Jupiter-37

[Schnauzer]

Whats the difference between a Jupiter-37 and a Jupiter-37A?

Are they any better than my Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 3.5/135? I know this is a subjective question.

For the price of a mint copy I'm very tempted to try a mint Jupiter-37A unless a person is better served with the Jupiter-37.

[Attila]

Perhaps nothing.

http://www.mflenses.com/gallery/v/russian_lens/jupiter/jupiter-37A_135mm/

http://www.mflenses.com/gallery/v/japenese/takumar/smc_takumar_135mm_f3_5/

[Orio]

The M stands for "modern" and based on what I read, it means no optical difference.

Here's the four versions of the Jupiter-37 that I know (and own)

- Jupiter-37A
- Jupiter-37AM
are single coating

- MC Jupiter-37A
- MC Jupiter-37AM
are multi-coating

I never noticed any particular difference in the results, the single-coating lenses seem to do more or less the same as the MC lenses.

Is it better than the Takumar?
I own both, and the differences are subtle. However, I prefer the Jupiter.
There is also to be said that I prefer the Jupiter over it's "father", the CZJ Sonnar 3.5/135

[Schnauzer]

Thanks Attila and Orio. I appreciate it.

[orly_andico]

I have the Jupiter-37, CZJ 135/3.5, a Super-Takumar, and an SMC-M.

The Jupiter has the nicest "signature" (I don't have the Tair or the Pentacon) but... the Super-Takumar is the nicest to USE because it has superb mechanicals.

The Jupiter is the worst of the lot, there's quite a bit of slop in the focusing mechanism (if you reverse rotation of the focus ring, there's a few mm of movement where the barrel rotates but doesn't change the focus).

I don't have any (Contax, or West German) Zeiss, and I only got to play with a Leica Elmarit for a while, but in my experience the Super-Takumars and S-M-C Takumars have the best mechanicals and to my feel, a better tactile response than the Elmarit I tried. It was a "modern" Elmarit though.

[aoleg]

"A" stands for "Adaptor", the T2-like intercangeable mount on the back of the lens. Most of J37 lenses are sold with an M42 mount attached, but it is easy to modify a standard T2-mount adaptor to fit J37 by removing the inner part and screwing on the outer one.

[Schnauzer]

Thanks guys. I'll know soon, I going to get one.