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Jupiter-11 for Zorki serial

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Printed on: 5/10/2026 1:09:59 PM


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Topic author: Moxies

Posted on: 20150622150707

Hello, it's been some time I have a Jupiter-11 for Zorki with weird serial number. Since here there is a lot of FED / Zorki specialist, I thought it could interest you, or at least maybe you know why my Jupiter-11 KOMZ have this serial number (914609)

https://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/4424/18405597.23/0_1084df_35a15c6c_L



All KOMZ Jupiter-11 (as far as I know) follow the 2 digit system. This obviously do not.
The optical bloc came with DIY body, which is not that interesting.

Replies

Reply author: Trazin

Replied on: 20150624075131

Hello Moxies !

I have seen once such number starting with 91 on a J-11 in a Moscow flee market. I asked to the seller, he had no idea why such a number just as I had... Sure, it is not from 1991...

Cyril

Reply author: Jacques M.

Replied on: 20150624150326


As for the s/n, I wonder... Are we sure that KOMZ had ceased making lenses at this date? It's just a question...

Jacques.

Reply author: Trazin

Replied on: 20150625045305

Hello everyone !

Maybe they didn't, but the J-11 produced in the 80's should already been black, isn't it?

By the way, I found another one on avito:

https://www.avito.ru/moskva/fototehnika/yupiter-11_m39_n917405_komz_595148954

It really looks like J-11 from the 60's.

Cyril

Reply author: xya

Replied on: 20150625061952

my silver version is from the 70s. obviously they introduced the black series but continued to produce silver ones as well. founded in 1940, fully working in 1941, maybe they made a 50th anniversary version (we have heard of this from other companies, havn't we?)? but I'm only guessing...

Reply author: Jacques M.

Replied on: 20150625085752

Another one, always chromed:
http://kiev5.s32.xrea.com/FIVE-LENS/1991jupiter-11.html
By the translation, it seems you have found a rare date, Pierre!

Jacques.

Reply author: Moxies

Replied on: 20150625094021

Thanks for answers!
But focale is written in cm, old style marking, I don't think it was made in 1991, since KOMZ started the mm marking in the end of 60's I think

Reply author: Jacques M.

Replied on: 20150625110738


Of course, you are right. This Jup 11 should have a focal in mm.
On the other hand, it should be stupid to fake such a lens with a low price.
So, a mistake? Or just an anniversary version, as moxies says?

Jacques.

Reply author: Moxies

Replied on: 20150625115950

I also doubt that it's fake, since this one is not the only one, there are at least 3 exemplars showed on this topic :)
Also if there is more than one, it shows that it was not a mistake in engraving the sn.

Also interesting to see that sn91 exist in Kiev and Zorki mount, so if it was special batch, it was not related to specific camera. (or the 2 lenses showed here don't have original mount)

Reply author: xalmaz

Replied on: 20150705101605

I hope all understand, these Jupiters-11 maded in 1959 year(digit 5 skipped, it normal for 50's). Letter Ï(P) vanished about 1962, transition 13.5cm to 135mm almost same time.

http://xalmaz.narod.ru

Reply author: Moxies

Replied on: 20150708032517

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="MS Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by xalmaz</i>
<br />I hope all understand, these Jupiters-11 maded in 1959 year(digit 5 skipped, it normal for 50's). Letter Ï(P) vanished about 1962, transition 13.5cm to 135mm almost same time.

http://xalmaz.narod.ru
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Hi! Thanks for answer. But why do you think 5 digit was normaly skipped in 50's? Please, take a look here : http://www.sovietcams.com/index.php?2125494681
I myself seen many Jupiter-11 with 2 first digit showing the year of production.

Reply author: xalmaz

Replied on: 20150711142658

Hello Moxies,
On zenitcamera.com(KMZ-related site, was) wrotted, it not my opinion or guess. For industar-22 collapsible it was norma, for Jupiter11(KOMZ) seems sometimes too. Your's - KOMZ-maded.

http://xalmaz.narod.ru

Reply author: Constantino Buteri

Replied on: 20151217081241

Hello , just wanted to say that I also have a Jupiter 11 with 6-digit serial beginning with 9 ! ( 912 063 ) . I think the best explanation is that it was manufactured in 1959 .

http://www.ussrphoto.com/resize/resize_image.aspx?ImgWd=800&IptFl=/UserContent/17122015_


http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/17122015_

Reply author: Lenny

Replied on: 20160118111522

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="MS Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Moxies</i>
<br />
Hi! Thanks for answer. But why do you think 5 digit was normaly skipped in 50's? Please, take a look here : http://www.sovietcams.com/index.php?2125494681
I myself seen many Jupiter-11 with 2 first digit showing the year of production.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Hi Moxies,

the example PT8220 on sovietcams is very close. We can be sure about the time period 1957-1961. In that period, especially in 1959, some cameras and lenses were made in China for the soviet market and those products got different serials. Maybe Zoom could tell more about that.

Reply author: Moxies

Replied on: 20160119021456

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="MS Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Lenny</i>
<br /><blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="MS Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Moxies</i>
<br />
Hi! Thanks for answer. But why do you think 5 digit was normaly skipped in 50's? Please, take a look here : http://www.sovietcams.com/index.php?2125494681
I myself seen many Jupiter-11 with 2 first digit showing the year of production.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Hi Moxies,

the example PT8220 on sovietcams is very close. We can be sure about the time period 1957-1961. In that period, especially in 1959, some cameras and lenses were made in China for the soviet market and those products got different serials. Maybe Zoom could tell more about that.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Hi Kenny,
Thanks for info. But it sounds strange that lenses made in China wear KOMZ logo.

Reply author: Moxies

Replied on: 20160119021637

Sorry, Lenny * smartphone autocorrection..

Reply author: Lenny

Replied on: 20160119045459

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="MS Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Moxies</i>
<br />
Hi Kenny,
Thanks for info. But it sounds strange that lenses made in China wear KOMZ logo.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Yes it seems so Moxies,
Russia delivered factories and Know-How to China and China paid with products for the soviet market. Also it can be said that these factories were kind of KMZ factories with KMZ standarts, only made from chinese workers. That these products got the KMZ logo is just normal, same like cars who are produced in China now get the original logo too, even they are not a chinese brand.
I have over 10 pieces which might be made in China in my collection, all KMZ products, cameras and lenses.
I can even imagine that some products which were made in China got the MADE IN USSR logo.

Reply author: Lenny

Replied on: 20160119050858

China wanted to produce cameras, Feds and Zorkis, cameras for interchangable lenses. So if China produced the Fed-2 they might also wanted to know how to produce a tele lens. If the Jupiter-11 was only produced by KOMZ at that time of course China had to deliver KOMZ lenses to pay for the factory. Makes sense.

Reply author: cedricfan

Replied on: 20160119101547

And from my experience Chinese did not use that same way of putting year as first two digits of serial number.

Best regards,
Juhani

Reply author: Lenny

Replied on: 20160220113717

Checked some of my boxes today and found a Ju-11.
We all know that normally KOMZ used 7-digits.
Then in this thread we saw 6-digits #91xxxx
and my Ju-11 is 6-digits too #599xxx also with red P and 13.5cm.
Could be the numbering system for the first 10,000 lenses was 59xxxx and for the second 10,000 lenses they used 91xxxx. If there are 10,000 of #91xxxx it explains why we see many of them. I wonder if there is an #92xxxx.