[Chetverovod]

Body will be produced by Leica, lens 1.0/35 in Russia.

Zenit - promo

---

Last edited by Chetverovod; 10-01-2018 at 01:10 PM.

[timw4mail]

It seems really strange for Zenit to be a "premium" brand.

[Chetverovod]

It seems really strange for Zenit to be a "premium" brand.

I am agree with you, also Zenit was never been rangefinder.

[BigMackCam]

I love all FSU and Russian cameras and lenses... especially lenses (in case anyone hadn't noticed ). But this isn't in line with Zenit's brand image, and doesn't seem like a desirable product to me for that reason - at least, not globally. I wonder, perhaps, if it will be mostly of interest to the wealthy domestic market? The limited production numbers could be snapped up by domestic purchasers alone, I'd have thought.

I am agree with you, also Zenit was never been rangefinder.

No, although there were Zorki and FED rangefinders, as you know. A few other brand names too, I believe. So a Russian rangefinder isn't so unusual... But it's a first for ZENIT

I love that lens, though. 35mm f/1.0, you say? I wonder how that would play on my A7 MkII ?

---

Last edited by BigMackCam; 10-01-2018 at 01:32 PM.

[stevebrot]

No, although there were Zorki and FED rangefinders, as you know.

...and the original Zenit was derived the original Zorki

Several years ago, I was able to spend some time with a Zenit EM and was struck by how close the experience was to that of my Zorki 4K, minus the slow speeds and 1/1000s of course.


Steve

[UncleVanya]

I think one of the non-Pentax threads posted a link to this story a few days ago. In any case, the thing to know is that this is a limited run. I think there are only 500 sets (lens and body) being made. That has the price looking to be around $6000 EUROs!

As with the rest of you I don't see Zenit as a premium brand and this seems woefully out of character for them. I'm not sure who this is aimed at but it feels like a miss.

[BigMackCam]

I think there are only 500 sets (lens and body) being made. That has the price looking to be around $6000 EUROs!

Dang... So the lens, too, is rumoured to be a limited run? That one might be out of my price range... I have limits... Actually, they're not very impressive limits either!!

[UncleVanya]

Dang... So the lens, too, is rumoured to be a limited run? That one might be out of my price range... I have limits... Actually, they're not very impressive limits either!!

Speculation from other previous Leica "limited" editions was that if it sold vigorously there would be some trickle down and a more consumer oriented treatment of this later perhaps with less fancy but similar features. I'm not an expert on this...

[BigMackCam]

Speculation from other previous Leica "limited" editions was that if it sold vigorously there would be some trickle down and a more consumer oriented treatment of this later perhaps with less fancy but similar features. I'm not an expert on this...

I may have to wait for a black-market prototype to turn up on eBay in ten years' time...

[boriscleto]

This product isn't meant for the West. It's a product for Russian oligarchs. But it's still curious that they chose Zenit as a brand rather than Zorki or Fed...

[BigMackCam]

This product isn't meant for the West. It's a product for Russian oligarchs.

Yep, that's what I thought too...

[cyberjunkie]

No, although there were Zorki and FED rangefinders, as you know. A few other brand names too, I believe. So a Russian rangefinder isn't so unusual... But it's a first for ZENIT

I love that lens, though. 35mm f/1.0, you say? I wonder how that would play on my A7 MkII ?

When I bought a Fed with three lenses, all brand new (with the Olympic Games logo!), I almost decided to go for a second-hand body instead.
It was a nice Leningrad, with in-camera spring-loaded winder
Years later I acquired a used Horizont (the panoramic camera with rotating objective) that I still own. I used it a lot when I still had a darkroom. Great camera, great 28mm lens, lots of fun.
I also had a Russar 20mm for my Leica. Unfortunately it had problems with the Leica models that had the Cds light meter on a swinging arm.
Russians made a lot of high level stuff and plenty of oddities.
I guess you know very well the breadth and the high level of the soviet photographic industry in general, and the optical engineering in particular.
Unfortunately most of the efforts were/are dedicated to the military... and in soviet times the internal market was not calling for innovation!
The new course, announced by KMZ in 2012 and in 2016, still has to deliver.
Maybe this is the way.
There are plenty of new designs that have been built as prototypes, and later found the way to the collectors market.
I'd be very happy to get the 85mm f/1.2!
A pity it's everything in Nikon bayonet (or M42). No PK anymore, even for the lenses assembled from the old stock of parts.

[BigMackCam]

When I bought a Fed with three lenses, all brand new (with the Olympic Games logo!), I almost decided to go for a second-hand body instead.
It was a nice Leningrad, with in-camera spring-loaded winder

Nice!

Years later I acquired a used Horizont (the panoramic camera with rotating objective) that I still own. I used it a lot when I still had a darkroom. Great camera, great 28mm lens, lots of fun.

Back in my "Lomography" days with the LC-A (I still own two of them ), I really wanted one of those... but the prices were already rising beyond what I was prepared to pay

I also had a Russar 20mm for my Leica. Unfortunately it had problem with the swinging arm of the Cds light meter.

Superb lens. I own the modern re-make of it, the Russar+, which is basically identical... though I doubt the coatings are quite the same, despite the hype.

There are plenty of new designs that have been built as prototypes, and later found the way to the collectors market.

Yes, I have a couple, but I'm always looking for more

A pity it's everything in Nikon bayonet (or M42). No PK anymore, even for the lenses assembled from the old stock of parts.

Sadly, it won't be long before the M42-mount products cease production too. In fact, I suspect that's already happened, and what we see available in the market is older production. I recently bought a brand new Telezenitar-M 2.8/135 in M42 mount, but the manufacture date is 2012...

One of my most recent acquisitions was a 2013 Zenitar-N 2.8/28 in Nikon F-mount. Great little lens, but only available - so far as I can ascertain - in Nikon F and Canon EF mounts

[cyberjunkie]

Back in my "Lomography" days with the LC-A (I still own two of them ), I really wanted one of those... but the prices were already rising beyond what I was prepared to pay

Unfortunately mine has a crack in the external viewfinder. It's not a collector item
It was checked and adjusted time ago by my friend/repairman, who's a Horizont specialist.
Btw, never liked the later plastic version without the final T.

Superb lens. I own the modern re-make of it, the Russar+, which is basically identical... though I doubt the coatings are quite the same, despite the hype.

Mine was the original "silver" version. Sold it for very little. I deeply regret it.

Yes, I have a couple, but I'm always looking for more

No prototypes here
I'd like to have one. The Apo Telezenitar in PK mount.
Just naming it makes me a little upset. I bought the -M version for a good price, with the iris blocked to fully closed.
I thought it could have been oil on the blades, or the spring... unfortunately it's something wrong with the cam assembly.
I gave up and closed the lens. I hope there will be no need for spares. It will be handled to the care of my friend when I go home.

Sadly, it won't be long before the M42-mount products cease production too. In fact, I suspect that's already happened, and what we see available in the market is older production. I recently bought a brand new Telezenitar-M 2.8/135 in M42 mount, but the manufacture date is 2012...

One of my most recent acquisitions was a 2013 Zenitar-N 2.8/28 in Nikon F-mount. Great little lens, but only available - so far as I can ascertain - in Nikon F and Canon EF mounts

Yes, you are right. Also Canon.
I can't understand why. Pentax is a niche mount, but the choice of modern primes for full frame is quite limited. I guess they would sell some.

[lesmore49]

I like the looks of it.

I have a '51 Leica 11f with an even older 50mm Leitz collapsible lens. I've had that for...since around 1981 and it's a great camera. Over the years I've used it an awful lot and like the Energizer Bunny it keeps on going and going.

I like the rangefinder type of camera and the Zenit looks like a pretty fair copy of a Leica digital rangefinder. Full frame sensor @ 24 MPs, that has to appeal. I don't know who manufactures the sensor, so that would be interesting to find out. The OP says the body will be produced by Leica...hmmnn..like to find out more about that arrangement and if the Zenit body is manufactured to Leica specs and using the same material.

How well it works is of course, another question and I would like to see some Western reviews. The other question is will it be marketed in the West and for how much, what will the parts/service backup be like, etc. I left out the dealer part as local dealer stores for any camera in North America seem to be a concept that is fading out. Online seems to be the way a lot of stuff goes now, whether I like it or not.

The website link is in English so I wonder if this Russian company has plans to market this camera in the West. I dunno, just speculation on my part.

It might be a very good camera for those who don't mind a manual focus and would like to get into the world of rangefinders...but of course..only at a very reasonable price.