Jupiter-9 contax and other vintage soviet lens

[Avalon]

I have found at home lots of old film photography equipment inherited from grandfather who was photographer. There is many lens and other photography/filming equipment, as well UV-C quartz lamps. Among them most interesting and known was Jupiter-9 f/2.0 contax type mount lens which I want to use with Sony A3000 camera.

 

Someone has posted here that vintage lens are better for ultraviolet photography, that’s probably due to lack of optical lens cement and AR coatings that absorb UV. Front element seems to have bluish antireflective coating probably of sapphire and internal elements violet coatings. I tested Jupiter lens elements with 365nm as well 395nm LED’s and transmission is excellent except for one element that exhibits greenish fluorescence due to optical cement aging.

 

Does anybody know if lens can separated by dissolving or degrading cement? I could clean surface and cement lens again using UV curing resin glue that has also good UV transmission or maybe even leave unglued. So that got me thinking why not use them instead of expensive quartz lens to do photography mostly in 365nm spectrum since they have f/2.0 aperture that can even be further increased by speed booster lens.

 

There are just problems of finding adapters to attach lens to Sony E. mount, as well as finding right speed booster lens and autofocus adapter. I there are many autofocus adapters including speed booster lens but problem is that adding multiple adapters can increase lens distance from sensor so much image might be out of focus.

 

Here are some photos:

 

https://drive.google...eLgYQiTHp4LTipJ

 

https://drive.google...lO2ElwzTVfgmfVu

 

https://drive.google...Nz0yb2h-uNfnt0P

 

https://drive.google..._qoJ2gE9csAK-_X

[nfoto]

Once in a while there are Nikkor-S rangefinder to Sony E adapters coming up on eBay. The Contax mount would fit such an adapter I believe.

 

(I do have a few of these myself, including an extremely nice adapter of Brasilian origin, with inner and outer bayonet mount in the front, plus built-in focusing helicoid. Perfect for the 50 mm normals of the time that relied on the internal focusing of the camera. All other lenses used the external bayonet).

[Herman1705]

... Among them most interesting and known was Jupiter-9 f/2.0 contax type mount lens which I want to use with Sony A3000 camera.

...

 

K&F Concept sells adapters for Contax / Yashica to Sony NEX. I have some of their adapters to mount M42, M39 and Nikon on my A6000.

[OlDoinyo]

Your camera is an A-mount Sony, I believe, which means that you may need an adapter such as this one:

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Contax-Kiev-rangefinder-lens-to-Sony-a6000-a5000-a3500-a3000-Alpha-A7-A7-Adapter/321393827270?hash=item4ad4909dc6:g:PYgAAOxy1VlRESry:rk:13:pf:0

 

I assume you are dealing with RF-mount Contax lenses, and not one of the others.

[Andrea B.]

Someone has posted here that vintage lens are better for ultraviolet photography

 

We look for simple construction such as 3 elements or 4 elements in 3 groups. These are typically f/3.5 with 35mm being the usual focal length. And we look for uncoated elements. But there are a surprising number of UV capable lenses which do not fit that 35/3.5 pattern. Check the Lens Sticky for more listings.

 

Your Jupiter-9 with its 85mm focal length was a portrait lens, according to what I've been reading this afternoon. So do try it for UV portraits, yes? Here is an interesting review which mentions a "glowing" look to photos made with this lens: http://stevenoakley....link.asp?id=615 There are some cool photos in that review made with the Jup-9. I really liked the bar scene and the street sceen.

 

That discussion mentions that the Jup-9 85/2.0 was made in several mounts: M39, M42, Kiev, LTM and Nikon. The Sony A3000 has a Sony E-mount (Nex). So you should be able to easily find adapters which permit focus at infinity -- except possibly if yours is a Kiev mount. I don't know a thing about Kiev or Kiev mounts, but I'm sure info is out there to be found.

 

The glass in a speed booster lens might block UV making it unusable for good UV photography.

 

It's hard to say whether the Jupiter-9 will prove to do well in reflected UV photography, but even if not, it still looks like a very interesting lens for visual work whether portraits or other scenes.

And it's cool that your grandfather's old lens will see new life on a digital camera. :D

 

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Added: I just read that the Kiev mount is a Contax RF as has been mentioned also by preceding posters. I wasn't paying attention!

 

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[enricosavazzi]

[...]

Does anybody know if lens can separated by dissolving or degrading cement? I could clean surface and cement lens again using UV curing resin glue that has also good UV transmission or maybe even leave unglued. So that got me thinking why not use them instead of expensive quartz lens to do photography mostly in 365nm spectrum since they have f/2.0 aperture that can even be further increased by speed booster lens.

[...]

If the elements are cemented with Canada balsam (which is the traditional lens cement but largely abandoned since approximately mid- to late-20th century), a number of organic solvents can be used. I have been successful with a mixture of methanol and isopropanol by leaving the cemented elements submerged for a few weeks in a closed jar.

 

As always with organic solvents, one must be careful to avoid skin exposure and breathing the vapors. Some alcohols (ethanol and isopropanol) are routinely used for external desinfection and have low toxicity but can dry the skin pretty badly, while others (including methanol and most aromatics) are very toxic.

[nfoto]

The Nikkor-S (RF) to Sony E/NEX adapter

 

https://www.ebay.co....qsAAOSwQiRUmjNr

 

should do pretty well with the Contax lens

[Avalon]

I'm thinking of getting M42 to Sony NEX adapter because it is also includes speed booster lens at low cost and make own adapter for Jupiter 9 lens using Kiev camera lens mount. I seen tutorials of homemade adapters to Sony made from Kiev camera mount but using M39 adapter. I will have to figure out way to connect adapter to mount anyway.

Through I may have to remove speed booster lens or replace it if it has bad UV transmission.

Also maybe anyone knows what lens hood I can use? Since there are no threads on Jupiter - 9 for lens hood I might have to improvise mounting. Sony sel1855 lens hood might actually fit well.

[Andy Perrin]

Yeah, I was about to ask if you knew the transmission of the speed booster. My Fotodiox M42-NEX adapter has worked well for years now, but it has no speed booster.

[Avalon]

Then I plan to order and test it. It costs only 4 dollars so I expect cheapest lens build what might be good because of simple design, but on other hand low quality glass might contain impurities blocking UV.

Just not sure if I will be able to connect well adapters and get correct focus.

[Andy Perrin]

Huh, well we'll see when it gets there I suppose.

[Avalon]

I received M42 adapter just to learn that it had no speed booster lens. And I can't get refund since I need to ship it back so I just cut it to make own adapter. I may have to adjust correct focal length and since ultraviolet spectrum has stronger refractive angle than visible spectrum I have to wait for filters to arrive. I tried making own speed booster lens but just ruined image with corner or barrel distortion. Anybody can advice speed booster lens that I could order separatelly? Also seem to have problem dissolving yellowed optical cement, pure turpentine as acetone still didn't dissolve it.

[Cadmium]

The glass in a speed booster may or may not block UV, just depends on the glass and coatings. If they use cheap glass and no coatings, then they probably will work best.

This is the case with cheap infinity focus converters, the ones I have transmit UV extremely well.

There is no way to know, you would need to test the individual item for UV transmission.

 

Solvent. It is like Enrico said, it can takes weeks, use a closed jar, like he said.

If you want the nasty stuff, not even sure they sell this stuff everywhere, but basically this is 'paint stripper', methylene chloride (dichloromethane),

it is dangerous, you can't smell it, and you definitely don't want to inhale it, it can cause all sorts of serious health problems.

If you use it, do it outside, etc....

Not sure how it works with Canadian balsam, but it is the best for the optical adhesives I have use.

You will usually need to soak it for days or weeks. The solvent has to work its way to the middle between the glass, that takes time.

Soak it and forget about it.

Acetone may (can) actually work, I don't know with your adhesive, but again, takes time.

[Avalon]

Looks like I wont be able to use speed booster lens but I can tune focus to allow focus infinite. Well I kept lens element for many weeks now submerged in acetone and cement wont let go. I scrapped edges from glue just so solvent would pass faster inside. Next I plan try using dimethylformamide which softens oil paints so acts as paint stripper. What about using concentrated lye solution, wont base damage optical elements?

Are you sure it's Canadian balsam not some synthetic resin?