Zenit Automat

The Zenit Automat is a 35mm camera. It was manufactured by KMZ in the USSR. Between 1984 and 1994, almost 70,000 units were built.

The lenses of the Zenit Automat are interchangeable. Usable are the lenses for the Pentax K mount. Mostly the camera comes them with the MC Helios-44K-4. The focus of the lens has to be adjusted manually. There is no autofocus system.

The camera comes with a light meter. The aperture and exposure time are freely adjustable. The camera comes with a Bulb mode. In Bulb setting, the remains open as long as the photographer keeps the shutter button pressed. Per Hot Shoe, an external flash can be used with the 35mm camera.

The Zenit Automat requires four PX625 battery cells (eBay / Amazon*).

Films for the Zenit Automat

The Zenit Automat is designed for the 35mm format. These films are still being manufactured and can be specified by almost any developing vendor. One possible film for color images is the Fujifilm Superia 400*. A possibility for B&W images is the AgfaPhoto APX 400*.

The color film is designed to be developed using the C-41 process. This development process is offered by most labs. Depending on the lab, the development costs around 2 to 5 Euros.

With black-and-white film, the situation is somewhat different. There is no fixed process for it, but the development depends on the wishes of the photographer. The developing chemistry must be designed for black-and-white films. There is a choice of different developers that give different results.

The Zenit Automat negatives have a size of 24 mm x 36 mm. With the size of the exposure area, 36 photos usually fit on a normal film (135-36). The film in the camera must be rewound manually by the photographer.