Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/05/18
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]At 04:51 PM 5/18/2001 -0400, Dante Stella wrote: > You're right, it is a broad brush. I have used these things from >a wide period (late 50s to late 70s) and it is my impression that they got >worse as time went on. I had the same impression with the 85/2. Well, there is more than a kernel of truth in what you say, Lone Ranger. However, the final lot of Jupiter-3's, from 1986 until 1995 or so, were vastly the best of the lot, with improved QC, better mounts, and MC. The 2/85 Jupiter-9 IS a problem: my 2/8.5cm CZJ Sonnar T is flatly a better lens than any I have used in LTM, though the Kiev RF versions I have used are quite nice and work fine, as is the M42 version I own. I suppose a lot depends on the factory producing the lenses -- Zagorsk (the "eyeball" factory), KMZ (the horizontal trapezoid), and Lytkarino (the "C" in a circle) are the best, while Kazan (the vertical trapezoid) is pretty fair, as well. Arsenal (an oblate triangle) generally produces good stuff as well, but has never made LTM gear. Just a user's view! Marc msmall@roanoke.infi.net FAX: +540/343-7315 Cha robh bas fir gun ghras fir!