Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2009/03/11
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]At 11:36 PM 3/11/2009, Philip F wrote: >The nice photos taken with an 85mm f/2 have got me thinking about an >alternative lens. As I'd like the original Nikkor 85mm or Zeiss Jena >85mm f/2.0 they seem to be hard to find in M39 as well as pricey. The >Jupiter-9 looks to be pretty common. What are the opinions of this >lens? Is the sample ratio of pass:fail bad like some of the Russian >copy lenses? I'm intending to use it for my long focal length with an >R-D1 since I already have a 135mm finder and the 85mm focal length >comes close to the FOV of the finder I own. Yes, 2/9.5cm CZJ Sonnar T lenses in LTM are rather hard to find, though I am rather wary of the term "pricey" as it lacks a hard referent and one person's "pricey" may well be another's "inexpensive". Quality depends on a number of factors but here are some things to consider. First, the vintage is important. The aluminium-finish lenses (up to 1980 or so) are often optically superior to the later gloss-black finish ones. VERY late lenses are usually outstanding -- post-1985 and finished in matte black -- but these appear to be substantially rarer than the CZJ 2/8.5's. Second, the factory is important. This can be determined by the logo on the nummernschild. In VERY general terms, KMZ lenses are generally better performers than are those from such of the lesser houses. The issue really resolves to this. Only buy with a guarantee of return. Buy from established dealers such as Fedka who stand behind their wares. I own a bunch of these lenses, including a 2/8.5cm CZJ Sonnar T in LTM and a 1951 KMZ in LTM and a much later gloss-black KMZ lens, and all are fine performers. Hell, I even one a KMZ lens in M42. But, buy from a reputable dealer and get a right of return. Or, pick up twenty of these puppies at $10 each and you're bound to get at least one good one and then you'll have others to recollimate during cold winter nights. Marc msmall at aya.yale.edu Cha robh b?s fir gun ghr?s fir!