Jupiter Lenses? Are they worth it?

[johnloumiles]

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I just purchased a used M8 ( I'll save you from the implied giddiness) and well, it pretty much cleaned me out as far as discretionary spending goes. So my question is...How do you feel about Jupiter lenses on your M8? Is it counterproductive to the point its not worth it and you lose that Leica look completely or is it a good stop gap for a couple months until I can get a real Leica M lens ? I know in most cases something is better then nothing but I've bought screw mount M42 lenses in that past and it wasn't even worth it. Most of them totally degraded the digital picture ( Although I do have a mamiya sekor 50 mm 1:2 lens that is an exception to that, great lens). So are Jupiter lenses worth the 50-100 bucks or are they a crapshoot where the odds are stacked against you?

 

Any advice would be appreciated, can't wait to shoot with it!

 

J

Edited April 19, 2011 by johnloumiles

[LeicaMSeattle]

I haven't had much experience with Jupiter lenses but there seems to be good value out there in the Cosina Voigtlander line of lenses. I myself have their 50mm f1.1 Nokton and 15mm f4.5 Heliar lenses. I had their 12mm f4.5 Heliar SM lens but sold it to buy the rangefinder linked 15mm when it came out. Get whatever your budget allows even look for deals on lightly used lenses so you can get out to enjoy your camera.

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[buranca]

Hmmm... how about a 35/3.5 RON w/ an adapter? Then after you purchase a proper M lens in the future, you can find a nice IIIf or similar.

[!Nomad64]

Technically wise Jupiter lenses have a reputation for good optical design, albeit old, paired with crappy mechanics. There's an exhaustive article here: Dante Stella about compatibility Leica/Jupiter.

For the price you're going to pay you can take the risk and get one for the fun of it. Expect to have it however in the need of trimming for the sake of proper focusing.

Albeit I think it's odd to pair a fifty bucks lens on a some grands body, as usual it's the photographer that ultimately matters. Check the exquisite pictures posted either here and on leicaimages by Tim Barker. You'll understand what I mean.

 

Cheers,

Bruno

[luigi bertolotti]

With Russians, one can have good and bad surprises... I had a 50 f2 that was VERY good in any respect (on a Leica IIIc) , a 135 f4 that was good like my Leitz Hektor at short distances only, a 85 (40 Euros, lot of years ago) which focused BAD at any distance (but, anyway, re-sold it 3 years after with little loss... is a strange market... )

[UliWer]

Most Jupiter lenses were "copies" of Zeiss lenses. Those with screw mount were (often) still calibrated for the Zeiss-Contax mount, which differed from the Leica mount. So misfocussing especially with longer focals is a common feature for them. There are different ways to try to calibrate them for the Leica mount, though I don't know whether this really works. I havn't had any succes with my 2/85 which I bought for 20,- €.

[pico]

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[...] Albeit I think it's odd to pair a fifty bucks lens on a some grands body [...]

 

Like this?

[Xmas]

Hi

 

Lots if the bad reports are web gossip.

 

I have something like 15 J8 and none of them match my late f/2 Contax IIIa Sonnar, but the Sonnar is better than any of my other 5cm lenses.

 

People give me J8s, so dont pay too much

 

I have a LTM J13 in my ready to use g-bag on baynet M adapter, its only snag is the mount is aluminium and I'm reluctant to use it on my LTM cameras to avoid damaging its soft threads, it is light weight though, makes plane jane look pretty, the aluminium corrodes terribly.

 

The CV f2.5 5cm is a real performer in every way nice ergonomcs smaller then any Leica 5cm lens but more expensive than a J8, by some margin. Use one on LTM cameras.

 

The J8 will pastel the colors but hold the specular highlights, that the CV (multicoated) will burn. Comparable with type I cron for M8 shots. Off axis it will fade, but so does the Nikkor f/2 HC I also have an HC in my ready to use Gbag. The fade allows a central focus, an effect like boketh, subjective, almost subliminal.

 

Noel

[250swb]

There is nothing to say you must have 'the Leica look' even if you do have a Leica body. The look you want is up to you, don't be worried about a $50 lens on a $7000 body if it gets you want you want.

 

That said they aren't even close in conventional terms to a good CV lens. But throwing aside conventional terms they can be a great bargain for more expressive images not shackled by corner to corner sharpness etc. I have had a few and always found they focus very accurately. I currently have a 35mm Jupiter 12 (and yes, the rear element does fit inside the body of an M9), and its sharp on centre and soft at the edges with a great character.

 

But, I would recommend a slower CV lens (f2.5), like a 35mm or 50mm just to get you going. They are excellent quality and fairly cheap. The esoteric Jupiter's are really for tweaking a look you want rather than a datum point type of rendering that I imagine is what you'd want with a new camera.

 

Steve

[voe]

Hi,

 

I currently use the following soviet lenses:

 

20mm Russar - at f/6 is soft due to low contrast and resolution is not great. At f/8 is less sharp than my Leica 21mm Elmarit ASPH but still very good.

28mm Orion-15 - good at f/5.6, very sharp at f/8 but less sharp than 28mm Elmarit ASPH.

35mm Jupiter-12 - good at f/2.8, very very sharp at f/5.6 and further almost matches my 35mm Summilux ASPH.

 

What I like about the above is that they are not high contrast lenses and on digital it helps a lot having more details in shadows, and colors are not overblown as with some high contrast lenses which gives you more leeway in post-processing.

 

Hope it helps.

 

 

Edit:

A comparison between the above lenses and Leica bellow:

http://www.marcocavina.com/articoli_fotografici/Soviet_and_wide_lenses_on_Leica_M/00_p.htm

 

It's in Italian but you can use Google translation to English.

Edited April 20, 2011 by voe

[!Nomad64]

Like this?

 

So far there are no legal consequences for mounting a russian bottle bottom on a Leica body and everyone get fun as they please most

As said, it's the photographer that ultimately matters. I have seen exquisite works from Holga/Lomo users too.

Personally speaking, if I'd ever want the feel of a lens from another time I'd rather go for LTM Leitz. there's. There's a beautiful thread on the forum dedicated to old glass on M8.

 

Cheers,

Bruno

[pontus]

I've got a Jupiter 8 (50mm f/2) on my M4. It's been working fine for me, focus seems to be spot on all the way. I'd love to have a cron instead but I just can't afford it right now. Some day...

[christer]

I have an Industar 3,5 50 mm on my Leica 3g and I am very pleased with the results. They are just one step behind those of my Summicron current version. I recently went to Cuba and left both my M7s at home and only brought the 3g with the Industar along. Very good results indeed - and a conversation piece while on Cuba.

 

This is my first russian lens, and I paid 20 euros for it. I was so enthusiastic about it that I then bought 2 rectractable ones on ebay but they were no good (one was not mountable, the threads were not OK, and the other hat a very sticky aperture) so I returned them and got my money back.

 

Here is a link

 

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-kundenforum/177396-meine-3g.html

[250swb]

Of course the other option that doesn't involve buying a lens at all is

 

Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day

 

I've made mine ready for 24th April!

 

Steve

[earleygallery]

Of course the other option that doesn't involve buying a lens at all is

 

Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day

 

I've made mine ready for 24th April!

 

Steve

 

Thanks for the reminder! Must get the pinhole blender camera ready!

[christer]

Of course the other option that doesn't involve buying a lens at all is....

 

Steve

 

Yes indeed. I have used my pin hole lens this morning on the M7. No problem at all getting correct exposure. BTW the picture in the background on my link above is a print from a negative made with an M7 using a pin hole lens. The pin hole lens is in foreground of the picture.

[earleygallery]

I have a Jupiter 8, came with a Zorki 4. I've used both and the lens is excellent. I understand that quality is variable however, I've got a good 'un. That said, it sees little use.

 

Bear in mind the crop factor, do you want an almost 70mm lens as your standard?

 

The 35mm Jupiter is again a decent performer if you find a good one, however, if you can stretch the budget, a real gem of a lens is the Voigtlander 35mm Skopar. Buy one of those and you probably won't want to 'upgrade' it anyway.

[masjah]

I have a Jupiter 8, came with a Zorki 4. I've used both and the lens is excellent. I understand that quality is variable however, I've got a good 'un. That said, it sees little use.

 

Bear in mind the crop factor, do you want an almost 70mm lens as your standard?

 

The 35mm Jupiter is again a decent performer if you find a good one, however, if you can stretch the budget, a real gem of a lens is the Voigtlander 35mm Skopar. Buy one of those and you probably won't want to 'upgrade' it anyway.

 

I had exactly the same around 1980 - mine was a really good example, though I understand they can be very variable.

[stunsworth]

The only one I owned was a longer one - 85mm? It was inexpensive, but a waste of money as it didn't focus correctly at any distance. Went in the bin.

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Hallo,

Look here: Interesting Leica gear

[Washington]

I’ve had such a good experience with CV lenses…. and the prices are so reasonable,

I see no reason to mess with the Russian lenses.