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Strange Jupiter-11
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 23, 2014 8:19 am    Post subject: Strange Jupiter-11 Reply with quote

Hello everybody,

I recently acquired this Jupiter-11, which look quite unusual.

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I can't really understand why this lens exist.

According to name plate, this lens was made in 1958.
Mount is (without adapter) M42, whereas body is the one for zorki (L39). The thing is that in 1958, zenit still were in M39 mount, as far as I know, the first Zenit E with M42 mount was released in 1965.
The paint is black, whereas first black paints were in the end of 60's.

I tested it, the focal flange is really like M42, so it has been modified.
Also this 2 rings make me feel it was an attempt to integrate in this RF lens a preset system. The thing is it doesn't seems to work (or I didn't find yet how it works). The ring where are written the numbers is moving freely, whereas the ring under this one is setting the diaphragm. The numbers on the ring are "inverted", like on the H-44 preset system.
Also the hood fit perfectly to the lens (same paint, etc...).
The paint is (looks) the same on the whole lens, exepted the ring were are written diaphragm numbers.

Naturely, my first thought was it was modified (painted in black, focal flange changed, added this new diaphragm thing and hood), but I think it's a lot of work for cheap lens.
The other variant would have been that it was an attempt by factory to create an M42 Jupiter-11.

I don't have other Jupiter-11 here to compare with.

Any ideas about this lens?


PostPosted: Sat Aug 23, 2014 8:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wierd indeed.

I would guess that someone put it together from a bunch of parts, but from where the parts came I don't know. It might be some sort of factory prototype, who knows, but certainly an oddity.


PostPosted: Sat Aug 23, 2014 8:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Maybe modified by owner who had gone to M42 system ?

Congrats for your new find, Pierre.
I hope everything's okay for you in Odessa. Smile


PostPosted: Sat Aug 23, 2014 8:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If a single man did this modification, I must say that he has talent Smile

In Odessa, everything is ok, we are still some kilometers away from the problems. Smile


PostPosted: Sat Aug 23, 2014 8:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://www.sovietcams.com/index.php?173991321
Looks like the last one, but shortned, and with an SLR version front end that's been modified.


PostPosted: Sat Aug 23, 2014 8:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lightshow wrote:
http://www.sovietcams.com/index.php?173991321
Looks like the last one, but with an SLR version front end that's been modified.


Yes, and also, my one is supposed to be from 1958, whereas black later version started from 1968.


PostPosted: Sat Aug 23, 2014 12:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nice find!


PostPosted: Sat Aug 23, 2014 8:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

There is a chance that this copy is actually an OKS, a very famous, professional line of Russian movie camera lens line, copy of the J-11 converted to a M42 model. I have repaired a few of OKS J-11 and one of them look very much like yours. However, as far as I know, OKS lens line started late 60`s so in this case this lens would not have been made in 1958.

My guess would be, that it is actually a DIY copy of and early M39, silver version. I have come across some magnificent DIY pieces that had better finish than some of the factory made items, so I would not surprise me if yours would have been made by someone in a metal work shop, with high grade machines and a lot of time to spare Smile.


PostPosted: Sun Aug 24, 2014 5:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for your comment Drack.
Yes, I see what you mean by Jupiter-11 OKS. I guess this one, for exemple, is an exemple of a conversion to M42. Do you know if coating was different than normal J-11? That could help me to figure out if my one is one of them.

There is one or two bubbles in my J-11, that make me think that this lens is really from 1958 (I have never seen bubble in late years, only in the П years...), so nameplate have not been changed.


PostPosted: Sun Aug 24, 2014 10:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have a bubble in my Helios-44 M made in 1977 (original lens which came with my first reflex camera, a Zenith EM Moshva-80).


PostPosted: Sun Aug 24, 2014 3:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have seen air bubbles in lenses made in the 80`s, so this is not something I`d use to base the year of production.
Going back to the OKS lenses, mos of them had violet/pink`ish coating, not similar to your yellow coating. I know for a fact, that most OKS lenses had, violet/pink, green, blue or red coating, but not yellow. At least not that rich.


PostPosted: Tue Aug 26, 2014 3:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for infos!

Some news about this lens.

There is definitly a preset inside, but looks like another owner "desactivated" it, by removing the blocker and the ball.

Here is a video of this part of the lens : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMmomFOqNCA&feature=youtu.be

I disassembled the entier lens after this video, didn't find anything special, the back part is rimmed to low, so no way to see if there is the "made in USSR" like on the later black version. Looks like the front part (optical part) is from silver one.

So, looks like I have to find a ball and some kind of screw in order to make it work...


PostPosted: Tue Aug 26, 2014 6:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Good work Pierre and good luck for further trials.


PostPosted: Tue Aug 26, 2014 7:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
Wierd indeed.

I would guess that someone put it together from a bunch of parts, but from where the parts came I don't know. It might be some sort of factory prototype, who knows, but certainly an oddity.

+1


PostPosted: Tue Aug 26, 2014 8:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

For the ball destroy a bic pen and use the ball from the writing bit


PostPosted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 8:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

eddieitman wrote:
For the ball destroy a bic pen and use the ball from the writing bit

Shocked Very nice trick ! Smile


PostPosted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 2:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I tried to use a ball from soviet zoom Granit-11M (80-200) diaphragm ring, but the ball is too small, you can barely feel it when you turn the ring on the Jupiter-11. So I guess a ball from a bic will be way to small, but thanks for the trick, can be helpfull in other situation Smile . I guess I'll have to wait to be back to France to make it work (I have lot of part there).
But I managed to make a blocker for the preset, it works well.


PostPosted: Sat Aug 30, 2014 1:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Now I`m certain it`s a DIY lens Smile. Avery nice one too Smile.