Fedka's Jupiter 8

[Tun]

Just received my jupiter 8 today which i bought it from fedka.com.
However, i am not really pleased with the condition. Lots of scratch marks or cleaning marks on the lens which was stated on the website. I also can see more than 3 speckles of dirt in the lens. Its not on the exterior, but inside. OMG~
The aperture and focal ring is smooth but the stops are not accurate. I could go beyond f22.
It was stated EXC for use.

Are russian optics usually like this?
Is this still acceptable? anyone with similar lens condition?
Should i send it back and ask for another piece?

 

[Mike Kovacs]

If its dirty inside, then that means the lens was not cleaned, or not very well. The focus should not be stiff if its a LTM lens. The question is whether it makes a lick of difference in the real world. If its in the back of the rear element, that's pretty easy to deal with yourself. May require more work or specialized tools to delve deeper.

Does it look like it might be black paint? Sometimes a little flakes off when you reassemble these.

Aperture (I assume the non-linear scale with no click stops) - common for it to feel loose, have a wobble to the ring, and for it to move outside the marks. That's Soviet manufacturing.

 

[Kim Coxon]

If the specks of dirt are between the 2 main lens groups, it is easy to remove them. The whole optic unit unscrews. You can then unscrew the rear group and gently blow out any dust that is in there. Most of the J8's I have seen do go slightly past the F22 mark in the same way they go slightly past the closest focus mark.

Kim

 

[wlewisiii]

My experiance has been pretty much the same as the other comments here. If you're still concerned, I'd simply drop an email to Yuri. He'll work with you to make sure you're happy with your purchase. I know I've only gotten things that were better than described from him.

William

 

[w3rk5]

I have an Industar 61 L/D with some dust or whatever it may be inside of the lens. It also has quite a bit of scratches. It still takes razor sharp pictures. Flairing isn't an issue since I use a hood.

I would just shoot a roll and see if you like it. Otherwise, send Yuri a e-mail.

 

[Tun]

thanks wlewisiii,
i have already emailed him about the lens. I didnt expect the lens to have so many scratches.
I had experience with lens that has scratches too..but not as much as this. It was only just now i discovered about the dirt inside. Yuri asked me to test it before i send it back to him.

Kim, u mean i can just simply unscrew and assemble them easily?

 

[Kim Coxon]

Hi,
That's right. That part of it is easy. To go any further gets more complicated. However, you need to resolve the matter with Yuri first before you start doing anything with the lens.

Kim

thanks wlewisiii,
i have already emailed him about the lens. I didnt expect the lens to have so many scratches.
I had experience with lens that has scratches too..but not as much as this. It was only just now i discovered about the dirt inside. Yuri asked me to test it before i send it back to him.

Kim, u mean i can just simply unscrew and assemble them easily?

 

[kmack]

I have an Industar 61 L/D with some dust or whatever it may be inside of the lens. It also has quite a bit of scratches. It still takes razor sharp pictures. Flairing isn't an issue since I use a hood.

I would just shoot a roll and see if you like it. Otherwise, send Yuri a e-mail.

Heck, I have an I-61 that has a thumbprint on one of the inner elements. I have been meaning to take it apart and clean it, but since I do not notice any
artifacts in images from it, I have never bothered. It is just one more reason to love that quirky FSU gear.

 

[ruben]

Hi Tun
Unless you are a collector instead of a user, I would first of all try this scratched J-8 at f/2 and at minimum distance (3feet /1m), and compare it against any other standard lens of any type you may have, with the same subject/test, taking the roll from camera to camera. (I did it).

With FSU lenses sometimes you get crappy performers, sometimes Sonnar-like performers. If your J-8 is a Sonnar-like performer, then the issue of dirt and clicks becomes totally secondary, as you have got a legendary performer for penauts.

This test I propose you is specially needed before sending back a lens bought at Fedka, who although still a human being, is one of the most respected and accordingly expensive sellers.

Cheers,
Ruben

 

[John]

If it is not what you expected the vendor should allow you to return it and get reimbursed the price less shipping. That being said, "user" quality is above "for parts" and below "excellent".

 

[Tun]

yup thanks everyone. I am waiting for my Fed 2 to arrive before i can do any test on this lens.
Not really concerned about the scratches anymore but the few big pieces of dirt in it.
Will post some pics here after i have tested the lens and body.

 

[pangkievrange]

yup thanks everyone. I am waiting for my Fed 2 to arrive before i can do any test on this lens.
Not really concerned about the scratches anymore but the few big pieces of dirt in it.
Will post some pics here after i have tested the lens and body.

Clean up the lens with isopropanol (91%) available (alcohol /personal care section) at drugstores such as CVS. I bought a big batch (5 big bottles) when I came across the clean batch. Sometimes, the alcohol has some trace impurity.

pangkievrange

 

[Tun]

thanks pangkievrange,

i am too timid to dismentle my lens. don't wish to screw up my first FSU lens. 😀

 

[einolu]

That lens looks to be in pretty bad comdition, I have gotten better condition lenses from ebay, and at about 1/3 the price that Fedka asks...

There is a good chance he made a mistake, so email him and ask for a replacement. I am a true believer in the high quality of soviet optics.

 

[pangkievrange]

thanks pangkievrange,

i am too timid to dismentle my lens. don't wish to screw up my first FSU lens. 😀

Here's kiev 3a and with jupiter 8. The front glass has some clean marks.

 

[pangkievrange]

91% isopropanol and degreased Q-tips in the bottle.

 

[pangkievrange]

Here are some more impeccable clean surface with this clean method.

 

[dll927]

I'm sort of surprised to hear this about Yuri at Fedka. Hope he isn't sliding into competition madness. A while back I bought Zorki-6 from him. Then bought a Kiev 4a. In the case of the Kiev, he emailed me and said the J-8 lens had "minor cleaning marks", so he was including a Helios 103. The camera arrived with BOTH lenses, which I thought was going the extra mile, since I had already paid for the purchase by Visa. I have seen quite a few praises for Yuri, so hope the above experience is a fluke.

 

[Tun]

well, the thing is that on the ad its already mentioned "minor cleaning marks".
He didnt email me about that or include any extra lens for me.
He just want me to try out the lens first. But i paid US59 for such a faulty lens.(scratch marks, black pieces of dirt in lens and inaccurate click f-stops)

Seems that i don't have as good experience as many of your, i guess my next purchase will be from Oleg.