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aoleg
Joined: 22 Feb 2008 Posts: 1387 Location: Berlin, DE
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Posted: Wed Nov 03, 2010 9:00 pm Post subject: Which version of Jupiter-9 is the sharpest? Read on! |
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aoleg wrote:
I collected three different version of Jupiter-9 in order to discover which one's the best. Here are the contenders:
- MC Jupiter-9, M42. Bought new. Made in 2007 in Lytarkino.
- Black Jupiter-9, M39 (SLR). Got it as a gift from father-in-law who bought it new back then and used very little. Made in 1969 in Lytarkino.
- Silver Jupiter-9, M39 (SLR). Bought used here. History unknown, has signs of multiple invasions, has misadjusted aperture control ring, but I figured that out in the testing. Made in 1965 in Lytarkino.
All lenses were used with a very long hood to combat flare.
Color balance
MC version: neutral, slightly cool.
Black: greenish tint.
Silver: warm tint.
Contrast
I saw no discernable difference in contrast. I did not shoot against the light though, and the hood certainly helps.
Sharpness
It gets really interesting here. I shot the lenses side by side at f/2 and f/2.8.
MC version: STRONG SOFT FOCUS effect at f/2 with halos around bright objects. Very sharp at f/2.8. (Flares in contra light, but less than both SC versions).
Black: no soft focus wide open. This copy was the sharpest at f/2. Very sharp at f/2.8. (This lens is very prone to flare in contra light).
Silver: no soft focus effect; reasonably soft wide open; rather sharp at f/2.8. I say it's very similar to the black version; might be copy variation or prior service history that made this lens softer than the black M39 version.
Conclusion
If you're looking for the sharpest Jupiter, get an all-black, old-style metal barrel lens. Modern MC versions exhibit strong soft-focus effect wide open; if that's what you are after, then go for it. By f/2.8, all samples perform very similar. _________________ List of lenses |
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Xpres
Joined: 11 Dec 2007 Posts: 964 Location: UK
Expire: 2014-10-28
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Posted: Wed Nov 03, 2010 11:07 pm Post subject: |
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Xpres wrote:
I did a very similar experiment with the same lenses and an old style black M42 mount as well. Same conclusions except for me the M39 silver was sharper than the black wide open. _________________ Film... and sometimes SD14, 5D2 and some other suff! |
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aoleg
Joined: 22 Feb 2008 Posts: 1387 Location: Berlin, DE
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Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2010 6:14 am Post subject: |
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aoleg wrote:
Xpres wrote: |
I did a very similar experiment with the same lenses and an old style black M42 mount as well. Same conclusions except for me the M39 silver was sharper than the black wide open. |
For me, the silver and black lenses produced similar results. I attribute the difference to copy variation and service history of the two lenses. MC versions are consistently soft at f/2 as reported by many, many users; that would be hard to relate to sample variation, and we can safely exclude service history as they are available brand new. _________________ List of lenses |
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martinsmith99
Joined: 31 Aug 2008 Posts: 6950 Location: S Glos, UK
Expire: 2013-11-18
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Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2010 7:11 am Post subject: |
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martinsmith99 wrote:
I think with Jupiters, copy variation is the main factor. I've owned 2 M39 alu J9s and they seemed about the same. i hope my new LTM does as well. _________________ Casual attendance these days |
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Orio
Joined: 24 Feb 2007 Posts: 29545 Location: West Emilia
Expire: 2012-12-04
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Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2010 9:17 am Post subject: |
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Orio wrote:
Conclusion is that unless one has tested multiple copies of this lens, it's impossible to say anything conclusive.
My experience is that my aluminium copy is the sharpest and in general one of the sharpest lens I have wide open, while the MC version abuntantly flares wide open, and I am convinced that this is by design (i.e. they wanted it to do that). _________________ Orio, Administrator
T*
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aoleg
Joined: 22 Feb 2008 Posts: 1387 Location: Berlin, DE
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Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2010 9:47 am Post subject: |
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aoleg wrote:
Orio wrote: |
the MC version abuntantly flares wide open, and I am convinced that this is by design (i.e. they wanted it to do that). |
I don't think it's the design. I do believe the difference was caused by switching types of glass used to make lens elements, or using glass of inconsistent quality. This was very possible after the fall of the Soviet Union and subsequent collapse of all supply chains, high-tech ones specifically. _________________ List of lenses |
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BRunner
Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Posts: 705 Location: Czech Republic
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Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2010 10:31 am Post subject: |
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BRunner wrote:
I owned and tested 5 different copies. 3 black, 1 silver and one new latter finish black. The only conclusion is, that it's lottery. Doesn't matter if the lens is silver or black, if it is newer or older, you just need to be lucky to get good copy.
I kept the latter black version, because it's reasonably sharp and has best color accuracy of the 5 and the silver, because is comparably sharp and it's silver...I do like shiny things, you know... _________________ .: APO-Maniac :. |
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