J8 vs Helios for Kiev?

S

Sam

Guest
I have several Zorkis (Z1, 4k, 3m, well I sold the 3m) one Fed and a Leica M6 but I can't get the idea of trying the Kiev 4. Ive researched enough to know about the different models, however I have been unable to locate any info about wich lens is better, the J8 or Helios 103. I have a J8 for my Zorki and stopped down to F8 its quite good but unusable IMO at F2.0 or 2.8 (too soft for my tastes)

Has anyone compared the J8 to the Helios? There is ample info on the LTM lenses but not much on the contax mount lenses.

Sam
www.samuelportera.com
 
The Helios is an update of the old Jupiter lens. I believe it is still a Sonnar design but with improved coatings and slight modifications. It is said to capture color images better than the Jupiter. I bought a Kiev 4a with Jupiter 8m as they are contemporary to eachother. I have played with the idea of getting a 4am with Helios, to see what the differences in the two kits are.
 
I haven't done any exhaustive testing. I have the Jupiter-8m, Jupiter-8NB, Helios-103 and a pre-war collapsible Sonnar 50/2. Of them, I like the actual Sonnar the best, then the Jupiters and last the Helios. But there's nothing scientific or objective about it and I really need to shoot more with the 8m and the 103, it's just that the collapsable Sonnar makes such a nice little package - I can drop my 4a with it into a coat pocket and go.

The Helios is supposed to be sharper but I can't say I've seen it. The Jupiter 8, on Contax mount, is a very good, sharp lens to begin with. I guess I'd suggest getting one of each and seeing which you prefer. They're certainly cheap enough to do that.

William
 
I think William is right... try 'em. I have two-Helios (Helii?) lenses
and just got an older J-8 (THANKS, LOBSTER!). See very little
difference using print film. The older design is a little more compact.

FWIW

Rick
 
The Helios 103 is a Zeiss Biotar copy. a Gauss derived design, an old formula that did not become popular until the advent of lens coating, because of internal reflections of the elements. the Summicron, & the Canon f1.8 are of a similar design. I prefere the Helios to the Jupiter 8m on my Kiev, when shooting in colour.
 
Hi Sam,
At the Russian Camera User Forum of Beststuff it is a general assumption that the Helios is better. But another accepted truth is that with Russian lens the issue is not "X" against "Y", but what "X" do you got. Soviet quality control of lenses and cameras has been very uncosistent.

In my case, I tested all my Kiev mount 50mm lens And my several Olympus OM 50mm, in the same film. The winner was a 1956 J-8 rivaling (if not surpassing) my Olympus macro at 1meter onwards. My Helios was among the worst.
In the unavoidable process of buying more and more Russian cameras you will gather several standard lenses and may perform your own test.

Good Luck,
Ruben
 
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