Data sheet: Soligor C/D 135 mm f/2.8 (Sun Optical)

Pekka Buttler, 02/2026

Specifications

The table below summarises the lens’ key specifications (measurements based on pictured, Canon FD mount sample):

Brand:	Soligor	Lens name	C/D 135 mm f/2.8
Focal length(s) 1	135 mm	Angle-of-view 2	18 °
Maximum Aperture	f/2.8	In Production	unknown
Lens mounts (this lens)	Minolta SR	Other lens mounts3	Canon FD, M42, Nikon F, Olympus OM, Pentax K
Length 4	76,2 mm	Diameter 5	64,2 mm
Filter ring diameter	52 mm	Weight	387 grams
Lens element count	4	Lens group count	4
Aperture blades (S/R/C) 6	6 S	Focus throw	240 °
Minimum focusing distance (measured)	146 cms	Maximum magnification (measured)	1:9,1
Has manual aperture ring	YES	Has manual focus ring	YES
Aperture mechanism type	Automatic/manual	Aperture click stops 7	2.8•4•5.6•8•11•16-22

Further notes:
• This lens is part of Soligor’s “C/D” line of lenses that were (at the time) Soligor’s premium offering.
• Soligor seems to never have been very clear on the exact meaning of “C/D”. While the majority understanding seems to be that “C/D” stands for “Computer Designed” there is also a persistent alternative version indicating that “C/D” indicates “Compact Design”.
• It is important to remember that Soligor (a brand of the Allied Impex Corp) was not a lens manufacturer, but a marketing&sales organisation and that all ‘Soligor’ lenses were manufactured by various Japanese optic companies, including both well-known names such as Tokina, Tamron and Kowa, as well as less well-known companies such as Kobori, Kyoei Acall and Itoh (for a full list of Soligor lens makers, see the Allied Impex company profile.
• As indicated by this lens’ serial number, this lens is manufactured by Sun Optical.

• This lens offers an integrated, extendable hood that however does not offer much in the way of protection against backlight (it does however block oblique rays).

Versions

I have not found any evidence of more than one version or variant of this lens having been made and marketed under the Soligor brand. Also, I have yet not stumbled upon this lens carrying any other brands than Soligor

Importantly, Soligor also sold another 135 mm f/2.8 design in its C/D lineup. That lens was manufactured by Tokina [data sheet].
To distinguish the two versions – look at the first number in the serial number. If the serial number starts with 1, then it’s a Tokina-made lens, if it starts with 2, then it’s the Sun Optical variant)

Adapting

Adapting Minolta SR mount lenses

This lens cannot be used natively on any current SLR or dSLRs. To use it in its native environment, you will need a Minolta SR (SR/MC/MD/X-600) film camera. Luckily these are quite easy to find. To use the lens’ full designed capabilities, a Minolta MD-compatible body (any Minolta SR body launched after 1977) is most recommended..

Thanks to being a fully manual lens (manual aperture, manual focus), the lens can be adapted to all mirrorless cameras using a suitable adapter. Moreover, a simple ‘dumb adapter’ will do the job perfectly. Thanks to the popularity of the Minolta SR mount, the availability of adapters to all mirrorless mounts can be taken for granted, on the other hand, specialist adapters (speed boosters, helicoid adapters, tilt/shift adapters) are not available for all mirrorless mounts, but daisy-chaining adapters (e.g. Minolta SR -> Canon EF; Canon EF –> mirrorless) can offer a work-around.

Using Minolta SR mount lenses on dSLRs is also be an option, but it is not trouble-free due to that the Minolta SR mount’s flange focal distance is shorter than that of any dSLR mount (technically with the exception of Olympus’ four thirds mount). Hence, any attempt at adapting Minolta SR lenses must rely on an adapter that uses corrective optics to allow infinity focus. However, such adapters are readily available.

Footnotes

1. Focal length is (unless stated otherwise) given in absolute terms, and not in Full-frame equivalent. For an understanding of whether the lens is wide/tele, see ‘Angle-of-view’. ↩︎
2. Picture angle is given in degrees and concerns the diagonal picture angle. Rule of thumb:
   > 90 ° ==> Ultra-wide-angle
   70–90 ° ==> Wide-angle
   50–70 ° ==> Moderate wide-angle
   40–50 ° ==> ‘Standard’ or ‘normal’ lens
   20–40 ° ==> Short tele lens
   10-20 ° ==> Tele lens
   5-10 ° ==> Long tele lens
   < 5 ° ==> Ultra-tele lens ↩︎
3. JAPB is here listing only those adapters that we have seen with our own eyes, but other period-typical adapters can also have existed. ↩︎
4. Length is given from the mount flange to the front of lens at infinity. ↩︎
5. Diameter excludes protrusions such as rabbit ears or stop-down levers. ↩︎
6. S=straight; R=rounded; C=(almost)circular at all apertures. ↩︎
7. Numbers equal aperture values on aperture ring; • intermediate click; – no intermediate click. ↩︎