Quick question about the Jupiter-8

[carpediem291]

I just bought a Jupiter-8 from from FEDKA and I received it in the mail recently. I am using the lens on my Voigtlander R3A using an LTM adapter. I've never used a Russian lens and I just wanted to make sure that this is normal. I realize that the aperture ring doesn't click since it spins freely. However, when I rotate the aperture ring, the focusing ring also spins. I need to hold the focusing ring with my finger to prevent it from moving when I change the aperture. Does that mean the focusing ring is loose or is that normal. Please verify. Thanks

 

[gb hill]

My focusing ring doesn't move when I adjust the aperture ring. Nice thing about this lens is you can unscrew almost every aspect of this lens. Grasp the focus ring & you can unscrew the front of the lens by twisting the aperture ring counter clockwise. There you might see whats up with it.

 

[greyelm]

This is normal for the later black Jupiter-8, the whole front assembly rotates when focussing so you do have to hold the focus ring when changing the aperture (smooth, no stops). Whereas the earlier silver Jupiter-8 (with the focus tab) stays put when the focus is changed so you don't have to hold the focus ring to change aperture.

 

[Nomad Z]

Doesn't happen with my J-3, which I believe has very similar construction. How well damped does the focussing ring feel when you focus? Does the range finder image move around as expected when you focus? Does it move around when you change the aperture?

 

[Nomad Z]

This is normal for the later black Jupiter-8, the whole front assembly rotates when focussing so you do have to hold the focus ring when changing the aperture (smooth, no stops). Whereas the earlier silver Jupiter-8 (with the focus tab) stays put when the focus is changed so you don't have to hold the focus ring to change aperture.

Blimey. Carpediem, if it's a black one, disregard my previous post.

 

[greyelm]

I forgot to ask, is your J-8 black or silver? I bet it is black.

 

[carpediem291]

yeah, I forgot to mention, it's the black one and according to FEDKA website, it's the latest version. Everything rotates smoothly and the lens is in excellent condition. So then it is normal for this particular version. I just have to get familiar with this design. Thanks

 

[Nomad Z]

Handy to know - I just bought a black one with a Zorki 4 stuck to the back of it (should arrive in a few days).

 

[greyelm]

You won't be disappointed with the J-8. It even works well on micro 4/3 cameras.

This is one on my GF1

It even works on my Leica IIIf

 

[gb hill]

This is normal for the later black Jupiter-8, the whole front assembly rotates when focussing so you do have to hold the focus ring when changing the aperture (smooth, no stops). Whereas the earlier silver Jupiter-8 (with the focus tab) stays put when the focus is changed so you don't have to hold the focus ring to change aperture.

Mine is a late black version & yes the whole front assembly rotates when I turn the focus ring but my aperture doesn't change. If I set my aperture on f4 it stays on f4. I don't have to hold my focus ring. Mine isn't loose, feels secure perhaps you have an example thats a bit tight or too much grease causing both to move. These lenses are good & I'll be first to admit takes getting used to.

 

[greyelm]

Mine is a late black version & yes the whole front assembly rotates when I turn the focus ring but my aperture doesn't change. If I set my aperture on f4 it stays on f4. I don't have to hold my focus ring. Mine isn't loose, feels secure perhaps you have an example thats a bit tight or too much grease causing both to move. These lenses are good & I'll be first to admit takes getting used to.

I probably didn't explain myself clearly, it is as you say, the set aperture doesn't change when you focus but the whole assembly rotates. When initially setting the aperture, because the whole assembly rotates it helps to hold the focus ring. You can of course just adjust the aperture by allowing the front assembly to rotate to its limit either way. It is easier to do it than explain it.

 

[john341]

Jupiter-slip

Jupiter-slip

I just bought a Jupiter-8 from from FEDKA and I received it in the mail recently. I am using the lens on my Voigtlander R3A using an LTM adapter. I've never used a Russian lens and I just wanted to make sure that this is normal. I realize that the aperture ring doesn't click since it spins freely. However, when I rotate the aperture ring, the focusing ring also spins. I need to hold the focusing ring with my finger to prevent it from moving when I change the aperture. Does that mean the focusing ring is loose or is that normal. Please verify. Thanks

Yep! with some Jupiter lenses the whole thing revolves even when you don't want it to. But..its worth it. Great lens and best used with a lens hood.It seems to attract stray light beams. I love them!

 

[FalseDigital]

My Black J-8 rotates the same as yours and it works perfectly. I wouldn't worry about it, seems normal for this lens.

 

[mrb7]

....
It even works on my Leica IIIf
...

Let me ask a question about the FSU lenses on Leica and other LTM bodies, please.

I have a couple of FED2s and collection of lenses I got before everyone found out that the FSU lenses weren't so bad. I.e. it's all cheap but serviceable.

I've thought of buying a Leica body, but I've always been told that the FSU lenses were compromised with a slightly different thread pitch. Specifically this was a way for the manufacturers to use a common helix with the FSU Contax clones.

The upshot, supposedly, is the FSU LTM lenses do not focus properly on a real Leica or other LTM bodies. But I keep seeing people who get excellent results.

Can anyone say for certain if the FSU LTM lenses, assuming they're a good example, do or do not have focus problems as one gets closer focus?

Is this real or a myth?

 

[bobby_novatron]

I have tried to use FSU lenses (bought on ebay directly from Russia or Ukraine) mounted on a LTM adapter on my Bessa and my Leica M6. They did not focus properly. Frustrating. I resigned myself to using them on my FSU camera bodies.

I also recently acquired a J-8 from Fedka, it had been 'optimized' for proper LTM focus. Guess what? It works! Nice lens actually. No, it's not a Leica Summicron, or a Zeiss Planar ... the FSU lens has medium contrast, it's moderately sharp, and prone to flare in certain situations. But still, an otherwise enjoyable lens option. Here's a sample I took a couple days ago ... Fuji 400 Superia, drugstore scan:

 

[mrb7]

I have tried to use FSU lenses (bought on ebay directly from Russia or Ukraine) mounted on a LTM adapter on my Bessa and my Leica M6. They did not focus properly. Frustrating. I resigned myself to using them on my FSU camera bodies.

I also recently acquired a J-8 from Fedka, it had been 'optimized' for proper LTM focus. Guess what? It works! Nice lens actually. No, it's not a Leica Summicron, or a Zeiss Planar ... the FSU lens has medium contrast, it's moderately sharp, and prone to flare in certain situations. But still, an otherwise enjoyable lens option...

OK, then the story that one has to mill the helix ramp to make it work properly on a "real" LTM body sounds like it is correct. I suppose, if one were a mechanical wizard, you could also rework the lever that moves the focus patch on a FED and make it work with real LTM lenses. But that's probably a lot more work. It would require changing the pivot in the rangefinder. Thanks for the response. Michael

 

[Juan Valdenebro]

Let me ask a question about the FSU lenses on Leica and other LTM bodies, please.

I have a couple of FED2s and collection of lenses I got before everyone found out that the FSU lenses weren't so bad. I.e. it's all cheap but serviceable.

I've thought of buying a Leica body, but I've always been told that the FSU lenses were compromised with a slightly different thread pitch. Specifically this was a way for the manufacturers to use a common helix with the FSU Contax clones.

The upshot, supposedly, is the FSU LTM lenses do not focus properly on a real Leica or other LTM bodies. But I keep seeing people who get excellent results.

Can anyone say for certain if the FSU LTM lenses, assuming they're a good example, do or do not have focus problems as one gets closer focus?

Is this real or a myth?

It is real.

Lots of FSU lenses were made for FSU cameras, and those cameras had -for some years- different specifications from Leica ones (maybe flange distance? I think FSU lenses are a bit too far from camera when on Leicas, so they need to be carefully shimmed for best focus) After many years of production, some FSU lenses and cameras were made to the same Leica specifications, so they can be used on Leicas without being shimmed...

Some people don't notice it because of small f-stop use, and some other people simply buy a lens that was already shimmed, even if the seller doesn't know it...

And if the lens is a Sonnar, a focus shift is a normal part of it while you change aperture... As I understand it, a lens can be optimized for f/2.8 use or for f/1.5 use (just an example) or for 1.5m focus or 3m focus (another example)... Maybe I'm not being too precise, as I know little about this...

You can ask Brian Sweeney on his forum: he's the expert.

Cheers,

Juan

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Just set the shim to optimize for close-up and wide-open. Use F2.8 for infinity, the Sonnar focus shift takes care of the residual error. The FSU lenses are made to the Contax 52.4mm standard, slightly longer than the Leica 51.6mm standard.

 

[mrb7]

Just set the shim to optimize for close-up and wide-open. Use F2.8 for infinity, the Sonnar focus shift takes care of the residual error. The FSU lenses are made to the Contax 52.4mm standard, slightly longer than the Leica 51.6mm standard.

@Brian Sweeney Clearly my objective is to do things piecemeal on the cheap. I have a pretty decent Jupiter-8 that works very well on my FED-2 bodies. (All of it set up properly during CLA's by Eddie Smolov years ago.) If I dedicate that J-8 to an LTM Leica body that I find somewhere bargain hunting, I can shim the flange on the lens so that it's correctly focused at say 1.5m at f/2.8. Then the rest of the range, while maybe not perfect, sill be acceptable for use with the Leica body. Later, as cash is available, I can look for proper Leica lenses, and once I am finished with the J-8 I can remove the shims and put it back with my FEDs? Do I understand this correctly? Or have I mixed it up? Brian, do you have a link where this procedure is described somewhere? Or is it all trial and error? MB

 

[David Hughes]

I think you'll find that the thread pitch was/is odd on early Canons: talking about the thread that goes into the body on the lens. It was corrected soon and, to confuse the issue slightly, wear and tear will alter a thread over the years and there was a hybrid thread as well.

And, I've rejected odds and ends as having the wrong thread and then double checked and found the thread damaged. Most specialist Leica repairers can correct damaged threads in seconds but it's best to ask them when handing in an expensive repair...

Regards, David