35 mm russian lens

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jorgef2002

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Hello fellows, need advice , I am looking for a Russian lens for my Leica
lll F ,I need a wide angle 35mm, please opinion on which one is a better one, thank you.



jorgef2002
 
Jupiter 12 is the only 35mm I know of (russian). It's sharp and contrasty but some say it's prone to flare - that's not my experience though. Make sure you get the LTM version, there is a Kiev bayonet mount too!
 
The Jupiter 12 is the only FSU lens I know of. I have one that I use on my M2 and it is relatively (for me) flair free. I could not use a rubber hood on it because for some reason the apertures changed with any touch of the hood, but with a metal hood this doesn't happen.
 
The J-12 is the only FSU lens for a 39mm screw mount rangefinder. There are other 35mm lenses, but avoid them. They are probably for SLR's.
 
The Jupiter 12, coated copy of a pre ww2 lens, there will be howls of indignation here - but I've had three through my hands, over the years and each was pretty dismal compared to most other 35mm glass i've tried!. No - they were not in need of adjustment, cleaning, hazy or anything else, so I must have been unlucky three times?. You will get all the usual stuff about good and bad samples, assembly workers had too much vodka, etc, etc, but by the time you had sent one to one of the recognised lens wizards for a magic spell, you would have been far better of getting something else - or maybe saving for a VC Skopar. I must now run for cover! :eek:
Cheers, Dave
 
The skopar is a very decent lens with great sharpness and contrast. Nothing wrong with that suggestion.
 
jorgef2002 said:
Hello fellows, need advice , I am looking for a Russian lens for my Leica
lll F ,I need a wide angle 35mm, please opinion on which one is a better one, thank you.



jorgef2002
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J12! :cool: no doubt...

U916I1104753260.SEQ.0.jpg
 
januaryman said:
Good God! What did you say to this gal to get that reaction???!!! :D
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Eeheh :D maybe I was saying something about "bokeh", or how cool old russian cameras are.. can't remember, but she never liked to be shoot LOL
 
Thank you all, I think that I will wait and go for a cv skopar, better safe than sorry, thank you for the advice gentlemen. regards.

jorgef2002
 
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Hi,
A 35mm Nikon in Leica screwmount did very nicely on my IIf many years ago. You may be able to find one on the used market.
JustPlainBill
 
I had a J-12 which gave good service on a Leica IIIc, a Zorki 1C and a Leica M2. A little flare prone, perhaps. Did not use a hood as the front is deeply recessed in the mount. Would have kept it if I hadn't got a CV Ultron 35/1.7. It isn't advisable on a metered M body because of the protruding rear element.
 
Many users, myself included, have found the Jupiter 12 to be quite a decent performing 35mm lens, the bad luck of others here notwithstanding. While there certainly are problems with some Russian LTM lenses, the Jupiter 3 and Jupiter 9 in particular, the Jupiter 12 and Jupiter 8 are far more likely to be found in good-performing condition.

No doubt the more modern Voigtlander lens is sharper wide open - it would be astonishing if it weren't, being sixty years more advanced in design and costing probably 7-10x the common cost of a Jupiter 12.

Jorge may well want to buy a Jupiter 12 to see if a 35mm lens suits him at all. The risk is relatively small considering the low cost of this lens.
 
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Here's an example of my Jupiter-12 wide open:
3483771144_def0410ca5.jpg


It surely is a very nice lens with the charming touch of the 60's or 70's and lower contrast than modern lenses have.
 
Florian1234 said:
It surely is a very nice lens with the charming touch of the 60's or 70's and lower contrast than modern lenses have.
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Mine is from 1990. I've noticed some more contrast than in my older FSU lenses. But I plan to get also one in Kiev mount and I'm hunting for something older. Then I'll be able to compare.
 
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