Thanks Brian for your precise operation on my lens! The patient feels very well despite double translantation and overseas shipment! Here are a few photos made with this lens - the first couple of color pics with R-D1 and B&W with M8.2. The focus was spot on where it supposed to be. In the leaves picture it was right on the tip of a leaf. In case of B&W J-3 delivered great quality in the complicated light situation - it's fantastic for 50 year old lens!
(Although, the sized down pics don't show all details that are seen on the full version)
I cannot agree with the thesis that Russian glass from the 50's is just for collectors. First, everyone knows that the optic elements in the beginning of 50's were made of German glass (up to 1956) and I can assume the German supervisors participated in production of J-3; even the coating was similar to CZJ; therefore ZK and J-3 may be considered as almost German; second, the quality control was much better in those years v. the 60's - each lens had to pass the QC dept test and got a certificate; and lastly the J-3 performance is not much different from CZJ Sonnar in LTM. I have both and J-3 is a better lens!
In my case, the lens was vandalized by someone and it was misrepresented on the evil site by a seller whose name is "cameramatecom". I'm sure he knew that this lens was made of different pieces, but didn't say a word in the ad.
It's good that in the end J-3 got the second life and became almost a perfect Sonnar. Being a unique Frankenstein J-3 (1951-1956) it's not exactly a collectors piece, but I don't care 🙂)) Thank you, Brian - you saved J-3 reputation!
