My old/new SLR

[goodguy]

Got as a present from my in laws who owned this for many years.
This is an old piece of Soviet technology, a film camera that feels like it was made in a tank factory.
Build quality pretty much non existing LOL

This is a Zenit camera that came as a kit, its a birders camera comes with the rifle stock and a 300mm lens that is huge, together this looks like a Bazooka LOL
I think if I would drop the lens on a concrete floor the floor would break.
The second lens is a 58mm lens which from what I understand was the Russian equivalent to our 50mm lenses
Not sure yet if I will try to actually use it or not but its fun to own such an interesting piece of technology, from little research I did it doesn't look like there is too much value in this set so I will probably keep it with me.
I will be very happy to hear any information if you of this this camera, its lenses or the kit.

 

[vimwiz]

That is a Zenit "Photosniper"

Zenit still make some camera - I think the 122K is still in production.

 

[Derrel]

OMG--that was one of my first 35mm SLR cameras!!! Not that exact one, but a "Cosmorex SE", which was I believe the Zenit B, imported by a big New York City photo dealer, Cambridge Camera. I still have mine!!! It was an atrociously clunky camera, and ended up with mechanical issues...film rewind knob came loose and got lost...the back's door latch was ALWAYS popping open due to the leather strap catching on it...the light meter was feeble...shutter was noisy and clunky...the degree of crudeness of the mechanical parts was shocking, but then it was made in the mid-1970's and the USSR was under a lot of financial strain at that time.

Yours, with its toolbox-like case and with the rifle stock and 300mm lens is really an INTERESTING item! I've not seen one of those kits before. All I can tell you is if you actually use this camera, make SURE that the small retaining screw on the rewind knob is tight, so it doesn't just fall off and leave you with no way to rewind the film except to go into a darkroom and rewind the film by HAND, the way I used to do...

As to the lens my camera came with....mine had a rather poorly-made 58mm "Auto-Cosmogon" lens in m42, single-pin stop down system mount. It had very poorly-finished, shiny diaphragm blades with no blackening, so it flared pretty badly when it was shot toward bright light. Blackening of diaphragm blades was something that many manufacturers seemed to not be aware of the need for in the 60's and 70's. It's kind of a "dreamy" lens, and I guess one could say that, in a way, the 58mm lens has a sort of interesting pictorial quality to its images.

 

[goodguy]

OMG--that was one of my first 35mm SLR cameras!!! Not that exact one, but a "Cosmorex SE", which was I believe the Zenit B, imported by a big New York City photo dealer, Cambridge Camera. I still have mine!!! It was an atrociously clunky camera, and ended up with mechanical issues...film rewind knob came loose and got lost...the back's door latch was ALWAYS popping open due to the leather strap catching on it...the light meter was feeble...shutter was noisy and clunky...the degree of crudeness of the mechanical parts was shocking, but then it was made in the mid-1970's and the USSR was under a lot of financial strain at that time.

Yours, with its toolbox-like case and with the rifle stock and 300mm lens is really an INTERESTING item! I've not seen one of those kits before. All I can tell you is if you actually use this camera, make SURE that the small retaining screw on the rewind knob is tight, so it doesn't just fall off and leave you with no way to rewind the film except to go into a darkroom and rewind the film by HAND, the way I used to do...

As to the lens my camera came with....mine had a rather poorly-made 58mm "Auto-Cosmogon" lens in m42, single-pin stop down system mount. It had very poorly-finished, shiny diaphragm blades with no blackening, so it flared pretty badly when it was shot toward bright light. Blackening of diaphragm blades was something that many manufacturers seemed to not be aware of the need for in the 60's and 70's. It's kind of a "dreamy" lens, and I guess one could say that, in a way, the 58mm lens has a sort of interesting pictorial quality to its images.

Small world
In the eye piece I see many little dots, I hope its the mirror and not the lens.
Its so weird having this old technology in my hands and thinking it was a tool you used so much.
I am not sure how to treat it at the moment, use it or look at it more as a novelty piece.

 

[71M]

It was an atrociously clunky camera, and ended up with mechanical issues...film rewind knob came loose and got lost...the back's door latch was ALWAYS popping open due to the leather strap catching on it...the light meter was feeble...shutter was noisy and clunky...the degree of crudeness of the mechanical parts was shocking

..and that's the export version. The polite term was 'copy variance.'