I will add: Just picked up a perfect glass KMZ J-3, KMZ J-9, and KMZ J-12 from an RFF member. Also picked up a 1932 5cm F1.5 Sonnar, and a KMZ Turret finder from him. I am very happy.
Where have all the Good Jupiters Gone... Gone to RFF every one?
- Thread starter Sonnar Brian
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FloridaGhostPhoto
Established
Wow. After reading this thread, I should buy a lottery ticket. I bought two Jupiter-8s and one Jupiter-12 from eBay, and they've all been pretty good. The silver 1961 which I put on my Canon VL2 has a slight mis-alignment with the aperature ring (it's tight and off by like 2 millimeters, so no big deal). The later black 1973 J8 is just a little loosy-goosy on the aperature ring, but works great. And the 1952 Red P J12 is a fantastic lens on my Nikon S3. All purchased from various eBay sellers within the last year or so. I'm buying a lottery ticket now for sure.
You may have already won the lottery" check the rear group on the J-12 for Zeiss Serial Numbers. Mine is about 100 higher than yours, and has Zeiss serial numbers showing it to be a 1943 Biogon.
FloridaGhostPhoto
Established
Wouldn't that be great?! I'm somewhat of a newbie--I don't see any numbers on the rear group. Perhaps that means that this is one of those Frankenstein lenses, cobbled together from spare parts. But I have to ask, so I'm sure: where are the serial numbers on the rear group supposed to be?
The serial number would be on the metal collar around the rear elements. Some have them, others- don't. But Yours certainly has German glass in it. The KMZ lenses made before 1954 have German glass.
FloridaGhostPhoto
Established
Thank you, Brian! What a bonus to my $89.00 with free shipping purchase. I'll be keeping that one for a long time. My first few test shots out of it (one of them below) are very promising!
titrisol
Bottom Feeder
Show us the pcitures those lenses can take !
Soon! Went from raining all week to super-freezing. I got out with the 50/1.0 Nokton for 15 minutes to verify all works. Worked the rest of the day, am taking tomorrow off!
lohrentz
Established
The 1955 J-8 lens that I got from Oleg, right before he stepped away, seems to be a very nice lens, but I need to run a couple more rolls through to get comfortable with the Kiev 2A. Still getting the hang of it. I also got two other lenses from Ukraine. The Helios 103 is quite alright, but the 1960 J-9 that I got smelled horrid, as if some very harsh chemical was used to clean it, and I took it apart to try to clean it and I don't think I put it together correctly. It doesn't focus correctly. Any suggestions? I really like the 85 mm perspective and I was really looking forward to shooting with that lens.
farlymac
PF McFarland
One thing I learned about the Jupiter-12 is you have to keep an eye on the outer blacking around the rear element. Scratch that up and you have halos all over the negs. I think mine could also stand to have a contrast filter attached when shooting b&w.
350 Washington Street by P F McFarland, on Flickr
Guarding The Court House by P F McFarland, on Flickr
Boydton Town Hall by P F McFarland, on Flickr
Boyd Tavern by P F McFarland, on Flickr
PF
350 Washington Street by P F McFarland, on Flickr
Guarding The Court House by P F McFarland, on Flickr
Boydton Town Hall by P F McFarland, on Flickr
Boyd Tavern by P F McFarland, on Flickr
PF
farlymac
PF McFarland
My J-8 is pretty good, if I could ever get the exposures correct on the Zorki-1e.
Fall Shadow by P F McFarland, on Flickr
Smith Memorial Building by P F McFarland, on Flickr
Empty Scrap Yard by P F McFarland, on Flickr
Fill-Up Time by P F McFarland, on Flickr
PF
Fall Shadow by P F McFarland, on Flickr
Smith Memorial Building by P F McFarland, on Flickr
Empty Scrap Yard by P F McFarland, on Flickr
Fill-Up Time by P F McFarland, on Flickr
PF
p.giannakis
Pan Giannakis
I have this one here that I don't remember how I got hold of. I am not sure what year it dates from.
I've been tempted a few times to send it to skyllaney to have it adjusted for Leica LTM.
Here is a pic taken with this lens on IIc.
I've been tempted a few times to send it to skyllaney to have it adjusted for Leica LTM.
Here is a pic taken with this lens on IIc.
The "76" in the Serial Number puts it as a 1976, and it is a made for export lens. I've had a couple like this one.
The Kiev Survival Site is on the Wayback Machine-
http://web.archive.org/web/20130411....net/public/rpnchbck/Jupiter-9 dismantle.html
The Kiev Survival Site is on the Wayback Machine-
http://web.archive.org/web/20130411....net/public/rpnchbck/Jupiter-9 dismantle.html
p.giannakis
Pan Giannakis
Thanks Brian, you are always very resourceful. Are the first two digits always indicative of the production year?
Regarding the adjustment instructions, i am afraid this is past my skills.
On most Jupiters the first two digits is the year. Some very high production lenses in the late 1950s - (I think the I-50?) had a modified scheme. A few export lenses did not use the YY in the serial number, start with "0".
markjwyatt
Well-known
I got a J-8 with my Kiev 4a. It is a nice lens in good condtion.
I bought a Contax adapter for my Fujifilm XT-2. It came with a "free" J-8 as a "gift", and it is also in good condition! That was probably 2019. The point being they were practically giving them away at that time.
I bought a Contax adapter for my Fujifilm XT-2. It came with a "free" J-8 as a "gift", and it is also in good condition! That was probably 2019. The point being they were practically giving them away at that time.
boojum
Ignoble Miscreant
Here is one of what I consider a good example of the J8, this one a '57, mounted on an M9. This seems to be a good combo in my experience.
I bought a ZOMZ 1964 J-3 from a US seller a couple of months ago. Focus was way off. Started taking it apart, discovered it was on a KMZ mount.
I bought a Fotofox Contax to LTM adapter, and have dedicated it to the Jupiter-9.
I decided to convert the 1952 J-2 to Leica mount, and put the 1964 ZOMZ into the Kiev mount.
All I can say- the original owner of these lenses must have known someone at the factory. The J-3 and J-9 are the two of the best I've seen, and I've seen hundreds.
1952 J-3, wide-open on the Leica M8.
1955 KMZ J-9, wide-open on the M8, below
AgBr
Member
Well Brian, I wish my J-9 was half that good. I found the best way of fixing it was to find a Nikkor P 8.5cm in "C" mount and put the J-9 on the desk to keep papers from blowing off. I have a 1954 J-8 that is stunning. If it wasn't bad QC it was someone tinkering with them. At one time 30 years ago, I had a customer from east Europe that would bring me FSU things and he told me one time that repair people there in the FSU would match the lenses to the body. So if the camera was off guess what?
You can post some pictures with and of the J-9, let's see how far off it is. Once the shim is adjusted for your camera, it is a great performer.
The J-9 is based on the pre-war 7 element in 3 group design, 1-3-3. The Nikkor-PC 8.5cm F2 is a 5 element in 3 group lens, 1-3-1. It's very sharp, but- the J-9 has smoother Bokeh. I need to do a comparison on 85mm lenses.