Leica Valdai 1984 Black Jupiter-3 "adaptation" and test.

[Brian]

I will never forget that Valdai J-3! The J-3 uses two guide pins to hold the inner/outer helical together. The lens had one guide pin so I put a second into it. The focus hung up half way through. The rail for the side with the missing screw was not cut properly: the screw jammed halfway up the rail. Exacto Knife to the rescue, lots of trial and error. Get the rail too wide: wobble in the focus and you lose RF calibration as the Cam is at an angle. Don't cut enough: cannot focus.

Skyllaney Opto-Mechanics

Specialists in Zeiss ZM, Voigtlander VM and Leica M lens repair and servicing.

skyllaney.com

And another reason why I am very happy to refer this work to a professional shop from now on!

 

[Leica43]

I will never forget that Valdai J-3! The J-3 uses two guide pins to hold the inner/outer helical together. The lens had one guide pin so I put a second into it. The focus hung up half way through. The rail for the side with the missing screw was not cut properly: the screw jammed halfway up the rail. Exacto Knife to the rescue, lots of trial and error. Get the rail too wide: wobble in the focus and you lose RF calibration as the Cam is at an angle. Don't cut enough: cannot focus.

Skyllaney Opto-Mechanics

Specialists in Zeiss ZM, Voigtlander VM and Leica M lens repair and servicing.

skyllaney.com

And another reason why I am very happy to refer this work to a professional shop from now on!

And to think I paid a premium for this 1985 Valdai, as it came with a “Passport“ certificate from the factory. Certified shoddy workmanship and QC!!
Thanks once again Brian for salvaging my purchase as I had no return option at the time.
Skyllaney will certainly have their work cut out for them if they see too many Valdai J-3s in the future.

 

[boojum]

I've a '51 KMZ that Brian is aware of and helped me evaluate. Actually he did the evaluation and I did the buying. ;o) It has turned out to be a good performer. I am not sure it is better or even as good as my Canon 35mm F/2.0 (Black) but a lens that is worth what I paid for it. Reasonable expectations are useful when buying old Soviet lenses. I you expect Zeiss or Leica quality all the time prepare to be disappointed. However I have been lucky with my J-8's. I also have a good J 130mm and 85. They all work well on an M9. So how they came to work well on a Leica I cannot say. I can say they do work well on a Leica. And that is all I need to know.

Later: Piqued by comment on another board I tested all three of these lenses wide open at around a meter. The 35 and 50 were fine. The 85 indicated 1.8 meters of what the other two had said was 1.7 meters. The other two were correct. I shoot very little - none - wide open at around a meter so correction can wait awhile. But it will get done.