[Leica] Re: 85mm f2 Jupiter

["Doug Richardson" <doug@meditor.demon.co.uk>]

 "William Gower" <wgower@eco-tec.com> wrote:

>Who on the list is using one of those 85mm f2 Jupiter’s ?
>I know a 5 year old Roquefort would be sharper, but that's not my
primary concern.
>I have a few questions:

Mine is a black-paint version made in the early 1970s. Stopped down,
it's as sharp as any of my other Leitz-era lenses, but when used at
full aperture is has a Summar-like softness. (That's not as damning as
it sounds, since my Summar still has a front element in good
condition.) Mechanically it seems well-built, though there is a lot of
oil on the diaphragm blades. The aperture ring has no click stops but
feels as smooth as that on older Leitz lenses which lack click stops,
and has a smoother mechanical feel than the aperture ring on my 28mm
Elmarit-M.

The focus control is stiff, but than may be due to deteroration of the
original Soviet-era lubricant. I'm going to get this lens re-lubed,
and checked on an optical bench.

Other LUGers have been less lucky with the 85mm Jupiter, though. This
suggests that quality control was poor.

Filter size is 49mm screw-in; front cap size is 52mm.

Regards,

Doug Richardson