p.giannakis
Pan Giannakis
I am looking for a 35mm LTM for my IIc. Is Jupiter-12 the way to go? Can you post some pictures taken with your J-12?
Dave Wilkinson
Veteran
My advice would be - DON'T DO IT!! - yes there are those here that think it's wonderful (not many!) I've had two or three over the years, and all were disappointing, and no there was nothing wrong with their adjustment or condition!. It is a seventy plus year old design and can not be expected to perform like a more modern lens, you would do yourself a favour - in the long run, by saving for something decent 
Dave.
Dave.
Krzys
Well-known
No.
Go with a Canon 35
Go with a Canon 35
binky
Established
I thought about getting one a couple of times, then sanity checked in.
First, you don't know what you're gonna get because they're old or Russian, or both.
Second, the rear sticks out and can cause shutter problems with some cameras.
Unless you can get a reputable one or one for real cheap, you should save the $$ for something else as others have suggested.
j
First, you don't know what you're gonna get because they're old or Russian, or both.
Second, the rear sticks out and can cause shutter problems with some cameras.
Unless you can get a reputable one or one for real cheap, you should save the $$ for something else as others have suggested.
j
Dave Wilkinson
Veteran
....well, I have a f3.5 'Serenar' that has similar capabilities to the J12 - although slightly better!, the later Canons were a lot better. The last J12 - I bought here from the late Pitxu for £12, in lovely condition, and a great implement.....for throwing at cats in my back yard on a night!
Dave.
ruby.monkey
Veteran
Buy one cheap as a fun lens if you feel the need, but there are better 35mm screw-mount lenses out there for reasonable money (the Voigtlander 35mm f/2.5 springs to mind).
rxmd
May contain traces of nut
It's actually a pretty decent lens once you get the hang of it:
If you can get one cheaply, it can be a good entry lens into wideangles. Works on the Bessa R, too, with a little care. I ended up using the Skopar 35/2.5 Skopar more, but for the $30 or so I paid for the J-12 it has given me a lot of happiness and good images.
If you can get one cheaply, it can be a good entry lens into wideangles. Works on the Bessa R, too, with a little care. I ended up using the Skopar 35/2.5 Skopar more, but for the $30 or so I paid for the J-12 it has given me a lot of happiness and good images.
rxmd
May contain traces of nut
Is that "the late" as in "doesn't frequent RFF anymore", or as in "passed away"?
raytoei@gmail.com
Veteran
Does the J-12 work with the Leica CL ? thanks in adcance.
Pitxu passed away a few months ago, quit RFF before that.
J-12's are cheap enough to buy one and find out for yourself. Mine was $20.
J-12's are cheap enough to buy one and find out for yourself. Mine was $20.
KenD
Film Shooter
Mine arrived between soft focus and no focus. Sent it to Russia for tweaking, it came back between soft focus and no focus.
Dave Wilkinson
Veteran
If you get a micro 4/3 and adaptor....just think of the wonderful portraits!
Pickett Wilson
Veteran
Search flickr for the tag "Jupiter 12" and you'll see lots of examples. Mine works fine. It's not a Leica lens, but not terrible, either.
colyn
ישו משיח
Sanity or Insanity???
I've got two and both are excellent lens.. The J-12 is a pre war Zeiss Biogon that has the advantage of lens coating. Russian lens can be fine lens.
Not true. They do not however work with those cameras that have flip out meters such as the CL and M5. On the Canon RF's such as the P and 7 series some examples of the J-12 have a slightly larger diameter rear element which will make contact with the top and bottom baffles but in no case whatsoever will the rear element make contact with the curtains..
Contrary to popular belief the J-12 is a fine lens capable of excellent results and while I have other 35's (Canon and Summaron) the J-12 is still one of my favorites..
rxmd
May contain traces of nut
Didn't know that (knew the latter but not the former). Guess I didn't frequent RFF for a while. Sorry to hear, I liked the chap.
I still got a piece of the chunk of Basque cheese he sent me. Will share that later in memory of the man.
rxmd
May contain traces of nut
Not by default. You have to use an M-LTM adapter ring anyway; you can file down one of the lugs of the adapter slightly so that it doesn't bring up the metering arm. After that the J-12 will work (I use it like that on the M5). You won't have exposure metering of course.
binky
Established
I'm not saying that they're not good. My experience with obtaining Jupiter 8s was that I had to return a couple but the one I kept was nice. It's really luck sometimes, and I guess I wasn't lucky and had to deal with the hassle of shipping them back. And I really wanted an J12, but in the end I didn't think it was worth rolling the dice like I did for the J8s. If you can try one in person, and get one for a good price, then by all means....
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