Taking underdogs for a walk or J3 and J9's day out

[Krosya]

I thought I'd take out my old russian friends for a walk. I have been using Hexanons lately and wanted some change of pace. Well, here they are :
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3121/2406097739_541c15c336.jpg

They are not pretty, maybe even ugly, but smooth enough. J3 even has it's front lens chipped a bit, but so far it didn't seem to affect anything. J9 works well, - that is when I can focus it well. It's been a tricky lens. But when I get it right - its very good. Well, here are some pics from out walk:

j9:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3069/2406073179_28fac1b9ab.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3225/2406904508_6b86a9648a.jpg

and these are from j3:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3092/2406072199_66a7a66432.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2273/2406904642_5ab1e73de6_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3115/2406073037_69cdaff302.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2254/2406904846_e3155c7d7d.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3249/2406072849_2c27fa0a6b.jpg

[Brian Sweeney]

I need to pick up another J-9. Very nice pictures.

You know how I feel about J-3's!

[vrgard]

Those are gorgeous pictures from any lenses. And makes me glad to own a "Sweeneyfied" J3 lens.

-Randy

[Keith]

Let me think ... from memory you have three of the same lenses I have ... 35mm Nokton ~ Canon 50mm 1.2 ~ 50mm Hexanon f2. But ... you choose to use these things?

Isn't there saying ... "If you lay down with dogs you will get fleas."

Nice pics Krosya but I'm afraid you're doomed ... better get the fleapowder out! :p

[Highway 61]

Very nice blooming photos (I'm now sneezing... ;)).

Yet, according to what I see on your truly superb shots, your J-3 suffers from the internal optics decentering which I wrote about in the thread Brian opened yesterday : areas located at the very same distance from where you were are either sharp or blurry (with a typical arrow-shaped distorsion) depending on which side of the picture they are, and rendered in the very same manner as with the J-3 I got rid of for that reason.

This is why, while not being a "primary anti-FSU lenses" guy (I have a late black "Made in USSR" Jupiter-8 which has nothing to envy to any 1st Class German 50mm rangefinder lens...) I am now way less enthusiast about that "Hey, look at the outstanding photos I can take with a despised and beaten-up $30 Soviet shell" fashion.

As they say : "It's my own point of view, and I share it". :angel:

[Brian Sweeney]

The Sonnar formula is known for field curvature. You would need a fairly uniform test target with well-measured symmetry to test for de-centering vs field curvature. This is something that also occurs with the original German Sonnar's of the 30s. I've got some Modern Photography test results that illustrate the problem if anyone is interested.

I've popped the glass in about 20 J-3's and J-8's. It takes a little practice to get it back in, actually more like the nerve to jam some of the glass back in so tightly. The most difficult of the bunch for "glass jamming" is a type I Rigid Summicron, followed by the collapsible.

[Highway 61]

I agree, this makes sense.

But :

normal Sonnar-design field curvature, giving a sharp image center and equally soft corners when used wide-open, then improving when you close the diaphragm to give an evenly sharp image from f:2.8 to above, yes.
bad optics centering from the factory, giving a large sided blurry proportion of the image, even when used at f:8 and not at the closest focusing distance, no. That's why I will never buy any J-3 anymore. Especially now that that bokeh-fashion has made them reach the $100+ bar, average. And - I need another rangefinder 50mm lens like a hole in the head (I have way less of them than some here do, but still too many).

That said, I like to see nice photos like the ones we were provided with above, were they shot with a lens I had a bad experience with. Special mention for #5 which deserves enlargement and framing.

[Krosya]

Let me think ... from memory you have three of the same lenses I have ... 35mm Nokton ~ Canon 50mm 1.2 ~ 50mm Hexanon f2. But ... you choose to use these things?

Isn't there saying ... "If you lay down with dogs you will get fleas."

Nice pics Krosya but I'm afraid you're doomed ... better get the fleapowder out! :p

Thanks for you comments everybody.
I know, Keith, I have all those nice lenses , yet I really wanted to get these off the shelf and let them see some light. I'm in a process of re-evaluating my lens inventory and wanted to see what I should keep and what will go to classifieds. Still working on it.

As far as de-centering, Highway61, while it's possible, I really can't see how you can tellthis from my shots. I agree with Brian on this - subject would have to be more uniform to be able to see this. Yet, like I said - it's possible that my lens has this. And even if it does - I like the effect - doesn't bother me. Plus I have several other 50mm lenses that don't have that, so this makes it different.
And meanwhile a couple of more j3 pics:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3120/2406073119_1bd080ebf6.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2284/2406072575_13ee8fced7.jpg

[Brian Sweeney]

Just in case no one has seen what misplacement of the elements can do,

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=57623

Or think that it does not happen to German optics. I've also got Nikkors and Leitz lenses that are "feeling much better now!"

And on the J-3--- I've replaced the front element of a 1959 lens with a new one from a 1986 optics module before.

http://flickr.com/photos/oldcamerapictures/sets/72157602481458663/

[payasam]

'And makes me glad to [own] a "Sweeneyfied" J3 lens.' I now have a "Kimmed" J-3. Only done some quick test shots so far: but it's good to have confidence in one's equipment.

Nothing "ugly" about your lenses, Krosya: and the results are excellent. The flea powder lob is too far above my head.