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Zenit 3M review


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<p>Hello all</p>

<p>I've collected old Soviet cameras for more than a decade... partly cos of an interest in the old USSR, and partly because I like shooting on old cameras.</p>

<p>Over the years I've usually had a Zenit 3M sitting in the camera drawer, and recently decided to start actually shooting with it.</p>

<p>I've posted a review on my blog on expereinces shooting with the 3M.</p>

<p>http://zorkiphoto.co.uk/2013/03/16/zenit-3m-camera-review/</p>

<p>Anyone else shot with it? My first example worked fine at first - shutter speeds accurate enough to work perfectly with slide film, but then fell apart while I was shooting the Notting Hill Carnival. I picked up a second example for £20 at a camera fair and - touch wood - it's behaving itself.</p>

<p>SLRs don't get much simpler and no-frills than the 3M, but it does have some retro charm, and if you're able to use pre-set lenses, pretty useable. I've got some nice pics with mine, and want to do some more more cross-processing, which suits the old Helios lens.</p>

<p>Cheers</p>

<p>S</p>

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<p>The 3M is a funny little beast, but quite effective, and the Helios can be quite nice. I always have preferred this lens on B&W though. Worth collecting the other lenses too. I have the 35mm 2.8 and the really funky 133mm 2.8, which is a large aluminium tubed beauty. Looks to be made from re-cycled Migs, and way well be, but the lens, like the others performs well.<br>

Nice blog BTW, good to see.</p>

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<p>The archetypal basic SLR, "no frills" would be to heap praise on it. Sure, it works when it works, and I rather like the nuggety feel of it, but overall I wouldn't rate it as a pleasant camera to use. I really like the steampunk good looks of the camera, though... Another fine blog, <strong>Stephen</strong>.</p>
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<p>A lovely blog Stephen and the accompanying pictures have a slight 70s feel about them, which I rather liked. A colleague of mine had one of these sold it and now is looking for another to take a few snaps during his daughter's wedding!</p>
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<p><strong>Rick:</strong> I'd agree it'd be hard to come to this camera if you'd been used to shooting autofocus... but I've found I've had a reasonably good hit rate - in terms of pics I like enough to put up on Flickr - from the Zenit. Maybe it's because it slows me down and makes me think and compose differently.<br>

<strong>Gene:</strong> Thanks indeed. Not used the Zorki C, though I do have a 6 and a 4K.</p>

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<p>I think the early Zenits were distributed in the UK by the company "Technical and Optical Equipment" formed in 1962.<br>

They started advertising Zenits heavily by 1965,some 1965 prices for comparison:<br>

Pentax S1A +55mm f2 =77, Pentax SV +55mm f2 =107......Zenit 3M+Industar =24, Zenit 3M+Helios =35.</p>

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<p>Hi Stephen,<br />I think we've crossed paths on one of the Flickr groups, because I enjoy your informative and well-written blog posts. I have a Zenit 3-M (actually, a "Global" 3-M) that came with black M39 Helios and I admit I bought it at a local market for the lens. But I put a roll through the camera and actually loved it. The plain ground glass focus screen is so nice to use and easy to focus with. I got a few keepers from that roll of Pan F Plus actually. When I processed the roll I found some light leaks courtesy of a pinhole in the second curtain, which can be a problem, I suppose, with these older cloth shutter SLRs that do not have an instant return mirror. I've since fixed that with a dab of liquid electrical tape over the hole and I will definitely be using mine again. I have a Jupiter 135mm to attach to it as well now.</p>

<p>It's true slow speeds would be nice to have. One big plus is that the self timer prefires the mirror a good two or three seconds before the shutter actuates. So as long as one can keep the shutter speeds at or above 1/30, it is possible to use this to very good effect for surprisingly good sharpness.<br /><br />Here's a couple of shots from that first roll I ran through mine. Pan F Plus @ EI 25, in ID-11 1:3 for about 13 minutes (20C).</p>

<p><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8030/8038485004_d7b30d98c8_z.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="600" /></p>

<p><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8176/8038518905_d16485f69a_b.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="467" /></p>

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<p>The Zenith 3M is a very capable camera in good hands. OK, no high speeds (who cares?), no slow speeds (who cares?), no instant mirror (who cares?) but the camera is obvious to use once you remember to change shutter setting ONLY after cocking (nothing new if you are a Zorki user).<br>

Lenses (Helios-44, Mir-1, Jupiter-11, etc...) are good enough for most of us but no auto diaphragm, preset or manual only.<br>

I used such camera for several years without complaint. I finally sold it years ago in an attempt to reduce my equipment but I wouldn't mind getting another one if I had the opportunity.</p>

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<p>Nicolas, I must admit I wasn't aware the issue relating to cocking the shutter before changing speeds applied to the 3-M, because according to the owners manual, you can adjust the speeds whether it is cocked or not, and I haven't noticed any problems myself yet by doing it either way.</p>

<p>I think that whether someone cares about the 1/500 maximum or the absence of the slow speeds, and mirror, etc. depends on the types of photograph they like to do. A 3-M would be a very poor choice for me as my only camera. I like slower films, and often find slow speeds essential in order to record an image in some of the light conditions I photograph in. The second photo I posted above is a case in point, as it was getting on for dusk, and the images were recorded on Pan F Plus @ EI 25. Luckily, I had just enough light to make 1/30 @ f/2 work, but another half an EV or so and the photo wouldn't have happened, because of that gulf between 1/30 and Bulb. Admittedly, I suppose I could have stopped the lens down for a second on Bulb, but I preferred to try the lens closer to open.</p>

<p>The lack of instant return mirror doesn't worry me either, as the 35mm kit I use most often is one of my Contaflex SLRs, none of which had this feature (nor does my Hasselblad). But for those who prefer sporting or other action photography I can appreciate why a 3-M would be a non-starter.</p>

<p>Having said that, despite some prejudices I had against Soviet cameras on the basis of hearsay and general reading, I found myself surprised by enjoying the experience and, more importantly, liking some of the results. Mine is never likely to be the camera I most often use, however for general daylight photography, it has a lot going for it, and I get along well with mine, so the next time I load it I know I'll enjoy using it again.</p>

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<p>The 3M was my main camera for almost 15 years, in which I only used its Helios-44. It is a simple and basic SLR, but it works and it is tough. The Helios in mine was great, especially for portraits.<br>

The body is based on the Zorki-6 rangefinder, which is surprisingly similar - it also had a hinged back. </p>

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  • 2 weeks later...

<p><strong>Brett:</strong> Those are really nice pictures, I love the tunnel of trees - lovely swirly bokeh from the Helios.</p>

<p>Yes, we did cross paths on Flickr. I'm feeling the recent changes to turn it into a half-assed Instagram may make it less of a resource!<br>

<br />S</p>

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<p>Thanks, Stephen, and I always enjoy reading your reviews of these older cameras. The tunnel photo is in fact the road along the front of our property and the trees on the left run along part of our fence line.</p>

<p>I agree the changes to Flickr have not been for the better. Admittedly the images that appear look very nice, but the site is now so hard to navigate and uses so much memory streaming an almost unending flow of larger sized photos it is downright painful to navigate around. I looked in vain for ways to select option to limit the page length or image size of the previews. It appears this doesn't exist. So unless they make some drastic revisions I can't see myself spending much if any time on the site unfortunately. Ipernity seems to have picked up a lot of digruntled Flickr members, for general image hosting I think I may switch to that myself. Cheers.</p>

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