J-8 advice

[freeranger]

I've just got a new (to me) J-8. It is clean and seems to work fine.

However, the focus and aperture ring are very slick - there is very little resistance.
Also the aperture blades have a lot of oil on them.

Does the oil on the blades matter? Is there anything I can do to increase the "feel" of the focussing and aperture adjustment?

Thanks

 

[Spyderman]

freeranger: if you want I'll take care of it when I have time 😉 I could relube the focussing and aperture ring.

And IMO a little oil on blades is not a problem. Only problem would be if it migrated to the glass...

 

[ruben]

In case you are talking about an old J-8, of those without click stops and with a single side aperture marking, a home made quick a dirty solution may be to cut a piece of bycicle tube, like if it was a broad rubber band. Then you will install it on the fixed ring with the pointer towards the f/stops.

The way you install it should let clear the f/stops marks and numbers, as well as the pointer, but cover a bit the rotating part of the lens compound in which the f/stops are marked. This will produce friction and resistance, a la carte of the user via the way you install it.

Cheers,
Ruben

 

[Spyderman]

ruben: No J-8 has click stops. It's J-8M that have click stops and they were made only in Kiev mount...

 

[freeranger]

Thanks everyone. I never cease to be awed by the amount of knowledge that people are willing to share on this forum. You are all very kind.
Andrej, I know you are really busy at the moment but when you have the time i'd be happy to take you up on your offer to take a look at my new FSU gear. I'm in no hurry : Bratislava is looking very pretty at the moment so I'll try Ruben's quick fix and see what the Zorki and the J8 are capable of.

 

[ruben]

Attention Freeranger,
By chance I have exactly the same lens in the same situation. Having a rotating standard lens with a single aperture scale is for me very ackward and uncomfortable. So I strongly recommend that in your first roll you make another "quick and dirty" test as follows.

You'll need a tripod/or any other kind of support. And another camera, prefering your best among what you have, with a standard lens. With this one make your first pic of a test subject of your choice, placed at 1 meter and using the widest lens aperture. This type of test is the proof of fire for any lens.

Then, rewind your film leaving a tongue out, and mount your film on the camera you will be using your J-8 and repeat exactly the same test. Afterwards you can continue with the film and camera for your normal use.

When the film is gone, compare the the two first images and know what quality your single scale J-8 delivers you.

In my case it happen to be outstanding, the best of all my standard lens, only comparable to my Zuiko macro (against which I tested it among other lenses).

But in case your sample turns to be unsatisfactory, then i think it will not be worth the dis-comfort of the single rotating aperture scale, and you are adviced to buy another standard lens, that by these days are sold very cheap.

Cheers,
Ruben

ps
Keep us informed at this thread for the results, as we all want to believe or disclaim this type belongs or not to a good crop year.

 

[jamiewakeham]

Bit of a tangent, but; my recently-arrived J-8M has an aperture dial that slips - sometimes when it rotates it will fail to shift the blades. Is the fix for this easy?

Cheers
Jamie

 

[jamiewakeham]

Will do - cheers Brian!

Jamie

 

[fanshaw]

I've run across only one J-8 that was unrepairable. The lens module was epoxied into the focus mount, and it was impossible to get it out to set the shim. Otherwise, all of the others could be "shimmed" to focus accurately. Recently, I flood cleaned the aperture mechanism on a J-8 to get the oil out, that was not a hard job. Nothing that Ondrej can't handle in his generous offer.

You can but a lot of lenses trying to find one that is accurate with your camera. Try the one you have, and if it is deemed "unrepairable", try another. The FSU cameras have some varience in them with respect to how a lens sits on the camera. Best to send the Zorki with the lens to have it adjusted for that camera.

I have heard of the shimming process, but I have never heard of what the shims are made of or how to make them. Can you enlighten me please?