Redseele
Established
A few months ago I shot an email to Fedka to ask them if the Jupiters would focus accurately on a Leica body. He responded that the Jupiter 8 was made to Leica standards, so they should work correctly.
Perhaps the theory being thrown around about how in most cases (if the lenses are good) they should work is true.
If Fedka can provide a good Jupiter 8, then I'd totally buy it from them
Mr_Flibble
In Tabulas Argenteas Refero
Brian Sweeney is active over at Leicaplace.com
He's sold a few of his shimmed J-3s and converted Sonnars on there.
He's sold a few of his shimmed J-3s and converted Sonnars on there.
Scrambler
Well-known
I must confess that my personal ability to focus is poorer than the J-8 (haven't tried J-3). I've never considered it an issue in practice with a 50mm/f2 , nor any kind of issue at all with a J-12 35/f2.8.
I have a Brian Sweeney adjusted/compounded prewar Contax Sonnar in J-3 mount. No doubt on that one - it's focal length is just off and the suggested issues with close versus long focus, and Contax versus Leica focussing, apply. BUT - I've not had issues there either. The focal shift with aperture is greater, but that's also not personally bothered me. Because I don't really think I'm going to nail exactly correct focus on a moving subject with these lenses, or any others I may have. And if the subject isn't moving, I probably am moving. For precise work on a tripod, I use some other focusing system. Direct vision off the focal plane (view camera or mirrorless digital) would be my preferred.
If you are a street shooter/ happy snapper type photographer, you won't care about the focus issues IMHO. If not, don't get a Sonnar. I think you know what I mean. The wide apertures (over 2.8) are "dreamy" at best in a Sonnar, which adds to the charm but also means that any correctly focused photo is still impacted by the spherical aberrations. There's not a precise focus for all light frequencies - there's a range across the spectrum. I would guess that the right filter would improve (and the wrong deteriorate) focus accuracy.
In short, get the Sonnar of your choice at a good price from your preferred website, and don't get caught up in the precision work. Or if it matters, learn the correction required - coz if you don't have time to correct then your accuracy is the issue, not the lens. And if precision really matters and you want a Sonnar, get a Canon 1.5 (not 1.4), or a Nikkor LTM.
Dante Stella has pages on the focal shift and the above lenses as well.
I have a Brian Sweeney adjusted/compounded prewar Contax Sonnar in J-3 mount. No doubt on that one - it's focal length is just off and the suggested issues with close versus long focus, and Contax versus Leica focussing, apply. BUT - I've not had issues there either. The focal shift with aperture is greater, but that's also not personally bothered me. Because I don't really think I'm going to nail exactly correct focus on a moving subject with these lenses, or any others I may have. And if the subject isn't moving, I probably am moving. For precise work on a tripod, I use some other focusing system. Direct vision off the focal plane (view camera or mirrorless digital) would be my preferred.
If you are a street shooter/ happy snapper type photographer, you won't care about the focus issues IMHO. If not, don't get a Sonnar. I think you know what I mean. The wide apertures (over 2.8) are "dreamy" at best in a Sonnar, which adds to the charm but also means that any correctly focused photo is still impacted by the spherical aberrations. There's not a precise focus for all light frequencies - there's a range across the spectrum. I would guess that the right filter would improve (and the wrong deteriorate) focus accuracy.
In short, get the Sonnar of your choice at a good price from your preferred website, and don't get caught up in the precision work. Or if it matters, learn the correction required - coz if you don't have time to correct then your accuracy is the issue, not the lens. And if precision really matters and you want a Sonnar, get a Canon 1.5 (not 1.4), or a Nikkor LTM.
Dante Stella has pages on the focal shift and the above lenses as well.
retinax
Well-known
Hey, I have asked Oleg of okvintagecamera.com and he replied that the lenses he sells come adjusted. Haven't bought anything from him so far though. But I think people on this forum have had good experiences with him.