Project Zenit

DocFrankenstein · Jun 17, 2004

Hi all. I've been into photography for 2 months playing around with my S1 IS. Have about 2500 exposures.

I remembered that we have a Soviet Zenit camera. Took it out, the lenses are really nice because the apeture varies from 2 to 16 and the really solid feel to it.

My dad says that the exponometer doesn't work AND the second curtain of the shutter slows down on the end of the run, thus overexposing "left" part of the photo. (that's what I think is happening)

I would like to try and get something out of this camera. The problem is that I have zero experience with film SLRs. Maybe I could get an approximate exposure values from my S1 IS, and then shoot the same with Zenit?

What I wanna do is load 100 ISO film in Zenit. Set my S1 IS to 100 ISO too. Frame the pic I wanna make in S1 IS. It will give me X and Y exposure values. Put them in Zenit and then take a frame. Repeat the process.

Not very practical, I know. But I wanna try it. Too many childhood memories are bound to that camera.

What are your ideas? What adjustments would I have to make? Can I compare ISO of different cameras like this?

havoc · Jun 21, 2004

I understand childhood memories, but some times you just gotta let it go. I would conseider getting another camera, unless you can find a niche that works with a slow second curtain.

Mitica100 · Jun 21, 2004

Havoc said:
I understand childhood memories, but some times you just gotta let it go. I would conseider getting another camera, unless you can find a niche that works with a slow second curtain.

Right on, bro! My very first SLR was a Zenit B. It had a similar problem and it got worse, second curtain stopped working. So, I took it apart. It's still apart... :shock: :lol:

DocFrankenstein · Jun 22, 2004

We'll see.

On sunday there was a family outing. I took my S1 and zenit:

Compose a shot with zenit
Get the exposure values from S1
Take a pic with same values
One stop higher
One stop lower

Took about 10 minutes to use the 24 exposures. I'll get the results back tomorrow

It's hard to type. The fingers are crossed. :?