Material of Jupiter-8 lenses

Hello!

Iґm new here. I have a little collection of russian Cameras. With the time there are coming up more and more questions on details of the cameras and equipment. Maybe somebody of you can give an answer to some questions.

And hereґs the first one:

I have seen many pictures of Jupiter-8 Lenses. The Finishing of them sometimes look different. Some look like grey aluminium, some look like lacquered with clearcoat that is a little bit yellow, and some look like very good polished aluminium or maybe even polished steel or crome.
Does anybody know why they look so different. Are there really lensbodys in different materials? Or has the original finishing been different? Or are they maybe polished later? If this is the case - I would like to know, how to do it.


Greetings from Germany

Michl

Hey Bud,
If the barrel is aluminum(I`m assuming that it is), you can find good info on finishing aluminum here:

http://forum.caswellplating.com/

Besides aluminum finishing and anodizing, Caswell sells kits for DIY`ers like myself. I`ve used a few and with some practice, you can get results that equal or better the finish from the factory.
Mike

Very nice side. I was looking for ways how to restore finish on some of my lenses. This will help me a lot!
And very good question. I also have few J-11 and material what they made from not only looks different it feels different. The yellowish lenses seems to me cowered by some kind or lacquer. Most of them made between 1952 and 1958. All "yellow" lenses what I poses are from KMZ. None of them 50mm lenses, they are ether 135mm(J-11) or 85mm(J-9). But not all of them get "yellow", most stay silver. It could be way they was stored, but most likely because manufacture was using different metal treatment for different use, like tropical or arctic. But nothing say on lens itself.

http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/2482009_DSCF7210.JPG