[micromacro]

My Zeniton 135mm f3.5 preset lens 42M came with Zenit E camera. Almost mint, in the box. My copy has 12 or 13 blades.
I've tried to search any information about Zeniton, but it's not much really. I'm sure it's rebranded Japanese lens for the Soviet Zenit cameras which were sold abroad, not in USSR.

The lens is a pain. Perhaps, it's just my copy. Hard to focus; the focusing ring is quite stiff, and it makes weird "click" while rotating. However, when I can nail the focus, I love that lens. Bokeh is nice, and the lens produces "3D effect" when with the right distance between objects.

I do have hard time with this lens, still exploring its abilities. I appreciate any experience you can share about Zeniton.

Here are some samples, mostly f5.6, where sharpness improves.


Cropped:

I love how it blends metallic surfaces:


And portraits are not bad either.

[Paul the Sunman]

Very nice. Definitely worth the trouble.

[Lowell Goudge]

snip...........However, when I can nail the focus, I love that lens. Bokeh is nice, and the lens produces "3D effect" when with the right distance between objects.

You should check out the 135mm lens club, or the preset lens club.

I use a tele-lentar 135/2.8 preset and have compared it to both SMC tak 135's and with other 135mm lenses. I agree that the preset lens has different rendering in the out of focus regions that add more depth or separation to shots than newer lenses. I attribute this to the lens designs and different placement of the aperture in the optical path. Can't prove any of this obviously, but it seems pretty consistent with all my presets.

[micromacro]

I agree that the preset lens has different rendering in the out of focus regions that add more depth or separation to shots than newer lenses. I attribute this to the lens designs and different placement of the aperture in the optical path. Can't prove any of this obviously, but it seems pretty consistent with all my presets.

Zeniton has front element with two lenses, easy unscrew, which I did to clean the glass. One rear lens is quite on distance from the front two lenses. It's easy to clean rear glass inside with aperture wide open. Not like my copy needed much cleaning, but the camera is from 1973, so the lens should be about that age.

It looks more like Komura 135mm. I assume the lens was made by Sankyo Koki definitely for Zenit for export market, not soviet market. I did not find any information in Russian about Zeniton. For domestic market Zenit had only domestic lenses.
I actually was surprised to find out that Zenit cameras were imported abroad under different names. I had no idea.

[micromacro]

There are the pictures of the lens. It may be useful to show.





Rear part. Finally counted the blades - 12.

Front part.

[ogl]

It seems to me it's export version of Jupiter37A 135/3,5 - 12 blades. Another name and another body.
???????? ??????-37? 135 mm**f/ 3.5 ??????????????, MTF, ??????, ??????, ????? :: Lens-Club.ru

[micromacro]

I think it looks identical to these lenses:

Tokina 1:3.5/135 vs Hanimex 1:3,5/135

Jupiter is similar, but not identical. Jupiter had manufactured in USSR for sure while Zeniton is Japanese lens.

[Lowell Goudge]

I think it looks identical to these lenses:

Tokina 1:3.5/135 vs Hanimex 1:3,5/135

Jupiter is similar, but not identical. Jupiter had manufactured in USSR for sure while Zeniton is Japanese lens.

These both look also like the tele-lentar I own

[micromacro]

These both look also like the tele-lentar I own

Tele lentar 135mm f3.5 looks exactly like zeniton. How many blades your lens has?

[Lowell Goudge]

Tele lentar 135mm f3.5 looks exactly like zeniton. How many blades your lens has?

I would have to count. I think I did this once and came up with 14 but don't trust my memory