J3 Question

[lawrence]

I have a lovely J3 (S/N 5601273) but I am wondering if it may be rather unusual:

* It has an aluminium barrel
* It focusses the 'wrong' way i.e. same way as Nikon

Are all J3s like this or are there variations?

BTW I am very happy with this lens -- focusses smoothly with no backlash and beautiful results.

Lawrence

 

[rover]

I think she is normal. Mine is the same way.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

A Nikon lens in Leica Thread Mount follows the Leica Focus convention, but the F-stop remains the same. My J-3's in LTM all follow the Leica convention. With the lens on the camera, camera around your neck and facing out, the infinity is on the right. You move the focus collar counter-clockwise to reach infinity. Same as on the Leica.

On yours, a little hard to read, but the infinity looks like it is on the left. Post some close-Ups!

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Just to prove that I can really Lift a Nikon E3 ONE-Handed!,

A "regular J-3"

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=21724&cat=500&ppuser=205

 

[lawrence]

J3 from above

J3 from above

Brian: here's my J3 from above (do they often focus this way?)

 

[FrankS]

Lawrence, that lens is backwards!

 

[lawrence]

J3 from the front

J3 from the front

...and from the front.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

It looks like a J-3 lens module placed into a different focus mount. Note the F3.5 on the DOF scale. It is "unique"

 

[FrankS]

Look how far back it sits. There's more room for the DOF markings on my J3. (Thanks again, Brian!)

 

[rover]

I have to go look at mine again. I must be wrong.

 

[lawrence]

Thanks for your observations. I thought it might be unique because the barrel is definitely aluminium and it focuses 'Nikon style' (the aperture ring rotates when focussing). I keep it mounted on a 3M, which from the serial number was made a year earlier.

 

[FrankS]

Brian nailed it when he pointed out the f3.5 marking on the DOF scale, for an f1.5 lens. So the focussing mount originally came on an f3.5 lens that focuses Nikon-style. Clues to the mystery donar lens.

 

[Spyderman]

I guess the mount donor could be the Industar 50mm f/3.5 rigid. The DOF scale looks like that. I just can't imagine how one could fit a f/1.5 lens into f/3.5 lens body... 🙄