Jupiter 8 (Russian: ЮПИТЕР-8) is a classic vintage Russian lens (rangefinder type) from the Soviet era but with German roots. It was produced by KMZ (Krasnogorsk Mechanical Works) and it is a copy of the prewar Carl Zeiss Sonnar design. Ludwig Bertele named it Sonnar in 1929 from the German word Sonne that means Sun.
General Specs:
Mount: Leica thread mount M39 and Contax RF mount
Focal length: 50mm - Aperture: F2 - F22
Filter size: 40.5mm
Minimum focusing distance: 100 cm
Optical design: 6 elements in 3 groups
Number of aperture blades: 9
The Jupiter 8 lens was first made for the new Kiev rangefinder in the Contax bayonet mount but later it was adapted to the Leica Thread Mount, M39. It is a compact, simple and lightweight construction. The lens was originally made with a polished aluminum barrel (silver finish), though some copies exist in stainless steel. From the 1970's, the lens was made in a black finish but the barrel was still made with aluminum.
The aperture ring is fast, click-less (there are some clicked versions) and smooth. Keep in mind though that there have been various build qualities of the same lens and one copy might vary greatly from the other. The Soviet quality control was not great so better check the lens first if you can. Usually, earlier versions of the lens seem to have a better build quality.
Sony a6000 and Jupiter 8 lens (M39 mount). An adapter M39 to NEX was used
The lens is not really sharp and contrasty. It also produces soft images. Although sharpness is not the main reason to buy a vintage lens, there are some vintage lenses that are razor sharp. But not the Jupiter 8. It can become sharper though in the center when stopped down. You can also fix contrast in post processing. What Jupiter 8 has to show is plenty of character. Images have a hazy and a soft look. In a way its something between Helios 44 and a Canon FD. Color rendering is also really nice with a retro - vintage style. You can also use this lens for black and white images.
Wide open the lens provides a nice and smooth bokeh and a dreamy look. Bokeh sometimes can be unpredictable in a good way but its not harsh. For portraiture the Jupiter 8 is also a good choice. To be honest i prefer vintage lenses for portraits than moderns but this is subjective. A modern sharp lens can reveal some details of the skin, like pores or blemishes and i do not really enjoy editing pictures in Adobe Lightroom or Gimp.
Cinematographers may also like this lens because the video coming out of the Jupiter 8 will look like a video from the old classic films.
The Jupiter 8 lens can produce a smooth bokeh and dreamy images
Pros:
- Its a very light lens and easy to carry with you
- The aperture ring is feather-light
- The lens has enough sharpness (for such an old lens) especially in the center. If you use it on a camera with a cropped sensor its even sharper
- The Bokeh is smooth - Non distracting blurred background - Nice separation from the main subject and some cool bokeh bubbles
- Beautiful color rendering
- It has a compact design and it can easily fit in your bag
- Many copies and versions of this lens were produced so it has a decent price. It is one of the most affordable vintage lenses
- The Jupiter 8 is good for portraits especially on cropped sensors
- The click-less aperture ring is very handy for cinematography
Cons:
- In many cases the Soviet quality control was poor - Various differences in build quality between each copy and model
- Some users may not like soft images
- Lack of contrast
- Jupiter 8, like all vintage lenses is sensitive to light and it can produce very soft images. It is also possible to produce lens flares so the use of a lens hood is advised. Some people actually may love those flares. There are vintage lenses that produce more impressive flares though
- You must enjoy and know how to use manual focus. The good news is that mirroless cameras have tools like focus peaking and focus magnifier that make manual focus an easy task
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