Advice on M/L39 lenses

[dxqcanada]

Hmm, it appears that I will be getting a couple of rangefinders ... a Canon 7 and a Leica IIF.

Will need to perform some servicing on both ... but both will come without lenses.

Not sure if I want to spill the bucks on getting Canon or Leitz screw mount lenses for either camera ... so anyone here have any suggestions on any good (inexpensive) alternatives ?

 

[compur]

The Russian lenses can be good. I have a Jupiter 85/2 that I like. There are also the Bessa R lenses by Voigtlander/Cosina which are quite good too.

 

[usayit]

You should probably define "inexpensive". For Leica thread mount, often even a $1000 USD is considered "inexpensive".

Canon 50mm Serenar f/1.9 is a good one... Mine came with my Canon rangefinder. I also liked the LTM voigtlander 28mm f/1.9 ultron. I loved the voigtlander 12mm Heliar....

 

[dxqcanada]

Ah, yeah, should have referenced that ... under $150.00, which is why I cannot afford any Leica lenses.
I have not seen any Canon, Nikon, or Minolta LTM lenses under this price ... just lots of FSU's.

I am thinking that I should up my budget.

 

[usayit]

Think Russian copies... maybe from a dealer that has a return policy. Unfortunately, my experience with them is that quality can vary throughout the production... if you find a good one, its pretty good. If not.. eh.

 

[dxqcanada]

Yeah, that's what I have been reading ... manufacturing quality is like a box of chocolate, you never know what your going to get.

 

[BrianV]

The focal length standard for Leica is a nominal 51.6mm; the Zeiss standard is a nominal 52.4mm. The Russian lenses are built to the Zeiss standard, later Russian lenses had a fairly wide tolerance of 1%. That's what the Data Sheets indicate for that come with Russian lenses. Most Russian lenses need to be "paired" up with the body, done by changing a shim that controls the stand-off between the optics module and the focus mount. Once set, most Russian lenses are very good.

The Jupiter-8 50/2 is probably the best bargain out there for Leica thread mount lenses. Mine is modified to close focus to 0.7m on an M-Mount camera, will go to 0.8m on the Canon P.

The Canon 50/1.9 Serenar- An improved Summar. It will not collapse on the Canon 7: it will hit the Light Baffles of the body. They are creeping up in price, but should be available in your price range. It is a low-contrast lens, and sharp enough wide-open.

The Jupiter-9 85/2: needs to be carefully shimmed to work wide-open on a Leica. On the ones that I have worked on: reduced the focal length by moving the rear group in, and then shimmed it for Leica.

 

[vintagesnaps]

Getting into LTM bodies and lenses is fairly recent for me; I have one of the newer Voigtlander rangefinders and a lens that I found used (hardly, was still in the box) for around $300. I also got a Corfield lens for under $100; those don't exactly seem too common but I'm getting some good pictures with it.

Sharon

 

[BrianV]

Buying Russian Lenses off of Ebay, you really have to be careful.

Jupiter 3 1 5 50 for M39 Fed ZORKI Leica Bessa Red P | eBay

This lens has a namering showing it to be a 1951 KMZ lens, which would mean it has German glass in it.

It's a 1970s J-3 with the namering replaced. I've seen more and more of these "impersonators", not quite counterfeit. This one as easy to spot by the design of the rear- only one set of spanner slots, the lenses up to 1963 have two sets of spanner slots. Other lenses- you can only tell after opening them up. KMZ lenses have 1 set screw holding the helical into the mount, later lenses use three. The Ebay sellers put up a lot of fake "Zeiss Sonnars", and "ZK Sonnars". Putting up fake KMZ Jupiter-3's is a new scam. The KMZ J-3's are the best, in my opinion. Sadly, the days of $50 J-3's are over.

 

[bhop]

Jupiters are the way to go at that price point.. my Jupiter 8 was cheap..

I got mine from fedka
Fedka Web Site


Pink by bhop, on Flickr


Rocky by bhop, on Flickr


Sentinels by bhop, on Flickr

 

[BrianV]

Well, the Jupiter-3 lens in the Link just sold. I hope no one here bought it thinking that it had German glass in it.

This is with my 1950 Jupiter-3, focal length and shim adjusted for Leica.


L1000008Wide-Open

 

[dxqcanada]

Ah, I was looking at Jupiter-3's ... and I noted that they are one of the highest priced FSU lenses.

It appears that Jupiter-8M's are cheaper than Jupiter-8's.

... should I just bite the bullet and get a Canon/Nikon/Minolta/Leica lens ?

 

[bhop]

If you can swing a Leica lens, it'd be worth it IMO.. but prices being what they are, a Jupiter 8 isn't a bad starting point. If you like 50mm.. I shoot with a Canon 50mm f/1.4 most of the time. Leica lenses aren't in my 'hobby' budget at the moment, and i'm pretty happy with it.

 

[BrianV]

Jupiter-8M's are for Contax and Kiev cameras, not for Leica! Jupiter-8 and Jupiter-8-1: look for the thread mount and focus ring. The Jupiter-8M has an aperture ring, but no focus ring. The camera body of the contax/Kiev has it built into.

Minolta Leica Thread Mount lenses are "uncommon", ie pricier.

The Chrome-Mount Canon 50/1.8 is VERY good, and usually can be found at a reasonable price.

If you get a Jupiter-8, there are two versions: chrome mount and black mount. The latter are newer, easier to work on. I can post instructions on setting the shim.

For the J-3, Jason Howe has kindly hosted some PDF's for adjusting the Jupiter-3.

50mm Jupiter 3 f/1.5 Information

Kim Coxon Has instructions for the J-8:

PENTAX MANUALS

If you can find a reasonable prices Nikkor 5cm F2 in LTM: they are beautifully made, and have very smooth Bokeh.

On this forum, I've been uploading example shots with various lenses here:

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/mirrorless-cameras/317670-lenses-leica-example-shots.html

 

[bhop]

Jupiter-8M's are for Contax and Kiev cameras, not for Leica! Jupiter-8 and Jupiter-8-1: look for the thread mount and focus ring. The Jupiter-8M has an aperture ring, but no focus ring. The camera body of the contax/Kiev has it built into.

Minolta Leica Thread Mount lenses are "uncommon", ie pricier.

The Chrome-Mount Canon 50/1.8 is VERY good, and usually can be found at a reasonable price.

If you get a Jupiter-8, there are two versions: chrome mount and black mount. The latter are newer, easier to work on. I can post instructions on setting the shim.

For the J-3, Jason Howe has kindly hosted some PDF's for adjusting the Jupiter-3.

50mm Jupiter 3 f/1.5 Information

Kim Coxon Has instructions for the J-8:

PENTAX MANUALS

If you can find a reasonable prices Nikkor 5cm F2 in LTM: they are beautifully made, and have very smooth Bokeh.

On this forum, I've been uploading example shots with various lenses here:

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/mirrorless-cameras/317670-lenses-leica-example-shots.html

Do you have shim instructions for the J-8? mine's always been slightly off..