MINOLTA 25mm f2.5 LENSES

MINOLTA 25mm f2.5 LENSES

Minolta sold and made a wide range of lenses designed for use on a bellows and for micro-photography. One series were the 25mm lenses. These are really microscope lenses and function admirably in that capacity having a standard microscope thread. But Minolta knew that many users would be photographers and many would want to use this lens in the field. Their first attempt was to take a Leitz microscope lens and add an adapter which has a microscope thread on one side and a Minolta SLR bayonet on the other. Part of the manufacture of the lens was probably handled by Minolta, but the product had the Leitz name on it. It was very expensive and sales were sluggish.

This lens can be used on most microscopes with a 20.32mm thread or it can be used on any Minolta-mount bellows with a suitable adapter. There were three adapters to convert microscope-threaded lenses onto the Minolta mount. The M adapter was produced in the Leitz/Minolta era for the Photar lenses. It has about 20mm of extension. Later, Minolta made the flat M-1 Adapter, and the M-2 Adapter which has about 40mm of extension.

Bellows lenses are sometimes referred to as short-mount lenses since the part of the lens barrel that focuses the lens is gone. It's not needed since these lenses are designed to be used on a bellows and the bellows does the focusing. This keeps the lenses small, light and less expensive. You can actually use enlarging lenses as a bellows lens. All you need is an adapter. The results are superb, so you can save some money if you already own a enlarging lens. Just make sure it is a top quality enlarging lens like the Minolta Rokkor enlarging lenses. Bellows lenses have certain advantages over enlarging lenses in use, but optically they are very similar.

Minolta made bellows lenses in five focal lengths:

They also made a wide variety of enlarging lenses that make exellent bellows lenses with the correct adapter. In addition, they made macro lenses in 50mm and 100mm lenses which allow close-up phogograhy WITHOUT a bellows, but if you REALLY want to get close, you need a bellows and a bellows lens!

MINOLTA 25mm f2.5 LENSES

LENS FEATURES

IMAGE

COMMENTS

FOCAL LENGTH: 25mm
f-STOPS: 2.5-11
PERIOD: 1972-1977
INSCRIPTION: LEITZ PHOTAR
DESIGN: 6/4
FILTER: --
DIAPHRAGM: manual
MC: no
MD: no
CLOSE FOCUS: --
SIZE: 0.9"x0.6"
WEIGHT: 1.9oz.

In the 1970's Minolta and Leitz collaborated to sell a few of their products under the other's name. For example, the Minolta XE-7 was sold by Leitz as the Leica R3, while a few Leica lenses were sold for Minolta users. One was Leitz's 25mm Photar lens. It is a microscope lens, with an RMS mount, and designed for use on a bellows. An M adapter was sold for use with a Minolta camera. Designed for magnifications of 2X to 10X.

FOCAL LENGTH: 25mm
f-STOPS: 2.5-16
PERIOD: 1977-1981
INSCRIPTION: MINOLTA BELLOWS MICRO ROKKOR-X 25mm 1:2.5 LENS MADE IN JAPAN
DESIGN: 6/4
FILTER: special
DIAPHRAGM: manual
MC: no
MD: no
CLOSE FOCUS: --
SIZE: 1.3"x0.7"
WEIGHT: 1.5oz.

An updated version of the 25mm Leitz Photar microscope lens – this time made by Minolta. It increased the aperture range, and added a tab for easier f-stop change. M-1 and M-2 adapters were added for use with a Minolta camera. An tiny, accessory, gelatin filter holder was available for the rear of the lens.

FOCAL LENGTH: 25mm
f-STOPS: 2.5-16
PERIOD: 1981-present
INSCRIPTION: MINOLTA BELLOWS MICRO 25mm 1:2.5 JAPAN
DESIGN: 6/4
FILTER: special
DIAPHRAGM: manual
MC: no
MD: no
CLOSE FOCUS: --
SIZE: 1.3"x0.7"
WEIGHT: 1.5oz.

Identical to the MD Rokkor-X 25mm 2.5 bellows lens but without the "ROKKOR" name, and sold at the same time as the MD Minolta series.

**MINOLTA 25mm f2.5 LENSES**
LENS FEATURES	IMAGE	COMMENTS
FOCAL LENGTH: 25mm f-STOPS: 2.5-11 PERIOD: 1972-1977 INSCRIPTION: LEITZ PHOTAR DESIGN: 6/4 FILTER: -- DIAPHRAGM: manual MC: no MD: no CLOSE FOCUS: -- SIZE: 0.9"x0.6" WEIGHT: 1.9oz.		In the 1970's Minolta and Leitz collaborated to sell a few of their products under the other's name. For example, the Minolta XE-7 was sold by Leitz as the Leica R3, while a few Leica lenses were sold for Minolta users. One was Leitz's 25mm Photar lens. It is a microscope lens, with an RMS mount, and designed for use on a bellows. An M adapter was sold for use with a Minolta camera. Designed for magnifications of 2X to 10X.
FOCAL LENGTH: 25mm f-STOPS: 2.5-16 PERIOD: 1977-1981 INSCRIPTION: MINOLTA BELLOWS MICRO ROKKOR-X 25mm 1:2.5 LENS MADE IN JAPAN DESIGN: 6/4 FILTER: special DIAPHRAGM: manual MC: no MD: no CLOSE FOCUS: -- SIZE: 1.3"x0.7" WEIGHT: 1.5oz.		An updated version of the 25mm Leitz Photar microscope lens – this time made by Minolta. It increased the aperture range, and added a tab for easier f-stop change. M-1 and M-2 adapters were added for use with a Minolta camera. An tiny, accessory, gelatin filter holder was available for the rear of the lens.
FOCAL LENGTH: 25mm f-STOPS: 2.5-16 PERIOD: 1981-present INSCRIPTION: MINOLTA BELLOWS MICRO 25mm 1:2.5 JAPAN DESIGN: 6/4 FILTER: special DIAPHRAGM: manual MC: no MD: no CLOSE FOCUS: -- SIZE: 1.3"x0.7" WEIGHT: 1.5oz.		Identical to the MD Rokkor-X 25mm 2.5 bellows lens but without the "ROKKOR" name, and sold at the same time as the MD Minolta series.

COPYRIGHT @ 1995-2020 by Joe McGloin.

All Rights Reserved. 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.

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.