Experience with East Bloc Screw mount lenses

[unclebill]

I am thinking in particular m-42 screwmount lenses I would not mind a Jupiter 9 85mm F2 for my Pentaxes. I have a friend who is headed over to Bulgaria for a few months to visit his girlfriend and offered to buy me camera gear. My only experience with FSU camera gear is my Kiev III and its lenses.

Bill

[grahams]

I have a number of auto-aperture as well as manual aperture FSU M42 lenses, mostly 50 or 55mm, that came with the various Zenit cameras that I have collected. The optics are generally superb, but the mechanical bits (focus helical, aperture mechanism) may need a clean and re-lube if the lens has not been used for some time. They are tough, and good value.

[PeterW]

I've also got quite a few 42mm Helios lenses as well as a Tair, some Jupiters and a few Industars and I've found them all excellent lenses.

With regard to FSU cameras I've come across one or two badly assembled Zenits that needed the wind-on and shutter release taking apart and screwing togther properly, and sometimes the curtain tension needed adjusting. I've even had curtain tapes come adrift (not break).

As a generalisation (dangerous thing to make) I've found most Zorkis to be put together better than a lot of Zenits and some of the later Kievs, though even some Zorkis needed adjusting. But I haven't yet found a badly assembled lens.

Not sure about prices in the US, but in the UK you can pick up most FSU lenses ridiculously cheaply, often for less than the postage on eBay, and the various models of Helios usually have a Zenit hanging on the back as a bonus.

My only argument with them is that I wish the Russians (or Ukranians) had used a decent lubricant on the helicoids instead of boiled-down Yak fat which can go green and as hard as soap after a few years.

I agree with grahams about relubing. Quite a few of my FSU lenses have needed the helicoid cleaning and relubing, and a couple needed a complete strip down because some misguided DIY bodger had squirted WD40 in them to try to make the focus easier, and it had spread over the elements and iris and really fouled things up.

Peter W

[kiev4a]

The J9s are notorious for being messed up previously by amateur reparmen. There are several different possible entry points on the helicoids when reassembling and only one is correct. A lot of the lenses have been reassembled incorrectly and you really have to know your stuff to correct the problem.

The J9 is a decent lens, particularly if you can stop it down a little.

[doubs43]

In M42 mount, my FSU lenses include a 20mm MIR-20, 200mm Jupiter-21A, 200mm Jupiter-21M, 300mm Tair, 500mm MTO & 1000mm MTO...... the last 2 being mirror lenses. Each of these are quality, well-made lenses that perform well.

The following pictures were taken with the MTO-1000 mirror lens - except the first one that's an overview. These are all full-frame scans of 35mm negatives. It was late evening on a Summer's day and the light was yellowish and it was hazy in the distance.

This is an overview of the area and was taken with a 55mm lens from the exact position used for the subsequent 1000mm shots.


This is the closest shot of the sign numbered "1" in the overview.


This is the fartherest shot and the water tower is more than a mile from the camera. Note the antenna on the very top of the tower in the center. Pretty decent resolution, I'd say.


Walker

[PeterW]

Impressive, Walker.

Peter W

[doubs43]

brianvsweeney said:

The I85 PEACHOID!

We'll be passing the Peach on our way down South in a few weeks.

I remember when they built the Peach. I know I'm almost home whenever I see it.

Brian........ almost I-85. The "peach" you see in that shot is the Byron, GA, water tower and sits along I-75 about 15 miles South of Macon.

The Byron "Big Peach" is actually circle number 2 in the overview. I did take a shot of it with the MTO-1000 but didn't include it as I thought more than 3 pictures would be a bit much.

However, here's a picture of the Big Peach taken with a shorter lens. Unfortunately, I don't recall off the top of my head which camera or lens. I can tell you that the film was Walgreen's Agfa 200.

The Big Peach, Byron, GA


Walker

[pshinkaw]

I have noticed that my East German M42 lenses have a longer aperture actuating pin than my Soviet or Japanese lenses. When I use an Oreston or a CZj Tessar on a Pentax or Fujica, the aperture partially shuts down when the lens is fully screwed in. I measured the pins, and they actually stick out more. Has anyone else had this problem?

-Paul