Bessa R / Jupiter 9

[Elmer Fishpaw]

Hello again to the Forum! I got a real good response last time, so I have another question. Just bought a Jupiter 9 85mm to go with the Bessa R I have. No probs mounting the lens, focus fine and the lens looks in good repair. The markings for focusing are on the bottom, but the lens screws on fine right to where it stops. I can't seem to get to focus anywhere near infinity even with the lens set at infinity. JunK? Do I bother running some film this weekend? Bite the bullet and buy a Zenit 3m for it and my MIR 37mm?
I did Google searches and all, and no real good answer except not one of them says they're INcompatible.
Thanks for any help!

 

[Tom Hoskinson]

The Jupiter 9 was indeed made in the 39mm screw mount for the early Zenit SLRs. Yours may be one of those. Have you opened the camera and checked the focus at the film plane? That should tell you what is going on.

 

[Elmer Fishpaw]

Thank you Tom! Judging from the serial number, I have a 1981. The lens screws on to the camera fine, and the focus ring and f stops are smooth too. When the lens is on the Bessa R the markings are on the bottom and I can't focus the lens in the rangefinder patch. I guess like the MIR lens, The body/lens don't match up. I did a Google search and found a site which indicated they'd be OK-just couldn't close focus..Oh well, I'll give it a try this weekend.

 

[John Koehrer]

Not having first hand experience with the Jupiter, it sounds like it was disassembled & then reassembled incorrectly.

 

[Elmer Fishpaw]

Hi Shaggy! I thought too, but I look real hard at the screws with a loupe and they look like they were never removed....the slots the heads of the screws are stil perfectly black...OH well I'll head out saturday and see..