Zorki-3, J-8, and J-12 Retest

[PFMcFarland]

I gave this camera one more chance to show what it can do, and to try and determine where the light leaks are coming from.

I’ll have to put some seals in the film door channels, and I put some blacking on the edges of the rear lens elements where it looked to be worn off. I don’t care for the way the J-12 drags on the rangefinder follower cam arm. And I’ll never get the vertical setting on the rangefinder to be right. But I like the fact I now have slow speeds on an FSU camera, so I can live with all the other stuff. Well, at least once a year for International Commie Camera Day.

Three different days to shoot the roll of Ilford HP5 Plus 400, and a lens change in the middle of the roll (so I could determine which lens did what) gave me enough information to go on as to whether the camera was worth using. It will do in a pinch.

With the Jupiter-8 50/2

The J-8 performance is okay.

Entanglement by P F McFarland, on Flickr


The focus is good.

Maybe Someday by P F McFarland, on Flickr


If I ever learn how to judge exposure in the winter…

Roadside Ruins by P F McFarland, on Flickr


Faults include:Light leaks, underexposure, and a dragging first curtain.

Fixing A Leak by P F McFarland, on Flickr


With the J-12 35/2.8

Close on the exposure

Buckingham Branch Railroad Bridge over the James River by P F McFarland, on Flickr


A little back lighting

Buckingham Branch RR Trestle at US-15 2 by P F McFarland, on Flickr


A fine ruin

Empty Service Bays by P F McFarland, on Flickr

See all the rest at https://flic.kr/s/aHskSSUa6Y

PF

[GrahamS]

Phil, the Z3 and the J8 go together fine, but the J12 was designed for the Kiev 4 / Contax II and will always be unhappy in M39 mount. The machining of the RF cams never seems to be quite right.

[PFMcFarland]

Phil, the Z3 and the J8 go together fine, but the J12 was designed for the Kiev 4 / Contax II and will always be unhappy in M39 mount. The machining of the RF cams never seems to be quite right.

I was thinking of trying the Zorki next with my W-Nikkor 3.5/3.5 LTM.

PF

[Julio1fer]

These lenses look good, nice sharpness and contrast. Maybe you should just use them in another M39 body.

I have the J-12 both in Kiev and M39 mount. Both are good, although the Kiev one performs better in my examples.

That old cabin next to the tracks is a great subject.

[Santiago Montenegro]

Hmm, I think I am going to take my J12 out of storage.

[PFMcFarland]

These lenses look good, nice sharpness and contrast. Maybe you should just use them in another M39 body.

I might try it on the Canon P.

PF