Jupiter 37A - first outing

[sichko]

I received a Jupiter 37A a few days ago. It cost about 25 GBP. But it did come with both caps, a hood and a case - and a Mir 1 (mint) and good examples of a Helios 44M and a Zenit E.

Yesterday was its first outing at the local Botanical Gardens (Swansea, UK). Here are few examples (D40x with Kood infinity (glass) adapter, J37A at f/5.6, RAW capture with only small adjustments to shadows/highlights/levels - no sharpening).

Dahlia 'Pink Jupiter'


It was a very bright day and I'm not sure that the lens has coped with the flare. Here's another with the same problem.

Cynara cardunculus


The next one was taken inside a glasshouse with some shade but with a lot of "glare" from a white wall.

Plumbago auriculata


The last was taken inside a shady glasshouse and I used flash.

Phoenix rupicola (Cliff Date Palm)

[poilu]

[F16SUNSHINE]

It looks pretty nice especially considering a glass adapter. I think you will work well with this one. Mid-day light is hard for most lenses.

[sichko]

Thanks both for your encouraging comments.

Looking at the images now they are better than I first thought. I use different computers for (i) editing and (ii) the internet connection. I think that I need to put both side by side and adjust the monitor on the first one.

[luisalegria]

Blow up a crop and compare vs the "native" lens.

Maybe that glass adapter isn't so bad.

I like #2, bizarre plants appeal to me.

[Attila]

I small size my glass adapter also worked, in crop was awful I never used anymore. These are great captures, in this size glass adapter is invisible. Can you provide a large size image too ?

[sichko]

Thanks for your comments.

Comparison - "with" and "without" the adapter - is an obvious thing to do - but I haven't done it yet.

I've got nowhere to post the full size images yet. For the moment, here are some 100% crops.

[Attila]

Thank you! Seems you have a very, very good adapter, mine lot more worst.

[Laurence]

The "plumbago" is one of my all-time favorite flowers! There are some variation of that plant in the subalpine highlands of the Olympic Mountains locally.

The images are sharp, clean, and FULL of beautiful COLOR!

[luisalegria]

Ditto, that is very good performance I think, thats a nice lens and a very good adapter. I suppose its a matter of luck on that sort of thing.

[sichko]

Thanks for all your comments.

The plumbago is a favourite of mine too. Blue (as opposed to purple) flowers are relatively rare.

As to the lens/adapter combination - I could have "reached" three of the subjects without the infinity adapter. However I was wandering around the gardens and for many subjects it was essential. For this lens a Nikon mount is available and, if I can find one, I hope to get one. However for most MF lenses the problem of the large Nikon registration distance will remain. Soullivan produces consistently great pictures with a Nikon D80. So he must have solved the problem.

It's raining heavily at the moment and my chances of visiting the Botanic Gardens today are small. Here are a couple of indoor shots comparing the J37A with and without the infinty adapter.

Nikon D40x, J37A at f/5.6, mixed lighting - daylight/tungsten/flash, RAW capture with small adjustments to highlights/shadows/levels.

With infinity adapter


With simple mechanical (non-infinity) adapter


Infinity 100% crop


Non-infinity 100% crop

[Attila]

Damn good! I see no difference! Can you put here where we can buy this adapter ?

[no-X]

Perfect colors and bokeh! Very nice lens

[sichko]

I bought mine from www.speedgraphic.co.uk about 3-4 months ago. Cost was about 30 GBP (excl. delivery). I've just checked and they don't seem to be selling them now. However a quick ebay search for "Kood + Nikon" reveals a couple - again for about £30 GBP. The adapter comes with a cap and "spanner" (not shown above).

[sichko]

www.srb-griturn.com Cost ~ 42GBP (excl. delivery)

[Attila]

Thank you!

[ChrisLilley]

Click here to see on Ebay

£27.95

[Attila]

Thank you!

[KhanX]

Great color and bokeh. I also love this lens too.

[Richard_D]

For A series lenses simply pick up a Nikon T-Mount (around £10 new) loosen the screws to remove the central section and the outer ring is essentially an A mount.

[bob955i]

Speed Graphic still do them John:

http://www.speedgraphic.co.uk/prod.asp?i=12520&1=Kood+Body+Adaptor

[sichko]

Thanks everyone for your comments.

Richard - in connection with the mount I'm not sure what you mean by "A series". Is it the "A" in Jupiter 11A, Jupiter 37A, etc. ? The 11A and 37 A certainly seem to have identical mounts. I actually tried this idea a few weeks ago with an 11A. I had an M42 T mount from a PrinzGalaxy. I removed the insert (which had the T female thread 42 x0.75 mm) and was left with the M42 "collar" with the 3 grub screws. Unfortunately this collar wouldn't fit over the end of the 11A (after removing the original M42 mount). Looking on ebay, at pictures of Nikon T mounts, I think that I'll have the same problem with a new mount.

Bob - thanks for finding the link. When I could't find it I went to ebay and, seeing only two adapters, I almost bought one of them as a spare. I hope that I haven't panicked anyone to buying from ebay. But the pictures look OK and the shop seems to be reputable.

[Richard_D]

[sichko]

Many thanks.

[bob955i]