Jupiter 8 ??

[dcsang]

Ok.. after seeing all those posts about the Jupiter-8 50mm lens; it looks like it may be a good steal for the R3A .

I have an opportunity to purchase a collapsible 50 Summicron but I'm not sure I want it (at $400 USD) or that it would be good on the R3A, so now I look towards the Jupiter-8 but I know squat about them.

Any tips on this lens so I can post a decent WTB or so I know what to look for?

New-To-Soviet Technology,
Dave

 

[doubs43]

The Jupiter-8 is a Sonnar design and can be an excellent lens if you get a good one. You can buy several and keep the best one. There's a question about the helical threads being slightly different than those of the Leica lenses so it's possible that you could run into focusing problems.

If I could afford the Summacron, I'd buy it and never look back but only you can decide if a J-8 will do and the remaining funds put to other uses.

Walker

Ok.. after seeing all those posts about the Jupiter-8 50mm lens; it looks like it may be a good steal for the R3A .

I have an opportunity to purchase a collapsible 50 Summicron but I'm not sure I want it (at $400 USD) or that it would be good on the R3A, so now I look towards the Jupiter-8 but I know squat about them.

Any tips on this lens so I can post a decent WTB or so I know what to look for?

New-To-Soviet Technology,
Dave

 

[pshinkaw]

Other than minor design/construction variants, their two kinds.

(1) Chrome/silver/aluminum/white (shiny) and

(2) Black

The Shiny ones are the older models. Almost all require some cleaning and lube before they will work smoothly. It's an asy DIY job. No clickstops. Some of them come with focusing tabs. I don't know if the R3A has anything that would collide with the tabs. Best to ask an R3A owner, although some people just saw the tabs off.

The Black ones are later build and usually were made for the Zorki-4K. They seem to weigh a little more than the Shiny ones. They have only a single fosusing helical and thus the entire lens rotates as it is focused. That can be a problem of you use a polarizer and some people find it a nuisance to have to "hunt" for the aperture scale. No clickstops.

-Paul

 

[Kin Lau]

Having just received my Bessa R from Frank, I'll going thru all my LTM 50's to see which one goes the best. The Bessa is a silver one, and here are my observations so far... I still need to do some test shots.

J8 - easy to focus, looks okay on the camera. Mine's off a 4K, I sold my other J8 to Frank last year. Front rotates when focusing. No focusing tab, can adjust aperture with filters.
I-22 and 50/3.5 Elmar, classic look, but looks a little strange on the Bessa. Front rotates when focusing. With focusing tab, cannot adjust aperture with filters.
I-26, off a Fed 2. Silver, very worn, looks okay with the Bessa, front doesnt' rotate, has a focusing tab, can adjust aperture with filters.
I-61, off a Fed 5. Black, looks okay with the Bessa, front doesn't rotate, no focusing tab but the only FSU lense I have with click-stops, can adjust aperture with filters.

 

[peter_n]

I got one last year and did some research beforehand. It is thought that the lenses made in the late 50's & early 60's had a higher reliable yield. That means a silver one, preferably with a red Cyrillic letter P on the front ring (looks like an upside-down square U and signifies the lens is coated). Whatever you get, the optics are likely to be excellent and the mechanics poor.

 

[RML]

For sample shots see my gallery. Many of my shots are taken with a Bessa R or Leica M2 with a Jupiter-8.