The more recent Zenit SLR's

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raftman

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I can't seem to find that many people who've used any of the more modern Zenit cameras. There don't appear to be very many thorough reviews of the evaluations up on the net. I was wondering in particular if people here have had any experience with the Zenit 19 or Zenit 122k. There are only a handful of reviews out there, and they all say something different. Some say they're the reliable workhorse type, a great value, and others say they're of poor quality and lack reliability and should thus be avoided.

While this same disparity can also be found in evaluations for the vast majority of Soviet/Russian cameras, you can find a lot more people who have something to say about a Zorki 4, or a FED 3.

The reason I ask of course is because I've been really interested in getting one of those particular cameras, however, they seem to be pricier than a lot of the Soviet rangefinders, so I guess I really want to be certain the Zenit SLR's are worthwhile.
 
my Zenit-E, although not that new, is a reliable and chunky workhorse. I ditched my other SLR's (including a new-ish minolta dynax/maxxum-404si) and kept that one because it's cheap and I trust it. I've got a few good photo's out of it, although I hardly run much film at all through slr's now.
 
I have a Zenit 212k, purchased new in 2004. WHAT A PIECE OF CRAP! My old Zenit TTL is an M7 compared to this junk! Light leaks.... I had to use black tape on the door for those... the red diode that shows up in the viewfinder as the metering indicator will show up on your photos, as well.... I had to take the battery out in order to disable that.... what else.... overall feel of the camera is one of supremely inferior manufacture.... other than that, I have no complaints.:p
 
I have several Zenits- including the first two models. I think the older ones are really better. The newer ones with extra slow shutter speeds or automatic exposures can be erratic and unreliable.

But if you get a Zenit-E, or models 11, 12, TTL, (all essentially similar models), you'll find that these cameras are really remarkable. Their shutter speeds are limited- 1/500 to 1/30, just like the original Leica shutter. In fact, the shutter inside these cameras remained faithful to the one originally found in Leica II. These Zenit are so elegant and simple that hardly anything can go wrong with them, unless abused.

Jay
 
I have Zenit-11 produced in 1982. This is very well built camera and it's finish is MUCH better than that of my Kiev 4am from the same year. In fact, Kiev feels cheap after Zenit-11, particularly this is about the Kiev's back door and leatherette.

It's very common in Russian photo forums to despise Zenit, but from my experience with Zenit-11, this is very biased to despise it and praise just Zorki and Kiev.

What about picture quality? Definitely not worse than Kiev and you also get macro shooting possibility without parallax worries.
 
These must have been 2 years ago, when I was still trying to 'work out' slr's, and I had no real knowledge of the use of a camera (little/no idea about shutter speed/aperture relation, only that the smaller the aperture number the faster the shutter), and was probably one of my first 5 films I developed myself.

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=9040683&blogID=139816243

Not great photo's, but I was well impressed with the russian camera, and I think russian lens (might have been chinese). The camera cost me something like £30 including 3 lenses. They're definitely capable cameras.
 
Now THAT is a nice picture.. I'm not sure what I'm more impressed at; the camera's ability, or the photo itself!
 
I have a Zenit 122 with a Helios 7 42mm screw mount and I can only say good things about it. True the shutter release is stiff and the shutter and mirror sound like a weapon of mass destruction, but..... it takes real good pictures.
Kurt M.
 
so is there a chance we can compile a list (if one doesnt exist somewhere) of all or some of the zenits, with levels of build quality, loudness, etc. maybe it'd help anyone who's lookin for info on these cameras - I'd be after a second body, but only if it was lighter/had more shutter speeds/was more quiet/had a better focusing prism etc.
 
Yeah, that'd be really helpful. The main reason I don't want any of the older Zenits's like C or the 3m, even though I think they're actually quite elegent is that they don't seem to have light meters. To me that's kind of important, particulary if it's battery-powered rather than selenium. My experience with the FED 5's selenium meter has been good (it seems to be spot-on each and every time) but I hear that's rather atypical.
 
the Zenit C (S in latin) shows up in my dreams, I've got to get a bottom loader SLR. btw. the Helios lenses are superior, I tested them on my DSLR. As others say, I wouldn't go for the new models, they feel like crap
 
The lightmeters on the zenit's are a bit useless.. I never use the one on my E, and you can never guarantee they're accurate. Get yourself a leningrad for a fiver and get whatever camera you like.
 
I've started taking photo's with my grandfathers Zenit-E with the Helios 44. I used many times, and I still use it often. The light meter of my Zenit is quite accurate. I like the focussing on the silk groundglass. It is very sturdy, it is a SLR to the basics. I really had a good start with this camera, because most Japanese cameras are to complex for a beginner. I also have a Zenit B, I used a Prakticar lense sometimes instead of the industar.
The last Zenit I bought is the TTL, although it has many improvements, the groundglass is much too dark.
 
Ash said:
The lightmeters on the zenit's are a bit useless.. I never use the one on my E, and you can never guarantee they're accurate. Get yourself a leningrad for a fiver and get whatever camera you like.
Click to expand...

Well, the other thing that's a good selling point for the Zenit 19 rather than the C or 3m are the shutter speeds, goes up to 1/1000 not just 1/500, and you get more slow speeds with the 19 as well.
 
Well, I just ordered a supposedly unused Zenit 122k, so I guess I'll have something to say about it in a few weeks.
 
My first slr ,at the age of 41,was a Zenit E,with a Helios 44M,it was great.I had no complaints at all.Later I got hold of a more basic Zenit B,again no problems at all,no light leaks,no spacing problems,no shutter issues,and no batteries.Not cool,but I always enjoy having more control over the pics.than being 'up to date'.

Brian.
 
My fisrt Zenit was a 12 XP. At that time I favoured the TTL as I like better moving pointers than LEDs.
Optically, it is excellente, mechanically...hummm... let´s say ... crude... but otherwise a nice and reliable camera. Not refined perhaps, but efficient.

Ernesto
 
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