Timeline of Soviet lens factories

[dexdog]

i regularly visit ebay to see what is for sale, most recently looking for various LTM Jupiters. While i primarily am interested in the J-3 and J-9 i look at a buncha different lenses (e.g.,would love to find a bk 3.5cm f 2.8 in good condition). i have recently seen a few J-8 lenses for sale that date to 1956 made at the Arsenal factory in Ukraine

Lens VTG Jupiter 8 (Kyiv, Contax RF camera) USSR 1957 Soviet Zonnar 2/50. | eBay

<p>The lens works, is in perfect condition, without mold or mildew.</p><br /><p>Please note:</p><p>- All vintage items are sold in "as is" condition.</p><p>- All vintage items are sold unaltered, we do not decorate or remake items.</p><p>- We try to display images as accurately as possible, but...

www.ebay.com

It seems that the great majority of J-8s are produced by KMZ, was not aware until a few months ago that other factories even produced such lenses in the 1950s (maybe i have not been payi g attention). The production of J-3s transitioned from KMZ to ZOMZ in 1956, but in that case, KMZ ceased production of the J-3 while continuing to produce the J-8, J-9, J-11 and J-12.

Does anyone know of a website that tracks which factories made which lenses over time from 1950s onward?

 

[Räuber]

Sovietcameras has a nice oveview of variations of Jupiter 8, 5 and so on. They try to give some information of who has build the lens and from what year to what year. There might be some missing data or serials though but I appreciate the afford. It is the best overview of soviet lens variations I know of.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

I have a nice Arsenal 1957 J-8 that was converted to LTM, it is good.

Shortly after- Arsenal went to the J8M in Kiev/Contax mount. The optical formula of the J8M was revised around 1970. The original J8M has a flat surface between 2 of the elements of the middle triplet, and the elements do not have the same diameter. My guess is that made centering the elements in the middle group very difficult. My 1960s J8M's were awful. Even at $2. The later ones- discovered the design changed after disassembling.

The KMZ J-8 also changed optical formula, I found the front elements were a slightly larger diameter on the later ones, never tracked an exact date. Discovered trying to put a clean front element on a 1955 KMZ J8.