Jupiter 3 or Jupiter 8?

[Ko.Fe.]

Nothing strange here. First, it was not rare, but not this common. Most of the made in USSR worked.
Second, it was very different back then. Things were often purchased just once.
One camera, lens for entire life. One refrigerator, one radio, one stove. Furniture was not changed. And most of those things were primitive. Primitive cameras, radios. Even cars, I don't think even now they have automatic transmission or AC. I owned Russian cars purchased new. They worked.

 

[goamules]

I've had a lot of FSU lenses. From the early Fed 50/2.0 to the 90mm Jupiter 9, and all in between. Multiple versions of most. I disagree with the premise that "the J8 was a better lens". At one time I had 3 J8s, and tested them. Only 1 of 3 had really good resolution. The other two you could see were much less sharp. And no, they were not scratched or fogged. All crystal clear. I use them for camera body caps...don't even shoot with J8s.

On the other hand the J3 was the cream of the crop. This was the fastest 50mm and much more expensive in the Soviet Union. Their cameras in general were so expensive to Soviets only the elite (yes, there are those in Communism) could buy them. The Jupiter 3's that I've had were all fantastic. As a matter of fact, I prefer the J3 to other Sonnars like the Canon 50/1.5. Only the Nikkor 50/1.4 do I like better, because of it's close focus ability.

All this shimming talk has always baffled me. But I mostly shoot on a digital XE-1, and when you focus by sight, WYSIWYG. Which is fantastic sharpness and color rendition. On Velvia 50, canon P body if I recall:

 

[CharlesDAMorgan]

Garrett - that's really lovely - that lens has a great 'pop'.

 

[CharlesDAMorgan]

Ordered a replacement for the Jupiter 8 from the Ukraine. It better be as described but the pictures are much clearer. Also a bit cheaper even after postage.

 

[David Hughes]

Keep in mind, those cameras and lenses were made in huge numbers. Smenas and Fed-2 where made in millions...

Hi,

I thought I had some figures somewhere and have just dug them up; these are for the FED RF's and are from various sources.

It seems to me that a reasonable number for FED RF production would be about 9 million from the 30's to the final 5C in the late 80's. So none younger than about 30 years old.

If just 1% have had a fault that's 90000 cameras of all ages. OTOH the output could have been exaggerated and it was only half that number, even so 1% is 45000 cameras.

Then we can add in the events of 1990 when the walls came down and so on; so FED's could be abandoned until the great ebay bonanza and every thing started being sold off for silly prices. And there's those sellers who have strange ideas about spray cans of oil and servicing cameras...

Anyway, I don't blame the cameras' designers or makers but the sellers and, very slightly, the buyers who rushed in and paid silly prices and encouraged them more.

I don't think now is a good time to buy. It was a lot better years ago before ebay and the www when I was buying cameras of all makes for a pittance from stalls in the market and charity shops. Thanks to the wonderful digitals I was paying 50 pennies for cameras like Olympus and Lomo...

Regards, David

 

[CharlesDAMorgan]

Hindsight is the most powerful investment tool known to man. Certainly there has been a huge run up in prices, but ultimately you can still get a decent camera for not a lot, and frankly most of the 70s cameras I've bought have had bigger issues - a nice mechanical camera like a Zorki can still be serviced.

Anyway, in the absence of a good enough Zorki 3, I may get a Zorki 4 (same rangefinder, less likelihood of slow shutter speed issues) as a much cheaper alternative pro tem.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Hi,

I thought I had some figures somewhere and have just dug them up; these are for the FED RF's and are from various sources.

It seems to me that a reasonable number for FED RF production would be about 9 million from the 30's to the final 5C in the late 80's. So none younger than about 30 years old.

If just 1% have had a fault that's 90000 cameras of all ages. OTOH the output could have been exaggerated and it was only half that number, even so 1% is 45000 cameras.

Then we can add in the events of 1990 when the walls came down and so on; so FED's could be abandoned until the great ebay bonanza and every thing started being sold off for silly prices. And there's those sellers who have strange ideas about spray cans of oil and servicing cameras...

Anyway, I don't blame the cameras' designers or makers but the sellers and, very slightly, the buyers who rushed in and paid silly prices and encouraged them more.

I don't think now is a good time to buy. It was a lot better years ago before ebay and the www when I was buying cameras of all makes for a pittance from stalls in the market and charity shops. Thanks to the wonderful digitals I was paying 50 pennies for cameras like Olympus and Lomo...

Regards, David

I purchased around seven FSU LTM RF in 2018. Only one of them worked. "Fresh" FED 5B. The rest was with uneven exposures. For cameras made in seventies or earlier it means CLA.
Next to none of cameras sold by sellers on eBay after real CLA.

 

[CharlesDAMorgan]

I purchased around seven FSU LTM RF in 2018. Only one of them worked. "Fresh" FED 5B. The rest was with uneven exposures. For cameras made in seventies or earlier it means CLA.
Next to none of cameras sold by sellers on eBay after real CLA.

That's become my assumption. I plan to contact Oleg Khalyavin as I hear he does a good job with the cameras he sells, but that may be internet over-praising.

 

[David Hughes]

That's become my assumption. I plan to contact Oleg Khalyavin as I hear he does a good job with the cameras he sells, but that may be internet over-praising.

Hi,


He did a good job for me and has the parts. Newton Ellis and Co in Liverpoo have also done good work on old USSR made ones but I've not needed much repaired in the last few years so my info may be out of date but I trust them both.


Regrds, David

 

[CharlesDAMorgan]

I have a Summicron with Newton Ellis at present. They did a great (but slow) job on a Zeiss Distagon 35mm Rollei last year but it will 6 months on the Summicron in a week's time and they are snowed.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

That's become my assumption. I plan to contact Oleg Khalyavin as I hear he does a good job with the cameras he sells, but that may be internet over-praising.

If you'll get camera from him, test its all speeds with film right away.....
For now I just rely on cameras I could fix by myself.
Fed-2 and Zorki. Those are elegant and simple FSU RF.
The rest of FSU LTM RFs are not worth it, IMO.
Old Canon II is better camera. I have one to try change curtains and CLA.

 

[CharlesDAMorgan]

Ok, so not even him!

 

[valdas]

Ok, so not even him!

I can understand gambling with J3 - the difference in price vs a German/Japanese fast lens is significant, and I have to admit - J3 is quite a decent lens... But FSU cameras... Why bother? Fixed lens Japanese RF like 30€ Minolta 7s will overperform FSU RFs in all departments.

 

[CharlesDAMorgan]

I'm not particularly logical, but as I do have a range of screwmount lenses I do want a rangefinder, my Leica III is fun but I loved the combined rangefinder on the Zorki 3 (nice big and bright window). Knowing me I'll end up with some Japanese ones too.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

I can understand gambling with J3 - the difference in price vs a German/Japanese fast lens is significant, and I have to admit - J3 is quite a decent lens... But FSU cameras... Why bother? Fixed lens Japanese RF like 30€ Minolta 7s will overperform FSU RFs in all departments.

Giving next to not existing service for FSU, made in Japan old RF are better alternative for overpriced Leica LTM. I'm just not sure why fixed lens camera with antique electronics is better than no electronics camera from same region, which works with any FSU LTM lens and serviceable by YEE. 🙂

 

[valdas]

Giving next to not existing service for FSU, made in Japan old RF are better alternative for overpriced Leica LTM. I'm just not sure why fixed lens camera with antique electronics is better than no electronics camera from same region, which works with any FSU LTM lens and serviceable by YEE. 🙂

Well, my experience - for some reason those old Japanese RFs just work 🙂 I guess there is a reason why Toyota is no 1 or 2 automotive company in the world (with VW)... old cars, old cameras...

 

[David Hughes]

I can understand gambling with J3 - the difference in price vs a German/Japanese fast lens is significant, and I have to admit - J3 is quite a decent lens... But FSU cameras... Why bother? Fixed lens Japanese RF like 30€ Minolta 7s will overperform FSU RFs in all departments.

The 7s can out perform a lot of other cameras but does that mean they are all bad? Some of us like cameras because of their quirks. I bother with 1936 FEDs for the same reason I bother with 1936 Leicas...


Regards, David

 

[IIIg]

I'm not particularly logical, but as I do have a range of screwmount lenses I do want a rangefinder, my Leica III is fun but I loved the combined rangefinder on the Zorki 3 (nice big and bright window). Knowing me I'll end up with some Japanese ones too.

It is difficult to beat a Canon P as a user's camera. I've owned all of the FSU LTM cameras in the past and the Canon P completely outclasses any/all of them and is worth the cost of a CLA if needed. Don't often find holes in the Canon's metal shutter curtains.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

And you could beat with P as well. It is larger than M.

 

[IIIg]

And you could beat with P as well. It is larger than M.

What are you trying to say?