Zenit (KMZ) and Leica Joint Production

[Roger Hicks]

Dear David,

But where are the Periflexes, the Reids...

Cheers,

R.

 

[farlymac]

I just wonder if it comes with that hollow sound the Zorki-6 makes.

PF

 

[uhoh7]

Leica M240 is currently being sold new for $6K. The M10 is $7.2K (I think it received the recent price hike as there was demand for it and Leica still has stock of the M240. But did not want to lower it's price..)
So if the new Lenit comes in at $5K with lens, or even $6K with lens, it would be worth it if you care about getting a new M240.

If it comes in at $4K w/ lens that is screaming deal in Leicaland.

Thought - will Leica be handling warranty and service?

It would be a good deal........but every M lens profile is stripped out.

 

[kshapero]

The article says that this was done "in cooperation" between Leica and Krasnogorsky. It doesn't seem credible that Leica would go out of their way to facilitate a competing brand. And who is going to buy it? I could buy a used M240 a lot cheaper.

Yes I was thinking the same thing.

 

[Sumarongi]

Dear David,

But where are the Periflexes, the Reids...

Oh, I guess you agree with me, dear David and dear Roger, it's a brand new Ilford Witness and a Steinheil Casca II that we really want! 😀

 

[xayraa33]

Yes I was thinking the same thing.

I think 500 units will not put a dent in Leica sales as a competing brand.

Leica benefited by clearing a few innards of their M240s from their parts supply bins on shelves and got a nice slice of the selling price for their fitment.

Bonus is that M mount might spur a few Zenit M owners to splurge on a Leica lens or two.

This camera is not a serious contender when compared to the coming onslaught of Mirrorless FF cameras that have been announced and other brands joining the queue for sales of the latest and the greatest.

 

[David Hughes]

Dear David,

But where are the Periflexes, the Reids...

Cheers,
R.

Hi,
This is the internet, so I try to keep things simple...

Regards, David

PS Talking of Reid, whatever happened in America where - at one point - they were trying to copy the Leica using the factory's blueprints etc?

 

[bobby_novatron]

This strange co-opting of another nation's products is a very common feature of Russian manufacturing IMHO. Think back to the 1970's and 1980's with the USSR buying Italy's complete factory innards of the Fiat 124 to produce the Lada. Growing up in Canada in the 1980's, I recall the Lada was the cheapest new car on the market -- and I remember the plasticky off-gassing of the cheap interior and tractor-like handling.

They're still at it BTW, they bought Chrysler / Fiat's entire assembly line in 2008 to make a re-badged Sebring ... a mediocre car at best:
https://autoweek.com/article/car-news/gaz-volga-siber-russias-very-own-sebring

Now with this new Russian "Leicaski", if only it came with a good old Jupiter-8 ... and an authentic smell of industrial grease. 🙂

 

[DougFord]

...and they throw in a free bottle of *"Terminator Vodka" with every purchase.

* Years ago, whilst visiting Russia, a friend spotted a bottle of vodka with a pic of Arnold as the Terminator on the label.

 

[santino]

This strange co-opting of another nation's products is a very common feature of Russian manufacturing IMHO. Think back to the 1970's and 1980's with the USSR buying Italy's complete factory innards of the Fiat 124 to produce the Lada. Growing up in Canada in the 1980's, I recall the Lada was the cheapest new car on the market -- and I remember the plasticky off-gassing of the cheap interior and tractor-like handling.

They're still at it BTW, they bought Chrysler / Fiat's entire assembly line in 2008 to make a re-badged Sebring ... a mediocre car at best:
https://autoweek.com/article/car-news/gaz-volga-siber-russias-very-own-sebring

Now with this new Russian "Leicaski", if only it came with a good old Jupiter-8 ... and an authentic smell of industrial grease. 🙂

It's pretty common nowadays that different car manufacturers share their models with slightly modified design...
The Chevrolet Impala is called Opel Insignia in Europe and Vauxhall in England. Nissan and Renault cooperate. Mazda and Ford. Ford and Volvo etc.
I wish a Volvo was still a pure Volvo but it isn't...
The Soviets were ahead of its time 😉
Btw the coolest vodka I've ever saw was double Kalashnikov.

 

[maggieo]

Zenit and Leica Unveil the Zenit M Full-Frame Rangefinder

Zenit and Leica Unveil the Zenit M Full-Frame Rangefinder

You read that right. Zenit and Lecia are in partnership and have build a digital RF M-mount camera together:

The Russian camera brand Zenit has announced a new full-frame “mirrorless” camera. Called the Zenit M, it’s a rangefinder based on the Leica M (Type 240) created in collaboration with Leica.

Krasnogorsky Zavod, which manufactures Zenit-brand gear under the ownership of Shvabe Holding, announced back in 2016 that it would be bringing the Zenit brand back from the dead to battle Leica in luxury. In 2017, the company revealed it would be launching a full frame mirrorless camera in 2018 with a “leading photographic equipment company.” That company is Leica.
Zenit says it made both hardware and software modifications to the Leica M (Type 240) in creating the Zenit M, so it isn’t simply a cosmetic rebadge (though, the look of the Zenit M is inspired by famous Zenit and Zorky cameras).

The camera comes with a Zenitar 35mm f/1 lens that’s 100% designed and manufactured in Russia.
“The lens creates an image that doesn’t require processing, has unique bokeh and soft focus effect,” the company says.
While other features and specs of the Zenit M have yet to be revealed, most of the important ones are presumably similar or identical to the Leica M (Type 240), which features a 24MP full-frame CMOS sensor, a 3-inch 920k-dot LCD screen, 1080p video recording, live view focusing, a 0.68x viewfinder, ISO 6400, and 3fps continuous shooting.

No word if it will be available in the US, nor the price.

Pretty interesting, though!

 

[Steve M.]

Designed in Russia, made in Germany. A strange beast indeed. I don't shoot Leicas anymore because I prefer SLRs, and I don't shoot Zenits because, well, they're Zenits. For others, here's a tiny review.

https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/reviews/hands-on-review-leica-and-zenits-full-frame-zenit-m

 

[David Hughes]

"Btw the coolest vodka I've ever saw was double Kalashnikov."

And it (the original Kalashnikov) was designed in 1945 if I remember correctly and ought to prove to many that the USSR had more than its fair share of designers and engineers...

Regards, David

 

[xayraa33]

My first camera was a Zenit E … considered pretty fancy back in the `70`s 🙂

In the UK T.O.E was the agent that handled the importation of USSR made photo gear and they seemed to get a better quality product and or they double checked and repaired any iffy gear before it went for sale at UK camera shops.

Some of the best Zorki 4K cameras came from the UK via Ebay, from anywhere else they were not so good or anything to rely on, even for short term use.

 

[maggieo]

Looks like a Leica M made by Lego.

I'd actually buy one of those!

 

[charjohncarter]

I hope the quality control is better than my Zenitar 16mm lens.

The lens is fine; I always use it like something will fall off.

TriX HC-110h by John Carter, on Flickr

 

[maggieo]

The innards are LeicaM240; probably Leica selling off 500 of the last-gen innards, I'd guess.

 

[GarageBoy]

Is this any worse than those Sony hasselblads?

 

[Steve M.]

In other news, Motel 6 and the Hilton have announced a joint hotel venture called the MoTon 2. Rumors have it they will be located between Ruths Chris steakhouses and Jack in the Box restaurants in select cities.

 

[Ynp]

The Zenit-M is lacking the Leica lens profiles, there is no EVF port and the live view works only on the rear screen.

Yevgeny.
Moscow