Which is your favorite FSU "normal lens" and why?

[gb hill]

I like the Jupiter 3 50/1.5. When one is shimmed right for whatever camera, only much more expensive lenses can out preform it. MOF wide open it's better than most any Canon rf lenses & I have seen. Besides it looks awesome on my silver & black Bessa R. I have several russian lenses & one lens I wish to try more is the rigid 50/3.5. It'a a great portrait lens that I found out quite by accident.

 

[wdeskiew]

My absolutely favourite is Helios-103. Sometimes I use Zorki-4 then I put the I-61 on it.

 

[Wahoo]

My absolutely favourite is Helios-103.

Are these any good ? I've got about a dozen plus the one on a Kiev 5.

I shall just have to try a couple.

Here's a photo with a '66 I-61 panda from last year.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

The only problem with the Helios-103 is that the aperture blades are shiny and can produce an off flare. I blackened the ones in my copies.

 

[Wahoo]

Helios 103 - using a Sharpie

Helios 103 - using a Sharpie

The only problem with the Helios-103 is that the aperture blades are shiny and can produce an off flare. I blackened the ones in my copies.

Yes Brian, I read your informative sticky post about three years ago using a Sharpie.

I would prefer to read the post again before attempting the 'operation'

I've seen some excellent photos on RF taken with the 103.🙂

 

[Sonny Boy Havidson]

I have owned a FED 50/3,5, colapsible Industars 22 and 50, a 1975 Jupiter 8 and a Leica Summar (not FSU). I prefer the Industars 50 and 22 for there great performance, flare resistance (especially when compared to the Juptier 8), contrast and collapsibility. As far as bokeh is concerned, the winner is the Jupiter 8 but - as previously said - it is really prone to flare even with a hood and its aluminium construction made it less durable. The Summar was a bokeh machine but not versatile enough.

My current

 

[paw080]

Hi Guys, My favorite "Normal" lens is two lenses actually. So I don't know why
the query is restricted to 50-52mm sizes; My two all time favorite normal lenses
are the Helios 103 53mm-f1.8 on my Kiev and the Helios -44M 58mm F2 on my Zenit TTLs
and my Zenit 12xps. These lenses just make better images than my other
"Normal " FSU lenses. I have 2-3 examples of all the FSU lenses listed in the
poll. They also are very good performers.
Yes I know, the Zenits are SLRs...but that Helios - 44M is darned good...

Tony

 

[tbarker13]

I only have one - a J-3, that was worked on by Brian. I use it for portraits - and just love the results.

 

[Livesteamer]

I voted for the I 22 perhaps because I got a good one and my I 50 is not as nice. I love the small size of these lenses. More often I use a J 8 with a focusing tab. It has really clean glass and delivers wonderful images. I think it's from 1956 Joe

 

[kievman]

Any of those lens can produce excellent results. I have every russian 50 except the j-3 and the I-26/22 and I really have a hard time deciding wihich is best. the Bokeh on the J-8 is fantastic and the helos-103 is so sharp. it really is hard to beat in that catagory. it reminds me of some zeiss glass I own. and it has great color rendition, plus its so cheap compared to German and Asian Glass. it really cant be beat!!!!!!!! Brian, great photos!!!!!!!!!!!!! Kievman

 

[Thomas78]

Tim, that are really nice portraits!

 

[Spider67]

Great portraits Tim!
I like the I 61 Panda

 

[sweathog]

In my time I've owned a J8 and a J3.
The J8 was great, easy to use, great results.

However, I then got a J3 (quite possibly from Krosya). I guess I got lucky, but it worked a treat on my Bessa R. I really loved that lens. Why did I love it? Because it gave me shots like this:

Stephy by Tom Swanborough-Nilson, on Flickr

I'm actually currently looking for a J8 to go on my new Bessa. Unless I find a J3 at a bargain price. Currently it seems that it's cheaper for me to buy a Zorki with a J8 than a J8 on its own. Odd.

 

[David Murphy]

Without a doubt it's the Industar 61, the sharpest 50mm class lens for the money I've ever seen. However it's quite often badly made and said to be radioactive, so my vote actually went to the Industar 22, an amazing bargain of a lens (if the condition is acceptable).

 

[Thomas78]

...

Stephy by Tom Swanborough-Nilson, on Flickr

...

This picture shows a very nice atmosphere.

How did you do the lighting?

 

[wolves3012]

I voted for Jupiter 8 and Industar 22. The J-8 I like very much but I prefer the I-22 when minimum bulk is needed and the light isn't poor. I'm also impressed by the I-61 and very impressed with the H-103. Actually, come to think of it, I have *no* bad FSU lenses!

 

[julio1fer]

I have used Industar -50 (collapsible) and -61, Jupiter-8 and Helios-103. The Tessar-types I-61 and I-50 are sharp and pretty serious lenses. The Jupiter-8 has the best OOF, while the Helios-103 is, IMHO, the best overall lens - considering sharpness, contrast and OOF rendition.

I know, I should try the Jupiter-3!

The Helios-44 mentioned above is also an excellent normal lens, but it is for the evil SLR Zenit series.

 

[Rhodes]

POssibly jupiter-8. But I also enjoy my I-26, quite sharp and loved how the photos come up. I sold it with my zorky-4. My jupiter 8 contax mount is going today with the kiev 4 and now I down to my trusty J-8 (ltm).

 

[myM8yogi]

I agree with Greg.

My choice is a 1953 J-3 re-lubed and shimmied for Leica-M, then close-focus modified. This is a fantastic all-rounder regardless of the price.

It's fast. It's very lightweight. It looks like a cheap old lens, and nobody objects to having their photo taken with it. It's almost like they look at the age of the lens and subconciously understand that every facial blemish will not be recorded in exacting detail.

At 1.5 or f/2 it is just great for portraits and low light work. Not too sharp, but not soft either. Lots of "glow" in black and white. In good light I mostly shoot this lens at f/2 for depth of field reasons, but I really appreciate having an extra stop when I need it in low light.... which I frequently do.
By f/5.6 onwards it is a different lens - properly sharp and precise. I really value this for landscapes and detail shots. Because the character changes so much when stopping down, it's almost like having two lenses in one. I have never had a lens that changes it's character so much, and I find that I am considering this change of character for creative reasons just as much as depth of field. So it really is a lens that affects the way I visualise a scene. Hard to explain, and kind of weird for a "standard/boring" focal length, but it has wormed it's way into my brain for sure.

Criticisms....
1) It can flare spectacularly on occassion. I am talking about a full-on curved rainbow streaking across the bottom of images. I use a vented hood, and I only see this effect in very bright backlit scences, but it sometimes gives such a strange ambience to a scence that I just have to bin the shot or .
2) I wish it had a focussing tab ..... any ideas Brian???
3) No apperture stops, and they work in the wrong direction for my VF exposure meter. Not a deal-breaker, but something I would put right if I were designing a new one.

This is my first 50 sonnar, and I am pretty much in love with what it offers for such a small size. If I ever have the misfortune to do anything horrible to it, I would very seriously consider the ZM 50 sonnar because i love what the J3 has given me, but would like the above three drawbacks addressed. But unless I actually break the J3 I simply cannot justify the cost of a new ZM given my extreme satissfaction with the J3.

After my experience with the J3 I really do consider the 50mm sonnar design in general to be the perfect walk-around standard lens for me on a 35mm rangefinder.

 

[OlliL]

Industar 61 at f4




F1000004 von oliverleschke auf Flickr

I couldn't get lower, since the film was rated ASA400.
I like the OOF area of the lens and won't complain at 10€.