Soviet rangefinder lenses

[Analogski]

Hi there!

I'm curious about different Soviet lenses for my Zorki 6 rangefinder.

Right now I've got a Industar 61 and a Jupiter 8 (the plastic black version). I'm curious if there are more beautiful lenses for that camera that are compatible and focus without problems. Any ideas are welcome!

I've heard that the older version of the Jupiter lenses are problematic, because they don't fit right or won't focus properly.

I'm thinking of buying a Industar 61 L/D, but online I found out that sellers on ebay sell those lenses that are put together form various different lenses... So I'm a little confused about that.


Thanks a lot in advance!

 

[ntenny]

The 35mm Jupiter-12 is a nice lens, albeit fiddly for setting the aperture.

I keep meaning to get a Jupiter-3, since I love the 50/1.5 Sonnar of which it’s a copy. They have a spotty reputation, but I’m not sure how much of that is true QC issues and how much is from people trying to use them on non-Soviet cameras (the much-discussed compatibility issue).

For what internet wisdom is worth, I’ve more often heard that the *later* Soviet products are dodgy for QC. My direct experience is limited, but the only Soviet lens with which I’ve seen fitment problems is a more recent Helios-103 (in Contax/Kiev mount).

-NT

 

[loccdor]

Skip the Jupiter-3 unless you're okay with focus shift or have some way of getting around it. Its rendering is pretty, though. But the Jupiter-8 is better all-around.

 

[Sergey Ko]

I have full set of russian rangefinder lens & use them for 20+ years.
- Jupiter 8 never was plastic. It is one of the best normal lens. It is analog for Sonnar 1:2/5 см. Of course the last versions are much more modern, multicouted & so on. But for color shooting the best russian is Industar 61LD.
-Very interesting is Jupiter-3. It is analog for Carl Zeiss Sonnar 1,5/50.
-Very good & rather soft is Jupiter-9 85mm/f2.
-Good but not so interesting Jupiter-11 135mm/f4
-Good & cheap Jupiter-12 35mm/f2,8. It is analog for Carl Zeiss Biogon 2,8/35
-2 wide lens Orion-15 28mm/f6 & Russar 20mm/f5,6 are symmetric scheme lens with rather good correction for the years they were first produced, but now is mostly collection items. Modern Voigtlander is much better with reasonable price.
The tubus (collapsable) Industar-50 (or early Industar-22) I use only for the cameras where it was historically mounted -first FED or Zorkiy.
Never use for full (24x36) frame rangerfinder Industar-69 28mm/2,8 -it is made for half (18x24) frame only!
In general I can say that old soviet rangefinder lens is a good & cheap alternative. The best with year of production before 80-th. Usually first digits of the number is the year. The best are from 50-th -it is the real Carl Zeiss glass from after war reparations.

Photo taken with Jupiter-3 50mm/f1,5

 

[Analogski]

- Jupiter 8 never was plastic.

Sorry, I don't mean the glass itself, but the outer part of the lens. I have time black one

 

[Sergey Ko]

Sorry, I don't mean the glass itself, but the outer part of the lens. I have time black one

I never saw plastic frame case Jupiter-8. May be from the years of "perestroika"... Not recommend to buy any russian photo equipment from 90-th...

 

[Analogski]

I never saw plastic frame case Jupiter-8. May be from the years of "perestroika"... Not recommend to buy any russian photo equipment from 90-th...

I've got this one

 

[Analogski]

Maybe i'm a moron.... Maybe it's just the paint that makes me think the lens is made of plastic. It feels also lighter than the silver/metal versions,

 

[loccdor]

I can't tell if it's plastic from the picture but it's the alignment of the glass that matters - possibly involving an element of luck. My J-8 from around 1960 in contax rangefinder mount is super sharp and accurate to focus, I don't hesitate to use it wide open. That may be lucky, as well as me possessing a Kiev 4 without issues.

 

[btaylor]

Differences in sample to sample can be enormous. I have a Jupiter 9 in M39 that is super sharp, and another in Contax/Kiev that is a dog. It’s a bit of a crap shoot.

 

[Sergey Ko]

Maybe i'm a moron.... Maybe it's just the paint that makes me think the lens is made of plastic. It feels also lighter than the silver/metal versions,

I think so. The later was not steel but some aluminum alloy. The black is the latest

 

[hospadar]

I second the rec for the Jupiter-12 35/2.8. Great little lens, always been happy with my results. I also have a black aluminum jupiter 8 which has treated me well.

If you're picking out lenses, you might also consider looking for a KMZ turret finder. Really excellent accessory finder. I've had both it and the zeiss contax finder it's a copy of and the KMZ finder is every bit as nice.

RE: compatibility, if you're ever in doubt, it's pretty straightforward to check if a lens is collimated correctly if you have an SLR body kickin around, I've used mike elek's technique to re-collimate a couple lenses on some fixed-lens rangefinders I overhauled a while back: https://elekm.net/zeiss-ikon/repair/collimate/

Also, not soviet, but if you're considering other lenses (canon/nikon/topcon), deals can definitely be had on those, but compatibility is not always there. I have a canon serenar 85/2 and an elmar 90/3.5 that won't mount on my soviet rangefinders due to the differences in the cam. The canon has a tab that pushes against the focusing cam instead of a ring and it jams against the cam in my fed when you try to attach the lens. I suspect most lenses which use a ring instead of a tab to engage the rangefinder cam would probably work fine but definitely research before buying if you plan to go that route (or just get a nice canon LTM body - also good and cheap)