Jupiter9 85mm f/2.0 Test Shots

hinman · 03-27-2008, 11:49 AM

I bought this a while ago from my good friend igowerf (James) and the lens is in pristine condition. I finally made a chance to test the lens. It is manual focus in M42 mount and it is not easy to use for me especially with my kids moving, the manual focus get me in trouble with focusing problems. But the lens seems to go softer in wide open aperture but the color and bokeh seems pleasant.

Jupiter9 85mm f/2.0 Test Shots - Hin's Tech Corner

All indoor test shots in f/2.0 and ISO 400 hand held

f/2.0 in iso 200

f/? in iso 200 (likely f/4.0)

f/? in iso 200 (likely f/8.0)

A while ago, there is a thread on 'lens war with 77mm limited' and when I use the lens, I wish I have the AF but for the price of < $100, I can't complain.

Thanks,
Hin

k100d · 03-27-2008, 11:57 AM

nice photos hinman! i've learned a lot reading the various articles from your blog
this lens seems like nice budget alternative to the 77 or *85
but i remember reading that the use of this lens is different from any other lens, but not sure why??

anyone know if this lens is available in K-mount and what price new?

hinman · 03-27-2008, 12:20 PM

Originally posted by k100d

nice photos hinman! i've learned a lot reading the various articles from your blog
this lens seems like nice budget alternative to the 77 or *85
but i remember reading that the use of this lens is different from any other lens, but not sure why??

anyone know if this lens is available in K-mount and what price new?

Thanks for the comments. There are few reasons that the lens are difficult to use. The aperture ring is in the very front of the lens and one has to look at the ring in order to know what aperture to turn to. And there is another ring next to the aperture ring that allows one to stop down manually. And the setup requires to turn the extra ring to wide open aperture in order change the aperture, making it awkward in changing apertures. But once I used it a few times, I manage to get over the cumbersome feeling and get to like the lens for what it is. I am running low budget for gear and I have bigger stamina for annoyance.

And the focusing is a bit stiff on my copy of the lens and focusing is prone to turn the lens loose from the screw mount adapter -- that is something I am yet to overcome.

Though the few negatives, my overall impressions has been positive. On previous thread on lens war with 77mm limited, there is link to get new copy for about $120 and the latest has the coating that will work better with flare. As far as I know, even the new one is in M42 mount. James has sold me the lens with a matching len hood and the darn thing looks so cool together like a machine gun in disguise, very well built.

aperture ring and stop down ring in front

Thanks,
Hin

stevebrot · 03-27-2008, 12:41 PM

Nice pictures!!

Where did James get his hood? My Jupiter-9 should be arriving any day from Russia and I think I will be needing a hood. I was interested to read your comments regarding the pre-set aperture. I am a bit concerned that I will miss some good shots while I am fumbling with the pre-set ring!

Steve

Fritz · 03-27-2008, 01:22 PM

Those turned out great Hin.

Even though it's a little more work having to manually adjust the focus and aperature, the results speak for themselves!

Reps · 03-27-2008, 01:34 PM

Sorry You cropped You last shot on the left side (either in PP or framing)... Does Your copy have additional labels like "MS JUPITER-9" and "2/85" on it- if so this is IMHO a coated version (and somehow better than recent RU ones :-) This was my 3rd copy of all variations and I converted it to permanent K-mount via fixed adapter. Very funny and capable lens for me!
It seems that I have no uploaded pics with it but about 50% of my framed ones are with it- film or digital and I must say that I am an addict of high blade count lenses (Jupiter has at least 15...)- and this makes the rendering of OOF area... (and yep I know that this one is pre-WWII Zeiss one).
Best and hope You like this highly creative one, JR

hinman · 03-27-2008, 02:14 PM

Originally posted by Reps

Sorry You cropped You last shot on the left side (either in PP or framing)... Does Your copy have additional labels like "MS JUPITER-9" and "2/85" on it- if so this is IMHO a coated version (and somehow better than recent RU ones :-) This was my 3rd copy of all variations and I converted it to permanent K-mount via fixed adapter. Very funny and capable lens for me!
It seems that I have no uploaded pics with it but about 50% of my framed ones are with it- film or digital and I must say that I am an addict of high blade count lenses (Jupiter has at least 15...)- and this makes the rendering of OOF area... (and yep I know that this one is pre-WWII Zeiss one).
Best and hope You like this highly creative one, JR

Hi Reps, I remember you from the Casio forum. My version of Jupiter9 does not have the coating. Mine is the old one. And here is the picture that I borrow from my friend igowerf (James)

I did try to convert my Jupiter 9 to a permanent K mount but without success. The drilled hole on the lens base is right a the edge with the locking pin and hence not strong enough to hold the locking pin from the K body. I have a write up on how I convert another M42 lens to K mount here:

How to convert Pentax M42 to K mount lens - Hin's Tech Corner

Due to the stiffness of the focusing ring, I have resolved to use the genuine m42 adapter to work with my jupiter9 instead. I may try to drill another hole on the AF/MF switch location and see if two drilled holes on the lens base can secure the lens in place.

Thanks,
Hin

Last edited by hinman; 03-27-2008 at 02:27 PM.

hinman · 03-27-2008, 02:19 PM

Originally posted by stevebrot

Nice pictures!!

Where did James get his hood? My Jupiter-9 should be arriving any day from Russia and I think I will be needing a hood. I was interested to read your comments regarding the pre-set aperture. I am a bit concerned that I will miss some good shots while I am fumbling with the pre-set ring!

Steve

I don't quite know about the whereabout to get the lens hood. As for the pre-set aperture ring, don't worry too much about it. After one day of use, I have overcome the fumbling. Besides, I learn it from James that I always preset the lens aperture to roughly around f/4.0 to f/8.0. If your copy is the old version without coating, a lens hood is very much recommended to buy with the lens. I have another SuperTakumar 105mm f/2.8 that share similar lens hood on 49mm size and my lens hood ends up with a front cap of 58mm size

Thanks,
Hin

**Canada_Rockies** · 03-27-2008, 02:21 PM

Originally posted by stevebrot

Nice pictures!!

Where did James get his hood? My Jupiter-9 should be arriving any day from Russia and I think I will be needing a hood. I was interested to read your comments regarding the pre-set aperture. I am a bit concerned that I will miss some good shots while I am fumbling with the pre-set ring!

Steve

Set the click stop ring for the exposure you want or need. The left hand holds the lens with one finger on the "loose" ring, and opens and closes it with a quick flick of the finger. My left ring finger worked on my Takumars. The rest of it is just practicing so that you get into the habit of flicking the actual aperture closed against the preset just as you shoot, and immediately flick it back wide open. Focus, flick closed, snap shutter, flick open, and repeat.

hinman · 03-27-2008, 02:22 PM

Originally posted by Fritz

Those turned out great Hin.

Even though it's a little more work having to manually adjust the focus and aperature, the results speak for themselves!

Thanks for the kind words. I think the original poster in another thread on 'lens war with 77mm limited" does a much better job in taking photos with this lens. My pictures are way soft as I have some mistakes on my focusing.

Hin

hinman · 03-27-2008, 06:30 PM

Originally posted by Canada_Rockies

Set the click stop ring for the exposure you want or need. The left hand holds the lens with one finger on the "loose" ring, and opens and closes it with a quick flick of the finger. My left ring finger worked on my Takumars. The rest of it is just practicing so that you get into the habit of flicking the actual aperture closed against the preset just as you shoot, and immediately flick it back wide open. Focus, flick closed, snap shutter, flick open, and repeat.

Thanks for the explanation and techniques to use the lens. I have a photo of the lens with the hood on. The lens hood is on 49mm and a cover for the lens hood is either at 55mm or 58mm

The drilled hole doesn't secure the lens in place.
I failed in the 1st attempt, will try again with 2nd hole on AF/MF switch
How to convert Pentax M42 to K mount lens - Hin's Tech Corner

few more test shots

Steinback · 03-27-2008, 07:03 PM

Reading through this, I was trying to think of other ways to permenantly or semi-permenantly attach a K to M42 adaptor to a lens without machining. Do you know of anybody who has tried loctite (or a similar thread locking compound) on the lens threads? I've used both removable and permanent strength loctite on automotive projects, and both are simple to use and do a good job of holding threaded metal parts together. On the parts I've dealt with you can usually break the removable loctite's bond with a wrench, and you need to apply heat (usually with a torch) to break the permanently bonded parts loose from each other.

xixco · 03-27-2008, 07:57 PM

I thought about something similar, but then it occurred to me that something has to have a hole so that the lens locks into place on the camera body. That or you have to rig something to be able to get to the locking spring on the adapter while the lens is on it.

Steinback · 03-27-2008, 09:41 PM

Xixco, I see the problem with my suggestion now that you've pointed it out. I have an M42-K adaptor, but I haven't used it much - I bought it so that I could borrow lenses from my Dad when I'm at home and I don't actually have any M42 lenses with me right now to experiment on. I guess I'll take another look at the problem once I find a lens to play with, but I can't think of any way to avoid permanently modifying a lens right now either.

JJJPhoto · 03-28-2008, 04:14 AM

Yes, the Jupiter 9 is an amazing miracle of German engineering "acquired" by the Soviets during WWII and put to wonderful use.

This is one of those lenses that has such a distinct quality to the bokeh (in no small part to the 16-bladed aperture) that I can almost identify photos taken with this lens on sight.

Granted, it's not the world's most practical lens on a modern Pentax camera, but it's still a great piece of glass.

I don't use my Jupiter 9 as much now that I have the DA 70mm f/2.4 Limited. I also have a friend who can lend me a 77 Limited when I need it, but I find the 70 handles everything I used to use the Jupiter 9 for on a regular basis.

Here's a snapshot I took with my very old, early production Jupiter 9 a while back:

The only thing you have to watch out for with the Jupiter 9 lenses is that many have less-than stellar Soviet-era workmanship and most of the older lenses have failed at some point and either been disassembled and put back together or they're being sold on ebay while they're still broken.

My particular Jupiter 9 shows tell-tale common signs of amateur repair work (oily aperture blades and a reversed aperture dial). However, it still produces great photos and I paid next to nothing for it.

03-27-2008, 11:49 AM	#1
hinman Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Fremont, CA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,473	Jupiter9 85mm f/2.0 Test Shots I bought this a while ago from my good friend igowerf (James) and the lens is in pristine condition. I finally made a chance to test the lens. It is manual focus in M42 mount and it is not easy to use for me especially with my kids moving, the manual focus get me in trouble with focusing problems. But the lens seems to go softer in wide open aperture but the color and bokeh seems pleasant. Jupiter9 85mm f/2.0 Test Shots - Hin's Tech Corner All indoor test shots in f/2.0 and ISO 400 hand held f/2.0 in iso 200 f/? in iso 200 (likely f/4.0) f/? in iso 200 (likely f/8.0) A while ago, there is a thread on 'lens war with 77mm limited' and when I use the lens, I wish I have the AF but for the price of < $100, I can't complain. Thanks, Hin

03-27-2008, 01:34 PM	#6
Reps Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Tartu, Estonia Posts: 159	Hey Hin! Sorry You cropped You last shot on the left side (either in PP or framing)... Does Your copy have additional labels like "MS JUPITER-9" and "2/85" on it- if so this is IMHO a coated version (and somehow better than recent RU ones :-) This was my 3rd copy of all variations and I converted it to permanent K-mount via fixed adapter. Very funny and capable lens for me! It seems that I have no uploaded pics with it but about 50% of my framed ones are with it- film or digital and I must say that I am an addict of high blade count lenses (Jupiter has at least 15...)- and this makes the rendering of OOF area... (and yep I know that this one is pre-WWII Zeiss one). Best and hope You like this highly creative one, JR

03-27-2008, 02:19 PM	#8
hinman Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Fremont, CA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,473 Original Poster	Originally posted by stevebrot Nice pictures!! Where did James get his hood? My Jupiter-9 should be arriving any day from Russia and I think I will be needing a hood. I was interested to read your comments regarding the pre-set aperture. I am a bit concerned that I will miss some good shots while I am fumbling with the pre-set ring! Steve I don't quite know about the whereabout to get the lens hood. As for the pre-set aperture ring, don't worry too much about it. After one day of use, I have overcome the fumbling. Besides, I learn it from James that I always preset the lens aperture to roughly around f/4.0 to f/8.0. If your copy is the old version without coating, a lens hood is very much recommended to buy with the lens. I have another SuperTakumar 105mm f/2.8 that share similar lens hood on 49mm size and my lens hood ends up with a front cap of 58mm size Thanks, Hin Last edited by hinman; 03-27-2008 at 06:13 PM.

03-27-2008, 06:30 PM	#11
hinman Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Fremont, CA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,473 Original Poster	Originally posted by Canada_Rockies Set the click stop ring for the exposure you want or need. The left hand holds the lens with one finger on the "loose" ring, and opens and closes it with a quick flick of the finger. My left ring finger worked on my Takumars. The rest of it is just practicing so that you get into the habit of flicking the actual aperture closed against the preset just as you shoot, and immediately flick it back wide open. Focus, flick closed, snap shutter, flick open, and repeat. Thanks for the explanation and techniques to use the lens. I have a photo of the lens with the hood on. The lens hood is on 49mm and a cover for the lens hood is either at 55mm or 58mm The drilled hole doesn't secure the lens in place. I failed in the 1st attempt, will try again with 2nd hole on AF/MF switch How to convert Pentax M42 to K mount lens - Hin's Tech Corner few more test shots Last edited by hinman; 03-27-2008 at 06:39 PM.

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03-27-2008, 11:57 AM	#2
k100d Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Toronto Posts: 3,911	nice photos hinman! i've learned a lot reading the various articles from your blog this lens seems like nice budget alternative to the 77 or *85 but i remember reading that the use of this lens is different from any other lens, but not sure why?? anyone know if this lens is available in K-mount and what price new?

03-27-2008, 12:20 PM	#3
hinman Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Fremont, CA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,473 Original Poster	Originally posted by k100d nice photos hinman! i've learned a lot reading the various articles from your blog this lens seems like nice budget alternative to the 77 or *85 but i remember reading that the use of this lens is different from any other lens, but not sure why?? anyone know if this lens is available in K-mount and what price new? Thanks for the comments. There are few reasons that the lens are difficult to use. The aperture ring is in the very front of the lens and one has to look at the ring in order to know what aperture to turn to. And there is another ring next to the aperture ring that allows one to stop down manually. And the setup requires to turn the extra ring to wide open aperture in order change the aperture, making it awkward in changing apertures. But once I used it a few times, I manage to get over the cumbersome feeling and get to like the lens for what it is. I am running low budget for gear and I have bigger stamina for annoyance. And the focusing is a bit stiff on my copy of the lens and focusing is prone to turn the lens loose from the screw mount adapter -- that is something I am yet to overcome. Though the few negatives, my overall impressions has been positive. On previous thread on lens war with 77mm limited, there is link to get new copy for about $120 and the latest has the coating that will work better with flare. As far as I know, even the new one is in M42 mount. James has sold me the lens with a matching len hood and the darn thing looks so cool together like a machine gun in disguise, very well built. aperture ring and stop down ring in front Thanks, Hin

03-27-2008, 12:41 PM	#4
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Nice pictures!! Where did James get his hood? My Jupiter-9 should be arriving any day from Russia and I think I will be needing a hood. I was interested to read your comments regarding the pre-set aperture. I am a bit concerned that I will miss some good shots while I am fumbling with the pre-set ring! Steve

03-27-2008, 01:22 PM	#5
Fritz Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Tillamook, OR Posts: 1,222	Those turned out great Hin. Even though it's a little more work having to manually adjust the focus and aperature, the results speak for themselves!

03-27-2008, 02:14 PM	#7
hinman Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Fremont, CA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,473 Original Poster	Originally posted by Reps Sorry You cropped You last shot on the left side (either in PP or framing)... Does Your copy have additional labels like "MS JUPITER-9" and "2/85" on it- if so this is IMHO a coated version (and somehow better than recent RU ones :-) This was my 3rd copy of all variations and I converted it to permanent K-mount via fixed adapter. Very funny and capable lens for me! It seems that I have no uploaded pics with it but about 50% of my framed ones are with it- film or digital and I must say that I am an addict of high blade count lenses (Jupiter has at least 15...)- and this makes the rendering of OOF area... (and yep I know that this one is pre-WWII Zeiss one). Best and hope You like this highly creative one, JR Hi Reps, I remember you from the Casio forum. My version of Jupiter9 does not have the coating. Mine is the old one. And here is the picture that I borrow from my friend igowerf (James) I did try to convert my Jupiter 9 to a permanent K mount but without success. The drilled hole on the lens base is right a the edge with the locking pin and hence not strong enough to hold the locking pin from the K body. I have a write up on how I convert another M42 lens to K mount here: How to convert Pentax M42 to K mount lens - Hin's Tech Corner Due to the stiffness of the focusing ring, I have resolved to use the genuine m42 adapter to work with my jupiter9 instead. I may try to drill another hole on the AF/MF switch location and see if two drilled holes on the lens base can secure the lens in place. Thanks, Hin Last edited by hinman; 03-27-2008 at 02:27 PM.

03-27-2008, 02:21 PM	#9
Canada_Rockies Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Sparwood, BC, Canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,385	Originally posted by stevebrot Nice pictures!! Where did James get his hood? My Jupiter-9 should be arriving any day from Russia and I think I will be needing a hood. I was interested to read your comments regarding the pre-set aperture. I am a bit concerned that I will miss some good shots while I am fumbling with the pre-set ring! Steve Set the click stop ring for the exposure you want or need. The left hand holds the lens with one finger on the "loose" ring, and opens and closes it with a quick flick of the finger. My left ring finger worked on my Takumars. The rest of it is just practicing so that you get into the habit of flicking the actual aperture closed against the preset just as you shoot, and immediately flick it back wide open. Focus, flick closed, snap shutter, flick open, and repeat.

03-27-2008, 02:22 PM	#10
hinman Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Fremont, CA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,473 Original Poster	Originally posted by Fritz Those turned out great Hin. Even though it's a little more work having to manually adjust the focus and aperature, the results speak for themselves! Thanks for the kind words. I think the original poster in another thread on 'lens war with 77mm limited" does a much better job in taking photos with this lens. My pictures are way soft as I have some mistakes on my focusing. Hin

03-27-2008, 07:03 PM	#12
Steinback Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: GTA, ON, Canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,673	Reading through this, I was trying to think of other ways to permenantly or semi-permenantly attach a K to M42 adaptor to a lens without machining. Do you know of anybody who has tried loctite (or a similar thread locking compound) on the lens threads? I've used both removable and permanent strength loctite on automotive projects, and both are simple to use and do a good job of holding threaded metal parts together. On the parts I've dealt with you can usually break the removable loctite's bond with a wrench, and you need to apply heat (usually with a torch) to break the permanently bonded parts loose from each other.

03-27-2008, 07:57 PM	#13
xixco Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Fort Worth, TX Photos: Gallery Posts: 78	I thought about something similar, but then it occurred to me that something has to have a hole so that the lens locks into place on the camera body. That or you have to rig something to be able to get to the locking spring on the adapter while the lens is on it.

03-27-2008, 09:41 PM	#14
Steinback Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: GTA, ON, Canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,673	Xixco, I see the problem with my suggestion now that you've pointed it out. I have an M42-K adaptor, but I haven't used it much - I bought it so that I could borrow lenses from my Dad when I'm at home and I don't actually have any M42 lenses with me right now to experiment on. I guess I'll take another look at the problem once I find a lens to play with, but I can't think of any way to avoid permanently modifying a lens right now either.

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03-28-2008, 04:14 AM	#15
JJJPhoto Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 419	Yes, the Jupiter 9 is an amazing miracle of German engineering "acquired" by the Soviets during WWII and put to wonderful use. This is one of those lenses that has such a distinct quality to the bokeh (in no small part to the 16-bladed aperture) that I can almost identify photos taken with this lens on sight. Granted, it's not the world's most practical lens on a modern Pentax camera, but it's still a great piece of glass. I don't use my Jupiter 9 as much now that I have the DA 70mm f/2.4 Limited. I also have a friend who can lend me a 77 Limited when I need it, but I find the 70 handles everything I used to use the Jupiter 9 for on a regular basis. Here's a snapshot I took with my very old, early production Jupiter 9 a while back: The only thing you have to watch out for with the Jupiter 9 lenses is that many have less-than stellar Soviet-era workmanship and most of the older lenses have failed at some point and either been disassembled and put back together or they're being sold on ebay while they're still broken. My particular Jupiter 9 shows tell-tale common signs of amateur repair work (oily aperture blades and a reversed aperture dial). However, it still produces great photos and I paid next to nothing for it.