Jupiter-3 red P, 

silver lens for rangefinder camera

50 mm, f/1.5, Contax (Kiev) mount, s/n 6312279, 

Zagorsky optical-mechanical plant (ZOMZ), Zagorsk, USSR, 1963

with original rear cap

Good condition. Lens is clear and clean, does not have any fungus. Inside there are microspecks of microdust. Front glass has small, but very numerous cleaning microscratches (in other words, there are a lot of them). Body has signs of age. Aperture ring rotates easily and properly. Aperture blades are free of oil. Filter carving has a small dent near letter "P".

Camera "Kiev" is not included and shown as an example of mount.

This is a normal lens with ultra-high lens speed and anti-reflection coating for rangefinders. Lens was default for cameras "Kiev", "Zorki", "Leningrad". 

Lens was copy of "Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar" 1.5/50, which was designed by Ludwig Bertele in 1932. After the II World War technology, materials, equpiment of "Schott" company, optical glass and spare parts were moved to USSR as reparations. Firstly lens was produced out of original lens-blocks and had name "Sonnar Krasnogorsky", "ZK" (Sonnar from Krasnogorsk). Such lenses are of high value.

In 1954 when stocks of original German optical glass ran out, lens was recalculated for Soviet optical glass by Prof. Mikhail Maltsev. Also body and focus ring were a bit changed. Since 1955 it was produced of Soviet optical glass with the name "Jupiter-3". 

Lens was produced in 1948-1986 at KMZ (Krasnogorsk, in 1948-1956), ZOMZ (Zagorsk, 1956-1977), "Jupiter" plant (Valdai, 1977-1988) with two possible mounts: M39 (Leica screw-mount) and Contax RF mount (for "Kiev" rangefinders). Offered lens was produced in 1963 at ZOMZ with Contax mount.

State optical institute (GOI, Leningrad) produced experimental "Jupiter-3" for experimental cameras.

Like original Sonnar it has 13 aperture blades which form ideally round hole, aperture is changed fluently (not discrete). Lens creates a recognizable beautiful supple picture with enough contrast. Bokeh is absolutely fantastic.

Lens has drawbacks: it has spherical aberrations at F/1.5, colour reproduction tends to yellow-green, resolving power is decreasing greatly at the edge of the lens.     

In 2013 KMZ designed new version of this lens, in 2014 produced experimental lenses, since 2016 produces serial lenses under the name "New Jupiter-3+". It is like the original lens, but minimal distance of focusing is 0.7 meters, lens got multi-layered anti-reflection coating.

 Characteristics: 

Lens s/number - 6312279

Number of lenses - 7 in three groups, Sonnar

Angle of view - 44.5o 

Number of aperture blades - 13

Limit of aperturing - 1:1.5 (max), 1:22 (min)

Resolving power - (centre/edge) 30/14 lines/mm

Minimal distance of focusing - 1 m

Type of thread - Contax RF (Kiev) mount

Type of filter thread - 40.5x0.5 mm

Dimensions (mm): 43*47*47

Real focal distance - 52,54 mm.

Mass - 135 g (143 g with cap)

One-layered anti-reflection coating

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