I received a 1983 Valdai Jupiter-3, black yesterday. The RFF member sent me some sample shots, the corner resolution was awful. Something misaligned.
The lens looks gorgeous. The focus is off, and the optics module is Cemented In Place. Would not come out. Removed all of the glass- the front triplet was the misaligned culprit. It simply would not fit into place in the optical fixture, and was left lop-sided.
The lens is soaking in acetone, hopefully will loosen it up. Works on Superglue. At this point- a very pretty paperweight.
I have never seen a late Black J-3 that is anywhere near as sharp as the earlier chrome lenses. I've used 8 of them. The ones that I bought for myself were parted out to replace front elements on earlier 1950s J-3's.
If anyone has had good experience with a late model Valdai J-3 in black- please post a sample here!
The lens looks gorgeous. The focus is off, and the optics module is Cemented In Place. Would not come out. Removed all of the glass- the front triplet was the misaligned culprit. It simply would not fit into place in the optical fixture, and was left lop-sided.
The lens is soaking in acetone, hopefully will loosen it up. Works on Superglue. At this point- a very pretty paperweight.
I have never seen a late Black J-3 that is anywhere near as sharp as the earlier chrome lenses. I've used 8 of them. The ones that I bought for myself were parted out to replace front elements on earlier 1950s J-3's.
If anyone has had good experience with a late model Valdai J-3 in black- please post a sample here!
brachal
Refrigerated User
I've had good experiences with a black J-8, but the only J-3 I've used is a chrome '61 from ZOMZ - it is excellent.
Last edited:
raid
Dad Photographer
I only have chrome J-3 lenses, but I have one chrome and one black J-8.
The black FSU lenses look flimsy to me.
The black FSU lenses look flimsy to me.
The Black 50/2 J-8 is made by KMZ.
Completely different story on the Black J-8: I have had many that are optically as good as their 1950s versions. I have had several Black J-8's that compared well with the Nikkor 5cm f2.
The Valdai Black J-3's: not the same story. The manufacturer seems to be the big difference, not the color or age. They are pretty, but the images with the lens used wider than F4 are not.
Completely different story on the Black J-8: I have had many that are optically as good as their 1950s versions. I have had several Black J-8's that compared well with the Nikkor 5cm f2.
The Valdai Black J-3's: not the same story. The manufacturer seems to be the big difference, not the color or age. They are pretty, but the images with the lens used wider than F4 are not.
millus1974
Film Shooter...Forever!!
Nice Black Jupiter 3
Nice Black Jupiter 3
I don't know, maybe i'm been very lucky
, but i have a nice Black Jupiter 3, a 1989 version with a yellow coating, the focus was a little off, but with just 1mm of tape between the lens and the rangefinder the focus seems correct now...at least at short distance, the only way i use it.
It's amazing sharp and contrasty also at f1.5, i didn't know it was so much, and it has a beautiful oof as you expect from a sonnar design...it's been a real revelation to me, maybe the 1950/60 versions are better with more "Sonnar glow" but anyway for what i pay the lens it's really an amazing piece of glass...the colors are nice as you expect from a lense of the '80, maybe a little low in contrast but it's the way i see the colors, i have just to take a look to the flare, the only thing can really kill the corner of the pictures but for the rest...nothing to say.
I will wait the return of the real wartime Sonnar to make some comparison shoot...at the moment it's in the magic hands of Brian to solve some focus problems...
Emiliano
Nice Black Jupiter 3
I don't know, maybe i'm been very lucky
, but i have a nice Black Jupiter 3, a 1989 version with a yellow coating, the focus was a little off, but with just 1mm of tape between the lens and the rangefinder the focus seems correct now...at least at short distance, the only way i use it.It's amazing sharp and contrasty also at f1.5, i didn't know it was so much, and it has a beautiful oof as you expect from a sonnar design...it's been a real revelation to me, maybe the 1950/60 versions are better with more "Sonnar glow" but anyway for what i pay the lens it's really an amazing piece of glass...the colors are nice as you expect from a lense of the '80, maybe a little low in contrast but it's the way i see the colors, i have just to take a look to the flare, the only thing can really kill the corner of the pictures but for the rest...nothing to say.
I will wait the return of the real wartime Sonnar to make some comparison shoot...at the moment it's in the magic hands of Brian to solve some focus problems...
Emiliano
Last edited:
Here is the 1986 Valdai wide-open, after shimming for the Leica:
Tight Crop:
1983 Valdai J-3, wide-open:
Tight Crop:
Tight Crop:
1983 Valdai J-3, wide-open:
Tight Crop:
Another 1980s Valdai Wide-Open:
And now- a 1953 KMZ J-3, wide-open:
Tight crop:
Tight crop:
A 1956 GOMZ:
Wide-Open
Tight Crop:
Optically, this lens is great. Mechanically, the helical had a lot of wobble.
Wide-Open
Tight Crop:
Optically, this lens is great. Mechanically, the helical had a lot of wobble.
millus1974
Film Shooter...Forever!!
Yes it seems they really change the performance for each lens...it's not about a good period or bad, you have to be lucky to find one optically perfect and with the barrell well working...
some months ago i have done a little focus\flare test in my room with some of my 50mm to understand which one i have to fix for back or front focus and which one has a good flare resistance, of course nothing scientific or techcnic, just a tripod a light upper front the shoot and a text at 1m of distance (the Leica M6)
It's interesting to see how some very old lens have amazing performance and others younger of 30 years, they really lose the match, the complete set it's here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/millus1974/sets/72157626200762660/with/5499605892/
and this is the Jupiter shot:
There are also some Canon FL modified for Leica M and an amazing Carl Zeiss Jena Biotar 50\1.4 i took from a 16mm Movie Camera...it's really giving me surprising shoot, i will post something in another tread if you want
Anyway this is the test where i understand my wartime Sonnar has some serious focus problem...
some months ago i have done a little focus\flare test in my room with some of my 50mm to understand which one i have to fix for back or front focus and which one has a good flare resistance, of course nothing scientific or techcnic, just a tripod a light upper front the shoot and a text at 1m of distance (the Leica M6)
It's interesting to see how some very old lens have amazing performance and others younger of 30 years, they really lose the match, the complete set it's here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/millus1974/sets/72157626200762660/with/5499605892/
and this is the Jupiter shot:
There are also some Canon FL modified for Leica M and an amazing Carl Zeiss Jena Biotar 50\1.4 i took from a 16mm Movie Camera...it's really giving me surprising shoot, i will post something in another tread if you want
Anyway this is the test where i understand my wartime Sonnar has some serious focus problem...
Okay. I'm a happy hacker.
1955 KMZ Jupiter-3, with the 1983 front Element, remounted to the Black J-3 focus mount, Optimized for the leica.
Wide-Open:
100% crop:
This is what we call "Nailed the Focus"
And at F4:
Okay. So now I have used 1 very good Black J-3.
1955 KMZ Jupiter-3, with the 1983 front Element, remounted to the Black J-3 focus mount, Optimized for the leica.
Wide-Open:
100% crop:
This is what we call "Nailed the Focus"
And at F4:
Okay. So now I have used 1 very good Black J-3.
Ron (Netherlands)
Well-known
Okay. I'm a happy hacker.
1955 KMZ Jupiter-3, with the 1983 front Element, remounted to the Black J-3 focus mount, Optimized for the leica.
Wide-Open:
100% crop:
This is what we call "Nailed the Focus"
And at F4:
Okay. So now I have used 1 very good Black J-3.
Nice! Brian, if I understand correct, the front element came from that same black barrel?
ItsReallyDarren
That's really me
When it comes to Jupiters Brian is the king of making lemonade from lemons. I was the one who sent the lens to Brian after I noticed the lens was quite decentered, only after hearing about Brian's experience dismantling the lens did I realize the build difference between early and late J-3's.
I was swooned by how pretty the black Jupiters were but you know what they say, "how come its always the pretty ones...."
I was swooned by how pretty the black Jupiters were but you know what they say, "how come its always the pretty ones...."
Bar8barian
Established
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Nineteen Fifty Three, KMZ.
I don't know why, but ALL of the 1953 lenses that I've shot with (five of them now, counting one rebuilt for an RFF member) have been superb. The KMZ lenses are the best, once they got the production line rolling. There was a time where they ran out of German made parts, and started replacing them with their own. Some time seems to have been required to get it right. My 1950 KMZ was horrible, never worked right. The 1949 ZK is great. The 1953 KMZ that I now have is just as good as the Wartime German Sonnar.
I don't know why, but ALL of the 1953 lenses that I've shot with (five of them now, counting one rebuilt for an RFF member) have been superb. The KMZ lenses are the best, once they got the production line rolling. There was a time where they ran out of German made parts, and started replacing them with their own. Some time seems to have been required to get it right. My 1950 KMZ was horrible, never worked right. The 1949 ZK is great. The 1953 KMZ that I now have is just as good as the Wartime German Sonnar.
Last edited:
The front element of this lens is from the 1983Valdai J-3! It fit in perfectly. Yiu cannot do this with a J-8, but ALL of the J-3's that I've ever taken apart have the same size front element.
fence Post shot, F1.5
at F4:
Last edited:
Bar8barian
Established
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Look for the KMZ Trapezoid, with the light ray going through it. My personal belief- they used German glass. When that ran out, production shifted away from them, probably in late 55 or early 56.
1953 KMZ J-3, wide-open on the M8.
Stopped Down, F4.
Stopped Down, F4.