buy a lens or buy a camera with a lens?

J

juno_lau

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Oct 23, 2007
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background:
i bought a Leica CL body
i want to buy a CV 40 / 1.4 for it
but i dont have the money yet
which make me unable to take any picture with my camera... :bang:


approach:
then i got a jupiter-8 from ebay
but its condition is really bad, i.e. i have to return it... :(
so i have no lens again!!! :mad:

new decision:
i will go for a industar-61,
because they are cheaper than the jupiter and they are also more modern, so i think chance of getting one with better condition is higher :p

choices:
1. industar-61 L/D
2. Fed 2 with a zebra industar-61

i wont buy both at the same time or in near future...
but i think i will definitely buy a Fed 2 with the "lever" at some time
however, i also heard that the L/D is a very good lens, just donno how much better will it be when compare with the zebra one?

which one should i buy? :confused:
 
No opinion on the lens choices, but it's a real bummer to have a new camera and no lens for it. I think that's also know as justifiable-GAS.
 
Don't assume that newer is better with Soviet gear. Frequently the opposite is true.

Concerning the Industars, the optical formula and glass used in the I61 and the I61 LD are identical. The LD is later production, and marked for Lanthanum glass, but both lenses used the same glass. If condition is equal, I would go for the Zebra or Panda. I have one, and it's better made overall than my later 61 LD's. And a working Fed 2 is a great camera to have.
 
FED 2 with an I-61 is a good choice. I have 2 of the later all-black I-61 models, one is well made and the other is rather sloppily made. Both my I-61 "Pandas" are well made. As brachal says, newer is not always better.

Be aware that the focussing isn't exactly to Leica standard, so close-up and wide-open may not be sharp. Some lenses can be re-collimated to suit though. Another thing you may like to consider is my experience with all my I-61 lenses. For reasons that I don't quite follow, all of them refuse to mount on my IIIC, the threads bind. I've no idea if anyone else has found this issue but I have. All other FSU lenses that I have will mount without a problem.
 
wolves3012 said:
Another thing you may like to consider is my experience with all my I-61 lenses. For reasons that I don't quite follow, all of them refuse to mount on my IIIC, the threads bind. I've no idea if anyone else has found this issue but I have. All other FSU lenses that I have will mount without a problem.
Click to expand...

Wolves,

My panda mounts just fine on my IIIf. I've never tried my other I-61s on that camera, but I'll test it and see.
 
Juno,

If I were you, so long as it is within your budget, I'd go for something like the 50/1.8 Canon lens in the classifieds here for $125. Search RFF to see people's reviews of the Canon lenses. They are a bargain in my opinion.

Chris
 
brachal said:
Wolves,

My panda mounts just fine on my IIIf. I've never tried my other I-61s on that camera, but I'll test it and see.
Click to expand...
I just re-tried them all...the older of the two Pandas does mount, the newer one has tight spots that I am not willing to risk on a Leica! The two black ones would also probably go on but again, too tight to risk. Maybe it's the Leica that's a fraction out, I don't know but nothing else gives any problems.
 
cpborello said:
If I were you, so long as it is within your budget, I'd go for something like the 50/1.8 Canon lens in the classifieds here for $125. Search RFF to see people's reviews of the Canon lenses. They are a bargain in my opinion.
Chris
Click to expand...

i know... i did think about that... but $125 will take away my 1/3 VC40/1.4,
so i chose to stick to the cheaper counterpart... :(

palec said:
I have spare Jupiter-8 I've not used for a long time and I'm considering selling it.
Click to expand...
is it a silver one?

aizan said:
pinhole cap until you've saved enough?
Click to expand...
can i handheld it :confused:
 
Here's a Jupiter 8 for $30.00 USD: http://www.dvdtechnik.com/?p=res&pn=1&p_t=view&id=107&mid=133&cur=usd

It will cost you extra for shipping from Russia and budget another $50-60 for an adapter.

Here's an Industar 61-LD for $49.00 USD: http://www.fedka.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=24&products_id=77

Again, shipping from USA and it needs a LTM to M adapter.

I've bought both these lenses from these sources within the last few months and I'm satisfied with both the merchants and the lenses.
 
wolves3012 said:
I just re-tried them all...the older of the two Pandas does mount, the newer one has tight spots that I am not willing to risk on a Leica! The two black ones would also probably go on but again, too tight to risk. Maybe it's the Leica that's a fraction out, I don't know but nothing else gives any problems.
Click to expand...

I checked my 2 61 LDs, and they both go cleanly on my IIIf, but I doubt it's your IIIc with the problem.
 
Pablito
i have camera that i can take photo with...
the CL is GAS... but there is no point to let it sit on the shelf...

Dogman
thanks for the sources
 
I wote for a old made lense all in polished metal. But you can have a Zorki with a J-8 lense for under 14£ if you want to put some effort in it.
 
Have you considered an Industar 22 or 50 collapsible? Not terribly fast at f/3.5 but they are one very sharp lens! I've tried a few of my FSU lenses on a IIIC and an Industar 22 gave excellent pictures, even close-up. I've seen claims that they are as good as an Elmar but I don't have one to compare. Bonus is that they collapse for a pocketable combo.
 
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