Canon LTM Comparing the Canon 50 1.8 & Jupiter 8?

Canon M39 M39 screw mount bodies/lenses
awbphotog

awbphotog

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Hello! I am in the middle of trying to consolidate some gear (bills!), and am considering selling my clean, chrome 50 1.8 and replacing it with the less expensive Jupiter 8. I have relatively strict standards for the J8. I want a 1954 serial number with focusing tab. I wonder if anyone out there has both of these lenses and has had a chance to compare them. I love the performance out of the Canon lens, but may need to sell in order to pay some bills. Will I be completely disappointed in the performance of the J8 if I've been shooting with the Canon for a couple of years? Thanks!

Andy
 
if using it on a Leica you will probably need to shim it, but i'm guessing from mentioning you want a 1954 you know all about that anyway.

incidentally, is a 1954 J8 significantly cheaper than a Canon 1.8?
 
If you get a good and sharp J-8 you will not be disappointed.

Most LTM J-8 lenses that I used turned out to be OK for the most part, yes, a few were dogs and very small minority were spectacular and all without needing any shimming.

It is all based on luck of the draw.

Selling a Canon 50mm f 1:8 lens would be an act of the last straw if I ever needed money.
 
xayraa33 said:
If you get a good and sharp J-8 you will not be disappointed.

Most LTM J-8 lenses that I used turned out to be OK for the most part, yes, a few were dogs and very small minority were spectacular and all without needing any shimming.

It is all based on luck of the draw.

Selling a Canon 50mm f 1:8 lens would be an act of the last straw if I ever needed money.
Click to expand...

Indeed! I only consider selling it as I have a very nice Canon RF body that complements it so well I believe selling it as a set would be the smarter route. I'll be shooting the J8 on a trusty Bessa R. I'm getting rid of all of my 35mm gear that isn't the Bessa, and trying to slim down to one 50mm and one 35mm. Thanks for the replies.
 
From my experience:

An other thing to consider is that other than the Kiev RF 50mm lenses and the I-22 and I-50 collapsable, that FSU lenses no matter how good they are optically, is that some specimens seem to self destruct mechanically.

They are not as well built mechanically as the Japanese or German lenses.

Just my two cents worth.
 
I bought this J8 for $10.00. It's a 77 model, black. The shims were redone for a Bessa R which I shoot with. I don't recall ever seeing a J8 with a focusing tab much less a 54 model. I hope you fing one but with todays prices I doubt it will be cheap. You'd probably be better off keeping the canon or settling for a less costly version of a J8. Anyhow I wish you the best.
 
awbphotog said:
I am in the middle of trying to consolidate some gear (bills!), and am considering selling my clean, chrome 50 1.8 and replacing it with the less expensive Jupiter 8. I have relatively strict standards for the J8. I want a 1954 serial number with focusing tab. I wonder if anyone out there has both of these lenses and has had a chance to compare them.
Click to expand...

I have a later (black) J-8, and a Canon 50mm LTM f/1.8. I have found the Canon to be a little sharper, but not necessarily better than the J-8. There is a certain indefinable quality about the J-8 which can't be summarised by reference to its technical quality.

I must admit that my experiences with these lenses don't match too closely with your question, as my J-8 is not the earlier model that you're intending to get. In addition, I use these lenses on m43, so the image area utilised by the sensor is only a small portion of a FF sensor (or 35mm film). This probably means that my J-8 is flattered in the comparison, as the outer edges of the image circle are un-recorded on m43. I would say that the IQ of the J-8 is a touch flaky (but only a touch) when used wide open, improving quickly when stopped down, even just a little.

FWIW, these are my findings - hope this helps. Good luck with your purchase...:)
 
The J8 focusing tabs were around for a while. I have one from 1956 and one from 1959. What is the importance of the tab for you? As far as I know, these lenses were optically and mechanically the same as their "tabless" cousins.

Cheers,
Dez
 
gb hill said:
I bought this J8 for $10.00. It's a 77 model, black. The shims were redone for a Bessa R which I shoot with. I don't recall ever seeing a J8 with a focusing tab much less a 54 model. I hope you fing one but with todays prices I doubt it will be cheap. You'd probably be better off keeping the canon or settling for a less costly version of a J8. Anyhow I wish you the best.
Click to expand...

I've got a tabbed '54 in my watch list on evilbay right now. :D

tbhv55 said:
I have a later (black) J-8, and a Canon 50mm LTM f/1.8. I have found the Canon to be a little sharper, but not necessarily better than the J-8. There is a certain indefinable quality about the J-8 which can't be summarised by reference to its technical quality.

I must admit that my experiences with these lenses don't match too closely with your question, as my J-8 is not the earlier model that you're intending to get. In addition, I use these lenses on m43, so the image area utilised by the sensor is only a small portion of a FF sensor (or 35mm film). This probably means that my J-8 is flattered in the comparison, as the outer edges of the image circle are un-recorded on m43. I would say that the IQ of the J-8 is a touch flaky (but only a touch) when used wide open, improving quickly when stopped down, even just a little.

FWIW, these are my findings - hope this helps. Good luck with your purchase...:)
Click to expand...

Thanks for your input! I am fairly sure that the J8 will more than satisfy my needs.

Dez said:
The J8 focusing tabs were around for a while. I have one from 1956 and one from 1959. What is the importance of the tab for you? As far as I know, these lenses were optically and mechanically the same as their "tabless" cousins.

Cheers,
Dez
Click to expand...

The focusing tab is more of just something I'm used to having on my RF lenses than a necessity. I could use one without the tab, but would prefer a model with one. The '54 model, aside from being an earlier, better made version, specifically lacks the three screws on the rear mount. This is one of the criteria Brian Sweeney suggested would suggest the lens was of high quality.
 
I happen to have both. albeit a black 1980 Jupiter. I use them both on a Canon 7, and for my black and white (no clue about color rendition, as I don't do color film) stuff they are practically equal in the optical department. The Canon however is much nicer built and has click stops in its aperture ring which the Jupiter has not. I don't think the price difference is that big, unless you can find a good Jupiter on a flea market.

Cheers, Richard
 
i've had both (1970s j8), and used them both on a bessa r.
the canon was spectacular with color.
the j8 was more contrasty with black and white; the canon more predictable.
it was easy to nudge the aperture ring on the j8 away from the selected aperture and never know it until after the shot was made.
the canon was much heavier. i think i got more consistent results with the canon, perhaps because the aperture ring stayed put.
i still miss the canon. i do not miss the j8.
 
as much as i love my leica lenses, the canon 50/1.8 has probably taken as many keepers as anything else in my quiver, including some of my very favorites. it doesn't resolve as well as a summicron but it is tiny, shows a nice character and has great ergonomics. mine is black-and-chrome, but my understanding is that the optical formula is the same as the chrome. the lack of aperture detents on russian lenses (and not just russian lenses...) is a constant cause of concern for me when i use such lenses. the lack of consistent quality among jupiters would be more of a concern for me.
 
As others have said, there is quite a bit of sample variation among the J8-s. You might have to go through several before you find a good one. If you mostly shoot at smaller apertures (f/5.6 - 11), you will probably be happy with any J-8. But wide open - I think not. Others may have had better luck or different standards but I consider mine ('56, IIRC) a f/2.8 lens: at f/2 it simply doesn't cut it for anything other than emergency cases.

My only experience with Canon LTM lenses is the 50/1.2 but I believe the build quality and attention to ergonomics is similar across the range. Head and shoulders above the FSU stuff, that is.

Bottom line - I wouldn't sell the Canon for anything FSU. I own quite a bit of Soviet photo gear but it was all given to me, free...
 
You'll miss the Canon and I can't imagine you'll really reap that much more in savings (as a nitpick and a joke, I don't think trading one lens for another is consolidation). Remember this "The Canon lens is my pride and joy and if I weren't trying to keep one 35mm system I would certainly sell it to you."

I think you should keep the Canon... (unless you feel it'd be better off on my Bessa ;-)
 
I have had 2 j8s and both were pretty nice. The first one I had was silver, the one I have now is Black. I took this with the new one... http://www.flickr.com/photos/ibcrewin/8567781012/in/photostream and here it is on the Bessa: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ibcrewin/8536928577/in/photostream/
I have to look through my old scans to see if I find a shot with the silver one.

Would you want to trade for a few months? Like a lens swap.
If at the end of the lens swap you like my j-8 you can keep it and i'll pay you the difference for the Canon. If you don't like it, we'll swap back?
 
I've been shooting the canon on my Bessa and my VT and...gosh I'm gonna keep it. Was crunched on money and some things have freed up so I think I can afford to keep the little 50. Thanks VTHokie. :)
 
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