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Post by John Farrell on May 9, 2016 23:17:30 GMT -5
I have a number of these cameras, and have always believed that the first 2 digits of the serial number gave the year of manufacture. One has a number starting "68", and although it has an instant return mirror, it has the M39 lens mount. I had one some years ago, number also starting "68", that had the M39 lens mount, and a mirror returned by winding on, Zenit 3M style. So, when a Zenit E came up on our local auction site, with a number starting "67", I was fairly sure that it would have these earlier features - so I bid, and bought it. It arrived this afternoon, a well worn camera, in a brown ERC (usually an early feature, with Zenits). It has an instant return mirror, and M42 lens mount!
Added later: I removed the camera's bottom plate, to check the serial number on the lower shutter plate. This also starts "67".
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Post by hannes on May 10, 2016 14:53:44 GMT -5
Hi: It's is not so simple as it may look at first :-) Zenit E was produced from 1965 till 1986. See this site for a lot of information: www.sovietcams.com/index.php?2101162428As far as I know Zenit E allways hat instant return mirror, and was produced with M39 and M42. My oldest Zenit E is a Revueflex from 1967 with M42. Zenit 3M was still in production till 1970. I have one from this year with M39. Hannes
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Stephen
Lifetime Member
Still collecting.......
Posts: 2,718
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Post by Stephen on May 10, 2016 18:52:58 GMT -5
Yes the Zenit E has the instant return, and those for export had M42. The factory also made M39 Zenit E to keep in line with older production, but no export. They did supply them if the importer requested the M39 mount, TOE Ltd (UK) never took them, only the M42. The 3M had been imported by Charles Strasser of Photopia, as some came with M42, just to confuse things! Stephen
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Post by John Farrell on May 10, 2016 20:03:41 GMT -5
Interestingly, as I said, I had a Zenit E without instant return.....it may have been faulty. The Zenit 3M I have is from 1967.
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Post by John Farrell on Oct 17, 2016 23:03:01 GMT -5
Update - I read Princelle's book on Russian cameras, and he has details of a Zenit E model, without instant return mirror, and with M39 lens mount.
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Post by hannes on Oct 19, 2016 15:14:14 GMT -5
Update - I read Princelle's book on Russian cameras, and he has details of a Zenit E model, without instant return mirror, and with M39 lens mount. Hello again Yes this book, page 156 is the only reference for non instant-return mirror on the first Zenit E models. All other documentations I found on the net doubt that. At least there is nobody else who has ever seen one. Some people have reported they own Zenit E with very low 1966 serials. All have the instant-return mirror. ussrphoto.com/Forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1925Some very informative pages about Zenit E and predesessors are witten in German language. ---from Guido Studers Page www.g-st.ch/privat/kameras/zenit.html#zeniteDie Zenit E verfügt als erste in Serie hergestellte Kamera von KMZ über einen automatischen Rückschwingspiegel (auch Rückkehrspiegel genannt), wie er zuvor erst in wenigen Prototypen realisiert wurde: 1960 in einem der Kristall 2 Prototypen und 1964 in der Zenit 3EM, ebenfalls einem recht seltenen Protrotypen, der als Schritt von der Zenit 3M zur Zenit E gelten darf. Jean Loup Princelle schreibt in seinem Buch zwar, die ersten 50000 Exemplare der Zenit E wären ohne Rückschwingspiegel ausgeliefert worden. Nach intensiver Beschäftigung mit diesen Kameras kann ich das allerdings nicht bestätigen, mir ist bisher noch keine Zenit E ohne Rückschwingspiegel begegnet und auch andere Experten teilen diese Meinung. ------ Alexander Schulz wrote a very good article about development from the frist SLR based on Zork to the Zenit, www.g-st.ch/privat/kameras/kristallzenite.htmlAnd he published a book, which can be downloaded as PDF from Guidos Site: www.g-st.ch/privat/kameras/zenitbuch.htmlBased on this background information I'm pretty sure that Zenit E was designed to have a instant-return mirror beginning with the very first release. My oldest one is a Revueflex E with #67040509, it has instant return mirror. Let's go hunting for one without. Hannes
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Post by conan on Oct 20, 2016 2:50:02 GMT -5
I have a number of these cameras, and have always believed that the first 2 digits of the serial number gave the year of manufacture. One has a number starting "68", and although it has an instant return mirror, it has the M39 lens mount. I had one some years ago, number also starting "68", that had the M39 lens mount, and a mirror returned by winding on, Zenit 3M style. So, when a Zenit E came up on our local auction site, with a number starting "67", I was fairly sure that it would have these earlier features - so I bid, and bought it. It arrived this afternoon, a well worn camera, in a brown ERC (usually an early feature, with Zenits). It has an instant return mirror, and M42 lens mount! Added later: I removed the camera's bottom plate, to check the serial number on the lower shutter plate. This also starts "67". John, Since Zeniths were produced in the millions there is always the chance of a batch with a different configuration being produced for a particular market segment or special order. This may mean they are not properly listed in historical data
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Post by John Farrell on Oct 20, 2016 3:57:56 GMT -5
Unfortunately, I sold that Zenit E years ago.
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