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What is this lens? Worth keeping? (I don't read Russian)
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PostPosted: Wed May 11, 2011 6:28 pm    Post subject: What is this lens? Worth keeping? (I don't read Russian) Reply with quote
Hi,

I was lucky to be given a large haul of MF lenses last year and this one and two others remained in the box and was put in the attic along with lots of film SLRs I planned on putting on eBay when I got the time.

The reason it was put away with the other two was because it didn't fit my Canon 400d with the M42 adapter (the thread is too narrow on the lens so mustn't be M42)

It is a 135 f4 with 12 blades and has a silver body (looks rather nice to be honest!)

I found it today and decided to try it held up against the camera. Focussing is difficult due to it not being attached to the camera (I just used my legs to focus rather than my fingers Wink ), and it doesn't seem to focus to infinity.

So, would I be able to get an adapter for it?

Is it worth keeping/selling on eBay?

Should I just put it back in the attic?

Thanks for any help, and here is the lens.









PostPosted: Wed May 11, 2011 6:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I will defer to the experts but that looks like a Jupiter-11, made in Leica-screw mount for the Soviet Zorki and Fed cameras.

It should be a salable item. I think you will find recent ebay sales for $30-60. You may get a better price as it is already in the UK.

It will not get to infinity on most DSLR's because as a rangefinder camera lens the back focus is short. There are Leica adapters for mirrorless cameras like the Sony Nex that will give infinity focus.


PostPosted: Wed May 11, 2011 6:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
luisalegria wrote:
I will defer to the experts but that looks like a Jupiter-11, made in Leica-screw mount for the Soviet Zorki and Fed cameras.

It should be a salable item. I think you will find recent ebay sales for $30-60. You may get a better price as it is already in the UK.

It will not get to infinity on most DSLR's because as a rangefinder camera lens the back focus is short. There are Leica adapters for mirrorless cameras like the Sony Nex that will give infinity focus.


+1

That is the first model of Jupiter 11 in M39 LTM.


PostPosted: Wed May 11, 2011 7:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thank you very much guys. I've read about Jupiters on here, but have never actually seen the lens so didn't have a clue!

So I guess if I get a M39 to canon adapter it will work, but not to infinity.

I might just have a look at eBay to see how much the adapters go for.

Thanks again Smile


PostPosted: Wed May 11, 2011 7:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I believe M39 and LTM are slightly different. Nevertheless, measure it because my Jupiter 11 came as M42.


PostPosted: Wed May 11, 2011 7:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
You will only get macro focus with that lens on a Canon dslr. There is an slr version, which is fatter and also has an m42 mount...that is the best one for a Canon dslr. Deffo not worth buying an adapter for this one unless you have a nex or micro 4/3 camera with leica l39 adapter.


PostPosted: Wed May 11, 2011 7:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
woodrim wrote:
I believe M39 and LTM are slightly different. Nevertheless, measure it because my Jupiter 11 came as M42.


This one is too small for my M42 adapter. On measuring it, it looks like it is about 39mm.

would this work with my current M42 adapter?

eBay item 110356045198


PostPosted: Wed May 11, 2011 7:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
ManualFocus-G wrote:
You will only get macro focus with that lens on a Canon dslr. There is an slr version, which is fatter and also has an m42 mount...that is the best one for a Canon dslr. Deffo not worth buying an adapter for this one unless you have a nex or micro 4/3 camera with leica l39 adapter.


When messing about with it held up against the M42 adapter at minimum focus, it was focussing at about 1m distance from the subject (where 2.5m was indicated on the focus dial)

What do you mean by "macro" focus?


PostPosted: Wed May 11, 2011 7:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
M39 is the Leica thread mount, so that is what this is. It is rangefinder coupled - you should see a tube or tongue moving past the thread as you focus; that presses against a probe on the rangefinder camera body.

There are M39-Canon adapters; I even have an M39-Pentax K adapter. But with a lens like this a 135 lens will only focus as far as 5 feet or so - so at best a close head-shot on a crop camera.

This is what you can expect - these are my samples with an Arco Colinar 135 in Leica mount, very similar to the Jupiter-11

http://forum.mflenses.com/arco-tele-colinar-3-8-135-leica-mount-t24184,highlight,%2Barco.html


PostPosted: Wed May 11, 2011 7:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I mean the lens will be pretty much unusable unless you want to take close up images, the focus range will be very limited.


PostPosted: Wed May 11, 2011 8:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
One of the sharpest 135mm lens reported by my friend on Sony-NEX.


PostPosted: Wed May 11, 2011 9:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Jupiter for sure.
I still remember cyrillic. Very Happy


PostPosted: Wed May 11, 2011 9:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I've just tried the lens at max and min focus. The difference is just one small footstep! I see what you mean about the lens being unusable on a crop DSLR Sad

I think I might just eBay it along with the camera and the other two lenses that fit it. Someone will get use from them.

Shame, I was hoping it would be a keeper as it certainly has the "Bling" factor when offered up to the camera, and if it as sharp as Attila says then it could have been a great lens for me to use.

Thanks again for all of the help. I might start a thread to show all of the lenses I acquired in the freeby bundle (I'm loving using them all and I'm certainly not selling any of them!)


PostPosted: Wed May 11, 2011 9:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
woodrim wrote:
I believe M39 and LTM are slightly different.


That's what I thought. The M39 mount as used used by Zenit on their early SLRs has a screw pitch of 1 mm. LTM has a pitch of 26 turns per inch (25.4/26 = 0.9769 ..... mm). The story goes that Leica chose the unusual imperial measurement in order to confuse their competitors, and that early Russian RF lenses had a screw pitch of 1 mm. Although the difference is small, it is enough to mean that some lenses will not mount on cameras with the other screw pitch. Google will provide examples.


PostPosted: Wed May 11, 2011 9:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
With the money that you make, buy a Jupiter 11 with the SLR M39 mount. This should work just fine on a Canon. It still looks sexy too Wink



PostPosted: Wed May 11, 2011 9:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
sichko wrote:
woodrim wrote:
I believe M39 and LTM are slightly different.


That's what I thought. The M39 mount as used used by Zenit on their early SLRs has a screw pitch of 1 mm. LTM has a pitch of 26 turns per inch (25.4/26 = 0.9769 ..... mm). The story goes that Leica chose the unusual imperial measurement in order to confuse their competitors, and that early Russian RF lenses had a screw pitch of 1 mm. Although the difference is small, it is enough to mean that some lenses will not mount on cameras with the other screw pitch. Google will provide examples.


Hmm, I'd best get my facts correct before offering it to the Ebay community then.


PostPosted: Wed May 11, 2011 9:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
ManualFocus-G wrote:
With the money that you make, buy a Jupiter 11 with the SLR M39 mount. This should work just fine on a Canon. It still looks sexy too Wink



Oooh, nice! (but I have my eye on a replacement canon camera in the xxD range for the larger viewfinder compared to my 400D)


PostPosted: Wed May 11, 2011 10:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
You can easily sell it, no real need to worry about thread minutia.

It is definitely a Jupiter-11 in LTM (Leica Thread Mount) made for Zorki and Fed cameras. People who are looking for one will know what you mean.

Just check to see if the rangefinder coupling moves nicely as you focus, that the aperture works, and check for dirt/fungus/coating problems, and mention any problems as necessary.


PostPosted: Wed May 11, 2011 11:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
The model you have is the original M39 version, it has the slim body.

The second M39 version is for the early Zenits and has the same register as an M42 lens, it is shorter with a much fatter body.

There is a third version in M42 mount, I have that one, it's not bad, think I got a bad copy as mine isn't that sharp.

Yours is very saleable as the micro four thirds people can very definitely use this lens with an M39 adapter, going by the prices I've seen others go for, you're looking at between 25 and 40ukp I think.


PostPosted: Wed May 11, 2011 11:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
iangreenhalgh1 wrote:

Yours is very saleable as the micro four thirds people can very definitely use this lens with an M39 adapter,


Excellent, I'll be happy that it gets used.


PostPosted: Thu May 12, 2011 6:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Advertise it for FED/Zorki cameras and say that it's LTM mount.

I have this lens for my FED2. It's ok, but not the best 135mm.


PostPosted: Thu May 12, 2011 6:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
martinsmith99 wrote:
Advertise it for FED/Zorki cameras and say that it's LTM mount.

I have this lens for my FED2. It's ok, but not the best 135mm.


Will do, I think I'll put it on at the weekend to catch the weekend rush Smile

I'm going to get the other ones out of the attic too. I'll post pics about those too if that's OK?


PostPosted: Thu May 12, 2011 8:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
iangreenhalgh1 wrote:

The second M39 version is for the early Zenits and has the same register as an M42 lens ...

Not everyone agrees. For example, the Zenit archive ....

http://www.zenitcamera.com/archive/zenit-e/index.html

... reports manufacture of the Zenit E in two mounts - M39X1 with a register of 45.2 mm and M42X1 with a register of 45.5 mm.


PostPosted: Thu May 12, 2011 9:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
-halli- wrote:
I think I might just eBay it along with the camera and the other two lenses that fit it. Someone will get use from them.


you have camera and two more lenses to it? what are they?


PostPosted: Thu May 12, 2011 12:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
-halli- wrote:
I've just tried the lens at max and min focus. The difference is just one small footstep! I see what you mean about the lens being unusable on a crop DSLR Sad

I think I might just eBay it along with the camera and the other two lenses that fit it. Someone will get use from them.

Shame, I was hoping it would be a keeper as it certainly has the "Bling" factor when offered up to the camera, and if it as sharp as Attila says then it could have been a great lens for me to use.

Thanks again for all of the help. I might start a thread to show all of the lenses I acquired in the freeby bundle (I'm loving using them all and I'm certainly not selling any of them!)


Just for the heck of it, I ordered off eBay an M39 to M42 converter ring. All it is is a narrow ring with internal M39 threads and external M42 threads. I ordered it just to see what my M39 lenses looked like with my DSLR, cuz I already had an M42 adapter for it. Of course my M39 lenses were only usable in macro mode. But man-o-man, one of them in particular -- my Canon Serenar 50mm f/1.8 -- delivered absolutely brilliant macro images. So, just so's you know, that lens of yours will most likely make a quite respectable macro lens. And of course, if you think a NEX might be in your future, it'll work even at infinity with the NEX.

Last edited by cooltouch on Thu May 12, 2011 5:10 pm; edited 1 time in total
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