Zenit () is a Soviet camera brand manufactured by KMZ in the town of Krasnogorsk near Moscow since 1952 and by BelOMO in Belarus since the 1970s. The Zenit trademark is associated with 35 mm SLR cameras. Among related brands are Zorki for 35 mm rangefinder cameras, Moskva (Moscow) and Iskra for medium-format folding cameras and Horizon for panoramic cameras. In the 1960s and 1970s, they were exported by Mashpriborintorg to 74 countries.
The name is sometimes spelled Zenith in English, such as the manuals published by the UK Zenit-importer TOE. However, TOE's imported camera bodies as from 1963 retained the "Zenit" badges. The early Zorki-based models before that time were labelled "Zenith" in a handwritten style of script.
Digital models
During the 2018 Photokina expo, Zenit announced that it was resuming camera and lens production for the M-mount, as well as for unspecified Nikon and Canon mounts in 2019.
Zenit M
The digital Zenit M camera was released in a limited edition set with the Zenitar-M 35mm F/1.0 lens. The camera was produced in partnership with Leica, and the digital components derived to some extent from the full-frame Leica M (typ 240) series. The edition comprised 500 units: fifty units with a black finish and 450 in silver. Russian firmware drives the camera, and the chassis was designed in Krasnogorsk.
Zenitar-M
Two further M-mount Zenitar lenses are set for release circa March 2019: the Zenitar-M 21mm F/2.8 and the Zenitar-M 50mm F/1.0.
Zenit-Leica Collaboration
A second digital camera of an entirely new design is planned for release by 2020; also in collaboration with Leica. This camera will make use of a different lens line.
History
Early years
The above Zenit was based on the Zorki rangefinder camera (a copy of the Leica II). In transforming the Zorki into an SLR, the simplest approach was taken: the rangefinder housing was removed from the top and replaced by a plain ground-glass screen and prism; a mirror was added below with a lever operated mirror setting system and the M39×1 thread mount was pushed forward to make room for the mirror inside.
During the first years of production (until the Zenit-E of 1967) Zenit camera development coincided with that of the Zorki cameras. The Zenit-S had PC-synchro for external flash units (almost like the Zorki-S) and the Zenit-3M also had an RF-sibling, the Zorki-6. For an SLR, the Pentaprism of all classical Zenits was undersize, with the viewfinder showing about two-thirds of the actual frame-size. On the Zenit-S the mirror setting lever mechanism of the original Zenit was replaced by a cord and pulley system.
Zenit-E and its successors
During 1967 through 1969 KMZ built an automatic die-cast moulding line, allowing mass camera production. Camera production switched to the M42×1 thread (also known as Praktica thread) and an instant-return mirror was also developed. This led to one of the most famous Zenits — Zenit-E which saw (including its subtypes) over 12 million produced. A heavy and tough camera which gained a reputation of being ‘bomb proof’, with a mechanism that was of exceedingly simple design along the lines of "what isn't there, can't go wrong". Automatic diaphragm functionality was not available until the introduction of the Zenit-EM, which used a direct mechanism linking the shutter release button to the aperture mechanism, significantly increasing the effort required to release the shutter. Production included both M39×1 and M42×1 mounts for the Zenit E and Zenit B models. Later models were only produced in the M42×1 with the Pentax K mount available for the latest models.
Towards the end of the 20th century, the Zenit-E heritage became an obstacle to the development of more modern Zenit models. This was because almost all low-end Zenits until the recent 412DX have been based on the Zenit-E die-cast chassis, complying with the local philosophy that a crude but affordable camera was better than no camera.
The major events of the further development of Zenit-E line was: Introduction of an automatic 'jumping' diaphragm on the Zenit-EM TTL metering system (instead of a non-coupled Selenium-cell lightmeter) on the Zenit-TTL Switching to the Pentax K mount — Zenit-122K DX-code introduction (instead of manual ISO-speed switch) — Zenit-412DX
The Zenit-E was also sold with the Moscow 1980 Olympics emblem.