Is anyone using the M42 version of the Jupiter-9?

[squirrel$$$bandit]

I'd like to get a portrait lens for my SLR rig, and am thinking of holding out/saving up for a Pentax-M 85/2 or 100/2.8. But perhaps the J9 would be an interesting alternative...I have the proper adapter. It would be stop-down only, but still.

Anybody have experience with it?

 

[planetjoe]

I've one in my kit, and since I currently don't have a dedicated m42 body, it's used exclusively adapted on my Canon 10d. For the record, I've considered selling it a dozen times, but I rather like it.

For general use as a portrait lens, I find it's lacking in practice - I'm not familiar with alternate versions, but mine has a pre-set aperture, making field use just a tiny bit inconvenient. I've also noticed that results are somewhat low-contrast (if not hazy), and I don't think this is because of actual haze; my suspicion is that it's flare-sensitive.

That said, you'd wonder why I even like it.

What I do use it for, actually, is still-life photography, usually with a mini-studio strobe setup. The ~135 mm equivalent on the 10d is just perfect for equipment photos in a light-tent, which I'll have to admit is somewhat of a fetish of mine. Most of the latter images here were taken with this setup.

Still, I keep trying to make it a portrait shooter; I just like it. And it's also built like a tank. Hope this helps confuse your decision even more.


Chers,
--joe.

 

[Spider67]

I tried to us J9's twice on my Nikons with strange results: Using an adapter with a lens (so that you can focus to infinity) seems to enhance some quirks of the lens so that there are areas that flared up. In a whole series of portraits the center was literally flared away as if somebody bleached it away (I'll try to find it) Other times the results were OK, but I use the J9's on M 42 bodies now

 

[Sam N]

Spider67, were your adapters chrome or black? Sometimes the adapters can cause more reflections.

I'm curious about this lens on an SLR as well. Canon's 85/1.8 is excellent (like most manufacturers' 85/1.8s), but I'd like to try something with a different look.

 

[Spider67]

The adapters are black. I tried it again without that happening, The csurious thing about that was that I had the sun in my back, so it was not a backlighting issue....hae to find those pics..

 

[manfromh]

I have one, but I haven't used it much. From my limited experience, I quite like it. Soft wide open, gets sharper stopped down. Not much bigger than my 50mm/1.4 takumar.