Leica Showcase Jupiter 8

'Thought I might start a thread to highlight the various versions of the Jupiter 8 a number of us have been experimenting with mounted up on Leica bodies. This was a "grab shot" of my wife and our younger son "iPhone-ing" after breakfast this morning. Leica M-E, Jupiter 8 50mm f2, processed in LR "Classic" and Tonality.
Please join in.
. . . David
Darlene and Dylan - "iPhones" (1 of 1).jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Here are a couple of images I took this morning with the CL and Jupiter 8 50mm f2. It's a lens I had yet to try with the CL. The Jupiter 8 has "crazy" bokeh, very sharp and nice rendering character. Well worth the $49. price. :rolleyes:
'Thought I'd share them.
. . . David
Leica CL and Jupiter 8-2.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
Leica CL and Jupiter 8.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
 
Always wanted to try a Jupiter 8. I have come close to bidding for one on eBay a couple of times. But so far have hesitated. Looks like a fun lens.
I used one on my Sony a6000 for a while - and on my Zorki 4. I prefer the Industar 61's handling and it's very close in terms of IQ (YMMV since there are so many different versions).
 
L1023143.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
I received the 1952 J-8, and the glass is perfect. After shooting these I adjusted the rear doublet using nylon tape used for pipe sealing to correct a slight front-focus. Not worth shimming, the correction was slight.

Jupiter lenses made before 1954 have German glass in them. I had one other German glass J-8 before in Contax/Kiev mount, but the front element had cleaning marks and I replaced it with a later element. It came out very good, I ended up mounting it in a Leica focus mount and selling it for $125. This one is in Leica/Fed mount, has perfect glass, and focus was very-very close to perfect on the Leica. All shots wide-open on the M8, no IR cut filter used.
L1023133.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

L1023142.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

L1023148.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

L1023147.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

L1023130.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
 
Last edited:
I picked up another Jupiter-8, also from 1952. This one is earlier than the one above, and the coating on the rear group is different. I believe this new one has Zeiss optics in it. Near perfect glass, the focus mount needed work. The lens would not focus to infinity. I ended up removing the stop screw to allow focus to move past infinity, drastically changed the shim form 0.75mm to about 1.5mm. That is a huge change. Re-indexed the focus scale, DOF scale, and aperture. This one is very good, one of the best I've owned. So- this one for the M9, one from above now on the M Monochrom. All Wide-Open on the M9.
195321
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
195322
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
195323
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
195324
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
195325
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
 
I'm not finished with this 1952 J-8. I need to buy an LTM to M adapter and polish it down a bit to get the index at the 2-O'Clock position, then file the threads down for the RF follower of the camera to follow the new closer focus.

These are at ~0.65ft, "Guess Focus" with the M9. At F2.
L1000732.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
L1000744.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
 
Two days ago I received a Jupiter 8 from 1975 (export version) that I bought from Brian. He has done a great job. The aperture and focus rings are smooth but with the proper resistance. Clean and clear glass... I love it!

Some pictures with my Leica IIF and Ilford HP5 Plus

My Mom. At f/2.0 and one meter:

mf2.jpg


Rose at f/2.0
rf2.jpg


Rose at f/4:
rf4.jpg


Thanks Brian!!
 
Those look great. It's re-assuring to know that the focus is spot-on with the Leica IIF. My M9 is just back from Leica with a new sensor and fresh calibration. They've built to the same standard for a very long time.
 
Those look great. It's re-assuring to know that the focus is spot-on with the Leica IIF. My M9 is just back from Leica with a new sensor and fresh calibration. They've built to the same standard for a very long time.

Does a Jupiter adjusted for Leica should focus on either a Leica Screw Mount and an M or is there any difference?
 
Back
Top