAPAN DESIGN: 12/8 FILTER: built-in DIAPHRAGM: auto MC: yes MD: yes CLOSE FOCUS: 1.5' SIZE: 2.7"x2.5" WEIGHT: 12.5 oz.		An updated version of the MD Rokkor-X 7.5mm fisheye with the typical changes of the MD Minolta series. It had the same optical design as the original and kept the same built-in filters of its predecessor: Normal (1A), R60 (red), A12 (85), Y52 (yellow), B12 (80B), and FDL. The focus-confirmation tab was added (despite the fact that this is a fixed-focus lens) along with the MD lock, but these are the only functional differences.

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The material on this website is protected by US Federal copyright laws. It cannot be copied or used in any manner without specific approval from the owner.