Jupiter 3 or Jupiter 8?

[Alberti]

I once bought a J3 Pi and it focussed stiff. So I used Brian's recipe for dis/assembly, greasing. Had placed my own the marks. [There were several already].
Well, when I turned the thing back on, the barrel was out of sync. That happens to me of course only.

The interesting part.
So after about twenty tries I almost gave up and tried the second cam (near the back). I can be turned 180 degrees. Twisted it the other way. That is the interesting part. Put it all back, all rings were now very far off (about 120 degrees either way. And I found a second pit for the screws, about 5 mm off.

\Used that, and the lens was SPOT ON at 1m and full opening. The best I ever had (like the Leica 50). Great sharpness.
Unfortunately, the bug caught me. 😱 I did not like the cams all off so I sold it it. Have regrets ever since.

 

[traveler_101]

I put my first film through it this week and the results are superb. All speeds down to 1/10th work correctly (I'll never use that or below in real life) and the lens is really lovely - just needs a good CLA to make it a little less stiff. It's nicer in feel and to use than the Zorki4, and to round it off, I think I've found a good Jupiter 3.

Looks cool - especially with the rotating finder! However, I still have not heard a response to Ko.Fe's point about the futility of buying these cameras - for those who already have the Leica iii series.

 

[dotur]

I have Leica II, two Leicas IIIf, M3, M6 and a CL, not to mention Zeiss Ikon ZM, Canon P, Kiev-2A, Zorki-1 and Zorki-4, two Fed-2 and a Fed-1C (Komandirskij). However, my favourite rangefinder camera is this one, a Fed-1D repainted in olive green. Why? It is reliable and it suits me best.

 

[traveler_101]

I have Leica II, two Leicas IIIf, M3, M6 and a CL, not to mention Zeiss Ikon ZM, Canon P, Kiev-2A, Zorki-1 and Zorki-4, two Fed-2 and a Fed-1C (Komandirskij). However, my favourite rangefinder camera is this one, a Fed-1D repainted in olive green. Why? It is reliable and it suits me best.

Nice colour and really nice half case! Did you have the camera completely refurbished?

 

[dotur]

Thanks! Painted and refurbished (by seller) in Germany. The nice half-case is literally half of the old Zorki-1 leather case.

 

[David Hughes]

FWIW, the Jupiter-3 works well on the Leica M9 but I use the setting, in the menu, for the 50mm Summicron V3 or 11 817.

Regards, David

PS And I do like that painted FED.