Jupiter 3 or Jupiter 8?

[valdas]

Interesting but I'd like to know how many brand new cameras you have bought in the old USSR, make, models etc...

Regards, David

A couple of cameras myself (Smena, Zenit) and all the people around me had same experiences. We even had a saying “russian machines like to be hit” meaning it took some force quite often to get things work.
I wonder how people who never were part of the system are favorable towards the regime they never experienced and only have heard romantized stories or propaganda. Yes, some photography stuff was just ok because they were successifull copies of true innovation, but that’s about it.

 

[CharlesDAMorgan]

Certainly, Lada cars were extensively rebuilt when they arrived in the UK as their finish was appalling. Shame we didn't have the same for the British Leyland products of the time (ducks).

I did have a Zenit E as a boy and it took perfectly acceptable photos (when I applied myself).

I come with no illusions. I did have friends who own a number of Soviet bloc cars and go on rallies, and most of them are as mad as a hatter. I rather lost touch when I asked not so innocently who in their right minds would dress up as Stasi or NKVD to go to some reenactment. That didn't go down well.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Keep in mind, those cameras and lenses were made in huge numbers. Smenas and Fed-2 where made in millions. Some of them could come with defect.
You have never returned defect product purchased new?

As for Lada, our family first car re-export from Belgium. Sorry, but it was nothing special, nothing showing it as rebuilt.
Our last Lada was special minivan based on Niva (Corsak). Once we went to Finland, many asked us where to buy it. I owned made in Finland Talbot and it was worse than Lada.

 

[CharlesDAMorgan]

It's arrived in good condition but an undisclosed chip out of the filter ring. I'll do some lens tests but this sort of thing does rather irritate me, sometimes enough to request a return.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

If filter will not screw, I would return it. With filter on, this lens doesn't need hood. And front element is soft, better to be protected.

 

[CharlesDAMorgan]

The lens hood will unscrew then re-screw on, but it's a little tight.

Did some lens testing with it on the A7s on tripod with measurements done with a tape measure. There's about a cm of front focussing at 1m at f1.5, largely gone by f2. At 5, 7 & 10 meters, F1.5 is slightly out but all the other apertures are absolutely spot on.

I'll do some at infinity tomorrow in better light, but it looks to be off - a bit forward. However, I need a lens I am confident of with the same distance scale to check the distances.

Glass is ok with some haze and cleaning marks but nothing major or out of line with its age.

 

[CharlesDAMorgan]

looking at the infinity shots again, it was low light and some shake with ISO set to 100 (despite being tripod mounted) is apparent. So I'll do them again in the morning.

 

[CharlesDAMorgan]

Decided to return it. Pointless spending time on a lens that was damaged.

 

[valdas]

Decided to return it. Pointless spending time on a lens that was damaged.

Just out of curiosity - how much did it cost?

 

[CharlesDAMorgan]

£134 from a UK seller.

Not the cheapest or the most expensive.

 

[valdas]

£134 from a UK seller.

Not the cheapest or the most expensive.

Yes, that’s about the market price for a silver J3, although in good condition. I have just checked some local ads -160€ for a CLA’d silver version J3...

 

[CharlesDAMorgan]

Hey ho, the search continues!

 

[Kent]

Have had several J8, still have a black one and a chrome one and used to have a J3.

The J8 is a "better" lens, as far as "lab performance" and aberrations are concerned, but the J3 has much more "character". Kind of regret having sold the J3 some time ago.

 

[CharlesDAMorgan]

Just to finish off, the Zorki 3 I ordered "with everything working" arrived today and in really good external condition. The rangefinder is lovely - nice and bright and build quality is up there. However, slow speeds were completely out and the shutter curtain was like fishnet stockings. So that too is on the way back. Shame really my FSU experience has been marred by bad sellers.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Yep, every Zorki off the eBay in working condition, I have purchased, needed at least curtains change.
How those scammers are getting thousands of positive 100% is eBay dirty secret.

 

[CharlesDAMorgan]

It always mystifies me too. But he's now lost his postage twice and a sale.

The seller of the Jupiter emailed that he'd never worried about the filter ring gouge. So he admitted knowing and not disclosing. These people are idiots.

 

[TenEleven]

Yep, every Zorki off the eBay in working condition, I have purchased, needed at least curtains change.
How those scammers are getting thousands of positive 100% is eBay dirty secret.

I am not entirely sure if that's always been the case, but when I returned something and hadn't yet given feedback, I was forbidden to give feedback after requesting a return. This of course would mean that the only evaluations are from people who did not return. Thanks eBay!

 

[CharlesDAMorgan]

Same here, once the return case was accepted the transaction removed feedback as an option.

Any Zorki sellers to avoid Ko.Fe? I loved the camera, but have better things to do than tie up my money awaiting a return!

 

[David Hughes]

It's a pity you have to buy and like and keep things before you can write any feedback. I'd like to comment on people who write strange descriptions and won't answer questions, meaning I don't buy and don't get a chance to tell others in feedback.


Regards, David


PS The worst case was a Leica that was described as stolen from the factory in 1940 something...


PPS and all this Leica copies from FED and Zorki that have been amended, re-engraved and generally spoilt.

 

[David Hughes]

A couple of cameras myself (Smena, Zenit) and all the people around me had same experiences. We even had a saying “russian machines like to be hit” meaning it took some force quite often to get things work.
I wonder how people who never were part of the system are favorable towards the regime they never experienced and only have heard romantized stories or propaganda. Yes, some photography stuff was just ok because they were successifull copies of true innovation, but that’s about it.

Thanks for the info. Can you give a date for these purchases, please?


It's strange no one else has a similar story...


Regards, David