Re: [Leica] What russian/east german lenses to buy?

[omegaman <omegaman@shentel.net>]

Marc James Small wrote:
> 
> At 10:40 AM 3/30/98 -0500, B D Colen wrote:
> >Marc - When you say "great" user lens, what do you mean? How good optically
> >compared to modern Leitz lenses?
> 
> This cannot be answered unless you define more tightly what you mean by
> "good optically".  That is, there are a dozen or so optical parameters to
> consider.
> 
> The Russian lenses I referred to are clones of Prewar Carl Zeiss Jena
> designs or developments of CZJ Topogons.  As such, the designs are rather
> old, but the lenses are fine performers, especially at their low prices.
> The wide-angle Russar and Orion, for instance, vignette, a function of the
> Topogon design, but given that they run 1/6 or so the price of a current
> Leica lens, this makes a fine choice for folks like me who rarely use wide
> angles.  The Jupiter-12 will probably provide better contrast, less edge
> drop-off, and more resolution than any but the latest 35mm Summicrons and
> will do so, again, for 1/4 or so the Leica's price.
> 
> The 1.5/50 Jupiter-3 IS a prize lens by any standards:  it is a much more
> satisfactory lens than any Leitz lens to the second version of the
> Summilux, and is close to the Summilux in performance.
> 
> Marc
> 
> msmall@roanoke.infi.net  FAX:  +540/343-7315
> Cha robh bas fir gun ghras fir!
I have the Orion, Jupiter 3 and 12, as well as Leica lenses, and agree
with Marc except that I have not had any vignetting with my Orion.  The
135mm Jupiter that I have is not too good but it only cost $20.
Randolph Carlisle