Which 50 to buy?

[Bill58]

I have a chance to buy either: a Krasnogor for Zorki/ Leica screw mount 50mm/1,5 Jupiter-3 chrom; or a KMZ for Zorki 50mm/3,5 Industar-22 rigid.
Which would you prefer for a general purpose, "classic, old" look w/ Black & White film only?

Many thanks,

Bill

 

[lubitel]

can you buy both? I really like my J-3 for available light and also as a standard lens (some photos are in my gallery). But the I-22 is may be more what you are looking for as far as classic old look?

get both. 😀

 

[Kim Coxon]

Unless the J3 is a "known" lens and has had the focus checked on a non FSU camera, I would go for the I22. The chances of getting an older J3 that focuses correctly without work is much less than evens.

Kim

 

[santino]

How much are you going to pay for the J3 (I-22)? Usually you can get a I-22 + camera for the price of a J3. As for classic look it's hard to say, I prefer industars over the Jupiter 8 (can't tell nothing about the J3 because I've got one but it's still a bunch of parts 😀). I'm sure somebody can help you but I'm not sure about that "classic look". It's def. easier to use a J3 and man, it's pretty fast, isn't it? 🙂

 

[santino]

btw. Kim, I spent several hours on my J3 and I can't assemble it correctly (it doesn't drive my RF to infinity, it's a tiny step away). I think there's no possibility to assemble it (it drives my RF to infinity but in that position there are no holes for the screws). Do you think I should make some holes? (off course I'm talking about the focusing module). As to the lens module, I can always shim it, right? thanks.

btw. hope I didn't hijack the thread 🙂

 

[Silva Lining]

I love my J3 - it would be my choice although the I22 woud be a close second.

 

[Spyderman]

J-3 are hit or miss. I mean, they can be very very good, or quite bad.

J-8s seem to have better reputation, because there is not much to mess up. I have many many shots with this lens in my flickr gallery.

I-22 is quite an old and simple optical construction (4 elements), and it's slow. they are usually old, and can have problems like fungus or haze. On the other hand it's collapsible...

My advice: if it's within your budget, get both. If the J-3 is bad, you can sell it or send it to someone who can repair it and make it a great lens. And you still have the I-22. These 2 lenses are very different.
It might seem that they are just two 50mm lenses, but they have completely different signature.

EDIT: Ooops. The I-22 is rigid...

 

[rbiemer]

I would echo Kim's advice above; if the J-3 is well adjusted, that would be my choice. Would you be able to return it if it's not focusing correctly?
The rigid I-22 will be significantly slower than the J-3 and, since it's the rigid version, won't have that advantage either. Plus, I think, the rigid I-22 takes some hard to find(even for FSU lenses) filter/hood size?
Rob