Jupiter-3 on the M Monochrom

New camera, first Monochrome Digital camera made in 12 years. And the first new Monochrome Digital Camera that I have bought in 20 years. Told that to Josh of Dale Photo when I bought the camera.

First lens on the new camera HAD to be my favorite Jupiter-3, from 1950.
At F1.5, Red Filter

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8492/8298291827_2a296a4324_c.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8217/8298291245_01456329a9_c.jpg

At F4

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8223/8299343184_cca7532fd6_c.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8360/8298290599_e9ca89cb03_c.jpg

Hi Brian!

I don't know what a monochrom digital camera is (or just a faint idea) but the 1950 Jupiter... Zeiss glasses, probably?
Astonishing!

Jacques.

The Jupiter-3: Zeiss Glass, and a Zeiss SN on the rear fixture. This lens looks like it had never been used: the focal length was wrong, and it was held into the Contax mount with sewing thread. There was no shim, and it front-focused terribly. I set the focal length for the Leica, and moved it into a Leica mount. Focus is perfect at f1.5 across the entire range.

wow... i like those BW, but the M monochrome is out of reach for me... sadly

Stephan

It's an expensive camera, no doubt. I let the camera collection pay for this one, about half of it from selling lenses accumulated before the age of digital.

Lovely results from that combination. I'd be tempted by the Monochrom if I ever win the lottery...!

K.

http://g3.img-dpreview.com/4904EB8AF909432A9F07572B155022C6.jpg

I took three Sonnars to the Marine Museum in Quantico, Virginia: A 1936 Carl Zeiss Jena 5cm F1.5 (Factory coated, converted to Leica mount), an early Nikkor-SC 5cm F1.4, and the 1950 Jupiter-3.

All shots wide-open, on the M Monochrom.

http://www.dpreview.com/galleries/876628771/albums/jupiter-3-1936-sonnar-nikkor-5cm-f1-4

To my eyes- the 1950 Jupiter-3 has higher contrast, sharper, and less field curvature. The lens was originally in Contax/Kiev mount but did not focus correctly, and the mount prevented it from being properly shimmed. I moved it to a Leica thread mount. This one is special: I changed the position of the rear triplet four times to minimize field curvature, changing the main shim each time. I'm going to experiment with a second J-3 for this.

This is my favorite lens on the new camera.

Thanks for this comparison, Brian.
Finally, these lenses seem very close: all is probably more a question of shim and regulation of the body than a problem of quality, no?

A pity that the prices of the Jup 3 keep on increasing...

Amitiés. Jacques.

I have two J-3's on the way in, one will be used to convert a Sonnar to Leica mount "on request".

The other is going to get a perfect-glass 1956 KMZ optics module in it. I've been buying J-3's with broken filter rings, scratched glass, etc- and "upgrading" them. Days of $50 J-3's are over, but they are getting the respect that they deserve.

Brian,

the shots are great! They make fun to use my "new" J-3 from 1951 which is originally a coatet 1943 Sonnar :-)

Ulrich

http://fotos.cconin.de