Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/02/07
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I've just received from Mark Chaney, that great purveyor of all things ex-Soviet (to quote someone who has a bit of a flair for high-falutin' language), a package containing not one but _two_ Jupiter-3's, in response to my sending him back a late Jupiter-3 he had sent me but which suffered from considerable coma. I believe his intention is that I figure out which I like better and send the other back. My first Jupiter-3 seemed quite new, and the focusing and aperture rings were loose enough to rattle a little. It was from the Zagorsk plant, according to Marc. These two lenses are older (although the glass is unmarked). Both of these lenses I just received are chrome - -- I requested a black one but Mark Chaney didn't have any more black ones. The first has a schematic representation of a cemented triplet as its logo. It looks sort of like the rear group of a Zeiss Biotessar. (I knew that Kingslake book would come in handy.) The serial number is N5601995. The second has the same logo as my first, so I guess it's from the Zagorsk plant. The serial number is N6200027. The first one feels better than the second -- it focuses more smoothly, for example. The focusing ring on the second is stiff and also rattles. Neither has the loose aperture ring of my first Jupiter-3. Marc, can you identify approximate age and plants of manufacture of these? Do you have any comments? I'm going to do some test shooting with these this weekend. - -Patrick