Blak Jupiter-8 infinity mark misaliged with rangefinder

[zabo69]

hi,

I received a black jupiter-8, when i put it on my M6 and focus to infinity( infinity scale on the lens is aligned) the rangefinder focus way beyond the infinity. I have other jupiter-8 and jupiter-12 and they all focus right.
Is there any correction that i can make to the lens?

regards,
Avelino

 

[Scrambler]

Reshim the beast. Search this forum, and Google. Jupiter-8 and -3 lenses were only correct on standard bodies by chance. Even the factory manual says you need to get any new lens calibrated to your particular camera.

When you are done, though, the lens will be correct with your rangefinder but the distance scale will not be correct.

 

[zabo69]

Reshim the beast. Search this forum, and Google. Jupiter-8 and -3 lenses were only correct on standard bodies by chance. Even the factory manual says you need to get any new lens calibrated to your particular camera.

When you are done, though, the lens will be correct with your rangefinder but the distance scale will not be correct.

I don't know if is focusing in the wrong way, the only thing i tested was that when she is set to infinity ( the distance scale is aligned ) the rangefinder patch isn't in focus. to see if it is focusing correctly i will have to take some frames and devolop the film 🙂

 

[David Hughes]

Reshim the beast. Search this forum, and Google. Jupiter-8 and -3 lenses were only correct on standard bodies by chance. Even the factory manual says you need to get any new lens calibrated to your particular camera.

When you are done, though, the lens will be correct with your rangefinder but the distance scale will not be correct.

That is far from my experience and I've used several varieties of ex-USSR lenses on lots of ex-USSR and German cameras.

But a Jupiter-8 will be an old lens and so probably second-hand and you've no way of knowing what it's been through in other peoples hands. Or how much it's been used or abused; especially by people who think it easy to repair or modify them...

Look in the threads about other makes and you'll see that all makes suffer from it from it.

Putting a film through it will tell you one way or the other but asking a competent technician to check it and then adjust it may well be cheaper in the short and long run.

Regards, David

 

[Major Tom]

I recall reading that Leica at some point (post-war) very slightly changed the pitch of the threads in their bodies to throw off Russian lenses.

This might be unverified hearsay, but it was definitely written somewhere. Not entirely likely (how did other manufacturers deal with this?) but I've heard crazier stuff turning out true.

 

[Scrambler]

I recall reading that Leica at some point (post-war) very slightly changed the pitch of the threads in their bodies to throw off Russian lenses.

This might be unverified hearsay, but it was definitely written somewhere. Not entirely likely (how did other manufacturers deal with this?) but I've heard crazier stuff turning out true.

I wonder if this is a rumour which originates from the Canon RFs having had a different thread pitch originally?

http://www.huffman.tk/id46.html

I have also heard unverified hearsay that the earliest (pre-war) FSU Leica copies had lenses to Leica standard focusing not Contax standard.

David, I do not doubt your experience. I only have the examples that have passed through my hands, which do NOT critically focus correctly on Leica bodies, and the numerous internet references, and the original camera manual (at least for the FED 2, the only FSU camera I own): http://www.cameramanuals.org/russian_pdf/fed_2.pdf - lens adjustment is mentioned on page 21.

It is easy to see if a J-8 has been reshimmed by the number of different grub screw marks under the aperture ring. Changing the location of the lens within the mount alters the set point for the aperture ring. My J-8 had only one set of marks, therefore was in factory condition with regard to shimming, but back-focused about 1/2 a foot at close focus, according the the RF. Focus was spot-on for the distance scale.

 

[David Hughes]

Hi,

People like messing up ex-USSR cameras and lenses. I blame it on the internet where people say it's easy. Well, it is probably easy if you've years of experience, the right tools and spare parts to hand for when you twist the head of a sub 1mm screw...

Leitz made microscopes and used the standard thread pitch etc for them. I'd imagine the original and the prototypes and pre-production etc were made using parts from microscopes where possible. You don't design a screw thread when the factory is set up to turn them out by the ton.

Canon did the thread to the wrong pitch and then made a hybrid, from memory, to save a lot of re-working: conversation with M Taylor a couple of years ago. The earliest articles I've read about the FED's saw them as complete and exact copies of the Leica (MCM 1941 and '42).

Regards, David