Introducing ” The Fat Boy “

My love for vintage lenses grows everytime I use them. Always surprised with the results they produce. In an article about lenses, the following statement was made, Lenses from the 1950’s and later can all produce sharp photos , it is all to the skills of who is using them. And indeed how more I use them, I have to agree with this statement.

So let me introduce you to” The Fat Boy”, or the Jupiter 11 a 135mm f4.0 Russian lens.

A Russian copy of another Zeiss lens. In this case the Carl Zeiss Sonnar 135mm f4.0. There are a few variations of this lens, you have the M42 mount what is a sleak tall lens. Mine is made for the M39 mount and was native on a Zenit camera. A small ring converts it to M42 and from there I use a adapter to fit it on m Fuji.

Technical it has 4 elements in 3 groups,  15 rounded apertureblades that turn very smoothly no clicks. The focus ring turn 170° what means you can focus very specific.

My copy is from 1969 the first 2 numbers of the serial gives you the manufacturing date. If yoy have an early copy and you are lucky, than you have real Carl Zeiss glass. The aluminium body of mine is not pristine, it is a magnet for damage. 135mm is a lenght that I like to use and this one I find pretty artistic.

So lets see some results from this Fat Boy.