Zenit 1

The Zenit 1 is an SLR camera. It was manufactured from 1952 to 1956. It was built in the Krasnogorsk district of Moscow by KMZ. The production run was just over 39,000 units. It was the first SLR camera for 35mm format made by KMZ and ranked 9th in the world among 35mm SLR brands. The first 35mm SLR from the USSR was the GOMZ Sport.

The design of the Zenit was taken from the Zorki rangefinder camera.

The lenses of the SLR are interchangeable. Usable are the lenses for the M39 thread. Mostly the camera it comes with the Industar-22 (ИНДУСТАР) 50mm f/3.5 or the Industar-50 50mm f/3.5. The focus of the lens must be adjusted manually. There is no autofocus system.

The Zenit 1 does not have a built-in light meter. The camera has a Bulb setting. In this mode, the film is exposed as long as the shutter button is pressed.

Films for the Zenit 1

The SLR camera is designed for 35mm films. These are still easy to get today and are still being developed. Possible films for the Zenit 1 are the Fujifilm Superia 400 for color images and the Kodak TRI-X for black and white images.

The color film is processed in the C-41 development process. This is offered by almost every photo lab. The black and white film must be processed in a black and white developer. This process is, with the right chemistry, also possible at home. If you develop the film yourself, you have full control over the results and tend to achieve better results.

The camera’s negatives are 24 mm x 36 mm. So at least 36 images fit on a normal roll of 35mm film. The film is manually wound to the next image.

The Zenit 1 weighs 596 grams. It does not need batteries and works completely mechanically.