The Jupiter-21A lens is a legend of the Soviet lens industry. For my review, I got a slightly shabby, but quite functional version of Jupiter-21A 4/200.
Specifications:
A type: four-lens anastigmat, 4 lenses in 3 groups
Focal length: 200 mm
Aperture: F4.0-F22.0
Close Focus Limit: 1,7m
Front Filter Diameter: 58mm
The weight: November 740, XNUMX

Jupiter-21A front view
Lens Jupiter-21A produced by the Krasnogorsk plant. Lens Jupiter-21M made at the Vologda Optical and Mechanical Plant. The differences were that Jupiter-21M had an automatic aperture and, due to the added construct, gave out a picture a little worse. It is believed that Jupiter-21A is one of the most successful lenses of the times of the USSR and one of the best Soviet TV sets. The lens was released in small quantities and it is quite rare nowadays to find it. Today Jupiter-21A is a real functional rarity.

Jupiter-21A in the modern camera
Maximum Aperture F / 4.0 at 200mm focal length gives a huge field for photo creativity. We get a telephoto lens with a rather large relative aperture for such a focal length. It is a pity that manufacturers of modern photographic equipment do not produce such lenses with parameters F / 4, 200mm. According to rumors, Jupiter-21A in aberration is better than many Japanese counterparts, such as Nikon 200mm f / 4 NIKKOR-Q Non-AI. In any case, Jupiter-21A has quite outstanding parameters.

Sample photos on Jupiter-21A 200mm F4.0
There are also Jupiter-21A lenses with multilayer enlightenment, but they are even less common than usual and I have never met them. If someone has information about the MS version of Jupiter-21, add it to the comments on this review. The lens is present wonderful lens hood which does not stagger after protruding. The hood is quite long, built-in, which allows you to always take it with you.

Sample photos on Jupiter-21A 200mm F4.0
Also, the lens has a replaceable shank, which allows you to easily install the lens on different systems, read more in my article - Soviet optics. On the lens you can find the depth of field scale and the focus distance scale. It should be noted that the device aperture has no fixed values (that is, you can set any intermediate value from f / 4 to f / 22), but it goes smoothly, just like its brother, Jupiter-37A. This is an indispensable feature for video shooting. Due to the lack of autofocus, the lens is convenient to use for portraits and shooting not very distant objects. 10 aperture diaphragm Jupiter-21A allows you to create smooth bokeh circles in the blur zone.

Jupiter-21A general view without an elongated hood
The picture quality is just perfect starting with F4.0. I closed the diaphragm very rarely. At 4.0, the lens is sharp enough and at the same time plastic to create perfect portraits. Long focal lengths perfectly blur the background. The lens really has excellent bokeh. This is due to its Sonnar type circuitry. His younger brother is the well-known Jupiter-37A, which has a 135mm focal length and maximum aperture of F3.5 with the same Sonnar pattern. The lens has a slightly yellow tint in the picture, but the automation of modern cameras easily copes with this.

Jupiter-21A general view on the camera
How to use with modern cameras?
'A' lenses with an interchangeable shank, such as the one in this review, are very easy to use on almost any modern digital camera (both DSLR and mirrorless), just select correct adapter. The replacement 'A' shank usually has an external M42 thread and an 'H' mount (similar to Nikon F). For use on modern cameras, the easiest way is to add the required adapter from M42 to the desired system or from Nikon F to the desired system to this shank.
Sample photos on Jupiter-21A
To say more about Jupiter-21A heavy, but he does not break out the camera mount. Its weight will reduce artifacts from hand shake.

Sample photo on Jupiter-21A
If you are interested in this lens or any other Soviet optics - you can buy Jupiter-21A and much more by contacting the contacts from the manual optics section.

Sample photos on Jupiter-21A
Catalog modern brand lenses 'Zenitar' и 'Helios' can look at this link.
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Conclusion:
Jupiter-21A 4/200 rare fixed telephoto with outstanding parameters and excellent picture, which can easily compete with modern high-aperture telephoto lenses. The lens has a younger brother - Jupiter 21M 4/200.
Material prepared Arkady Shapoval.
Zabombil normally pictures! ++
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Tell me, please, how sharp is it compared to the Nikon 70-300 / 4,5-5,6 VR on the same RF?
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Yes, by and large, almost as sharp. Closing up to an equal diaphragm with 70-300, maybe even a cut. But Jupiter also has f 4, which 70-300 does not have on any focal. A huge plus, in my opinion. On the other hand, Jupiter will only go when you know for sure that you need exactly 200mm, and from 70-300 you can report a lot.
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Understood thanks. I'm not for reportage. To shoot a reportage by a manual operator is cruel. Although at one time people filmed ...
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I don’t know whether this refers to the shortcomings of Jupiter 21M or not, but you will still need to buy an adapter for a modern camera. Old lenses were screwed on the thread and did not have a lock. Therefore, take another 200-400 rubles from the budget and buy an M42 eos adapter if I don’t know for Canon, for Nikon another.
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In general, for a long time I chased 21a, and then for a long time persuaded the seller to drop the price tag to an adequate $ 150, but the seller bent his own. In the end, I tried several 21m and was pleasantly surprised, only after trying it on I realized that deep down in my heart I was embarrassed about the first one, and it was, without exaggeration, an eagle's sharpness. I would say that u21 is an “adopted son”, or a hypertrophied twin brother of Tair 11a, they give out an equally perfect picture. Well, I'm back to 21 meters, it was the emka that retained that “Jupiter” softness and the characteristic Zonar pattern inherent in the entire line, while it is quite sharp with an open one. So, these are completely different lenses in essence, and ideally you can have both, the first will be with a reference sharpness and color rendering, the second with a characteristic pattern and softness.
Photo from crop 2,0 at 21m
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Thanks for the review. If there is a choice, which is 200 mm preferable: Jupiter-21A or Tele-N? It is clear that the latter has a bayonet mount on Nikon, but in terms of pictures?
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Jupiter-21A has a replaceable shank, you can find and put on Nikon. But finding it (the lens) is difficult, the M version is easier to find, but you need to cut it.
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Still: Jupiter or Telear?
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Jupiter
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Selling a new photographic lens in a package with a passport - "Jupiter-21M." 1996 release - Vologda Optical and Mechanical Plant. lotos63-63@mfil.ru
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21A, ideally, for three hundred (and not a cent less) I can give, only in Ukraine, it produces a very tasty picture, ideal for full-frame Sonya with a sensor stub.
https://vk.com/alexander_jozh
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And then, Ostap suffered! ... :-)
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Well, it’s really cheaper to give it away, firstly it’s worth the result; secondly it’s very rare.
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I have an Jupiter 21A lens which needs reassembling - any instructions / manual / guide / diagrams would be helpful - or where can I get informations from
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Hello!
There are some links with instructions from one great man who cares about lens:
https://nesovet.livejournal.com/344395.html
https://nesovet.livejournal.com/421064.html
https://nesovet.livejournal.com/500824.html
Some time ago he worked at lens production and he knew what he was doing with it.
Good luck;)
PS As i know he can take lens by post and repair it if you want, 5 years ago i gave him my tamron 17-50 and that was good.
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Hello!
I dont know can I post links here ori cant, but you can check posts from “nesovet” livejournal. He repairs many kinds of lens and there is at least 3 posts about Jupiter-21;)
Good luck
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Thanks Oleg
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What are the advantages of such a lens over Helios 44-3? I don’t understand much, therefore the question is
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Well, for example: 200 mm of focal length versus 58. That is, you can take larger pictures of distant objects. Just not for everyone it's a holiday). You can also put Jupiter on Nikon while maintaining the tip to infinity using the adapter KP-A \ N, unlike Helios, etc., etc.
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Jupiter 21 M. Loves the light, then the picture will be beautiful.
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About * Active to get to the Nikona 5200?
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Yes
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I have a Sony a6500 UPC and Jupiter 21m, respectively, I need an M42-Nex adapter, I ordered a long adapter for Helios, but is it suitable for Jupiter? Because Jupiter is so long, but with an adapter on the bzk camera it will be something at all))
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Yes. It will be something. But the telephoto will give an interesting picture.
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Good day. Thank you for the article. I have Yu 37A. Question: who has the best picture, 37A or 21A?
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