mdspace
Established
Hello, I wish to know how to determine the age and the version of your Jupiter 8.
brachal
Refrigerated User
The first two digits of the serial number are the year of manufacture. While the Jupiter-8 did change over time, I'm not aware of specific versions. Earlier versions are silver; late versions are black, and the entire lens rotates when you focus them.
xayraa33
rangefinder user and fancier
you can go by the first two digits rule, although I have two J-8s that don't follow that rule, but most do.
brachal
Refrigerated User
That is interesting. Where were they made, and when? Just curious.
raid
Dad Photographer
The older lenses follow the first two digit rule but newer lenses do not follow this rule. My oldest is a 1955 J-8 and a 1959 J-3.
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rbiemer
Unabashed Amateur
There are a few variations as Bill mentioned. The earlier versions don't have the rotating front element and (some?) do have a focus tab. Not sure about the optics but I think that remained the same for all versions?
I have noted differences in the color of the coatings; pale purple-ish or pale orange or straw colors. Not certain if that relates to manufacture date or, perhaps, which plant they were made in?
I've not owned one but the later black bodied lenses also have the markings painted or silk screened on rather than engraved.
Rob
PS: if you can find a copy of Jean Loupe Princelle's book, he has lots of mostly good info about lots of FSU cameras and lenses.
I have noted differences in the color of the coatings; pale purple-ish or pale orange or straw colors. Not certain if that relates to manufacture date or, perhaps, which plant they were made in?
I've not owned one but the later black bodied lenses also have the markings painted or silk screened on rather than engraved.
Rob
PS: if you can find a copy of Jean Loupe Princelle's book, he has lots of mostly good info about lots of FSU cameras and lenses.
brachal
Refrigerated User
Raid,
Are you certain? I have a black J-8 and a J-8-1 that appear to follow the rule. They're both LTM versions from KMZ.
xayraa33
rangefinder user and fancier
one is a late 70s black one with the green and white numbering and the other is a mid 60s silver tabless one with the rotating front element.
I am guessing at the era by the camera bodies serial numbers they came on.
raid
Dad Photographer
I have a black LTM Jupiter-8 by KMZ with serial number 0249104. The aperture ring turns without any clicks. It saysa on it "Made in USSR".
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mdspace
Established
My LMT Jupiter-8 has a serial number 02.... too. It's black with al the letters in white and red. I think this rule is not for all the Jupiters-8.
Somebody knows the construction material of the outside of these lenses?, Is it aluminium?
Somebody knows the construction material of the outside of these lenses?, Is it aluminium?
Disaster_Area
Gadget Monger
yup... aluminum. The biggest problem with dating a lot of the FSU lenses is that they've often been frankenstiened out of 2 or more lenses of different manufacturing dates... so even if you can date your lens by serial number, that may only tell you the date of the piece of aluminum the number is engraved on 
David Hughes
David Hughes
Somewhere at the back of my mind a message came up that the 2 digits prefix for the year started in 1959 but I can't be sure.
Regards, David
Regards, David
brachal
Refrigerated User
Wow. It's hard to argue with a 02.
That definitely upsets what I thought was one of the few certainties in FSU collecting. AFAIK, the Jupiter-8 never came with clicks. I think only the Kiev-mount Jupiter-8M and Industar-61 had click stops.
raid
Dad Photographer
David,
Older FSU lenses followed the numering system by which the first two digits were the production year.It is only with newer made FSU lenses where it is unclear which year a lens was made.
brachal
Refrigerated User
According to Princelle, LTM Jupiter-8 production at KMZ can be dated/classified as follows:
1950 - 1962: chromed aluminum with focusing tab. Exact copy of the Zeiss rigid Sonnar.
1962 - 1965: satin chromed aluminum barrel. No focusing tab. 52mm focal length
1965 - 1970: chromed aluminum. Front of the lens rotates while focusing.
1970 - 1992: black anodized finish. Front of the lens rotates while focusing.
1990's: production switches to the Jupiter-8-1.
1950 - 1962: chromed aluminum with focusing tab. Exact copy of the Zeiss rigid Sonnar.
1962 - 1965: satin chromed aluminum barrel. No focusing tab. 52mm focal length
1965 - 1970: chromed aluminum. Front of the lens rotates while focusing.
1970 - 1992: black anodized finish. Front of the lens rotates while focusing.
1990's: production switches to the Jupiter-8-1.
xayraa33
rangefinder user and fancier
this one was on a 1965 Zorki 4
fanshaw
Well-known
Perhaps the lenses with numbers that don't match their manufacturing date were sold as replacement lenses? The black anodised J-8 on my Zorki-4K has a number starting with 77 and so does the camera body.
eli griggs
Well-known
Can we get a sticky thread posed titled something like "FSU production dates" so we can put useful info like this in one spot?
raid
Dad Photographer
This is very useful information, Bill.
What about the Jupiter-8M?
What does the "M" stand for?
brachal
Refrigerated User
Raid,
I wish I knew, but I haven't got a clue. According to Princelle, the Jupiter-8 was made in Kiev-mount by KMZ from 1950 to 1955, when production switched to the Kiev Arsenal. The Jupiter-8M was introduced in 1957 with a recalculated, 6-element formula and click-stops. I have a '56 Kiev IIa with a '57 Arsenal-built Jupiter-8 -- assuming the 2-digit rule holds true.