Zorki-3, J-8, and J-12 Retest
Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2017 2:58 pm
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
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