Zenit ZENIT-S, ZENITH-C Instruction Manual

NOTES:
This text is identical to the one in the Instruction manual,
English version. Corrected and converted to HTML in 2004.

ZENIT-S (ZENITH-C)

The Instruction Manual contains essential principles of "Zenith-C"
camera operation.
To avoid possible breakage of the camera and to obtain good pictures
thoroughly acquaint yourself with the construction and operation of the
camera as it is described below.

GENERAL FEATURES

The "Zenith-C" is a mirror type 35 mm film precision miniature camera
possessing all the merits of up-to-date cameras.
It is recommended for use by amateurs to photograph landscape,
portraits, groups, separate sport scenes, etc. It can also be used in
research institutes and laboratories for photographing through various
optical instruments: for instance, the camera can be conveniently used for
taking photomicrographs.
The "Zenith-C" uses a standard perforated 35 mm motion picture film
about 1.6 m in length. This is sufficient for making up to 36 exposures
24x36 mm in size.
The camera can be used for photographing under poor lighting conditions
or in full darkness as it is adapted for use of flash bulbs. A controllable
synchronizing mechanism with an advanced scale ranging from 0 to 25
millisec. permits photographing with flash bulbs of various types.
The camera is of the mirror type. The image thrown by the mirror onto a
frosted glass surface is viewed through an eyepiece, the axis of which is
parallel to the lens axis. The viewed image is direct. The eyepiece
magnification is 5
20x28 mm.
The camera has been designed for use with metal magazines which open
automatically upon closing the camera cover.

x

. The field of vision seen through the eyepiece is

The camera is furnished with a curtain-type shutter giving automatic
exposure speeds ranging from 1/25 to 1/500 sec. The "B"-hand exposure
setting is employed.
The camera mechanism makes long "T"
exposure possible. The shutter is coupled with both the film advancing
mechanism and the automatic film counter, so that winding the shutter
automatically transports the film after each exposure and the film counter
indicates the number of exposure taken. It prevents accidental double
exposure on the same part of the film.
The shutter release is interlocked with the mirror lift to prevent cutting­off of the pictures due to the negative field being not fully open.
The camera provides a possibility of reloading in ordinary, but not too
bright, light.

(originally: "Д" -- Cyrillic "D")

SPECIFICATIONS

Size of film -- 35 mm
Size of picture -- 24x36 mm
Film magazine capacity -- 36 pictures
"Industar-22" or "Industar-50"
coated lens:
focal length -- 50 mm
full aperture -- f/3.5
Lens opening scale -- 3.5; 4; 5.6; 8; 11; 16
Distance scale -- 0.65 m to infinity
Shutter exposure speeds -- 1/25; 1/50; 1/100; 1/250; 1/500 sec.,
Bulb ("B") and Time ("T")
Synchronizing mechanism scale -- 0 to 25 millisec.
Camera overall dimensions -- 78x90x138 mm
Camera weight -- 630 g

(originally: "Д" -- Cyrillic "D")

CAMERA CONSTRUCTION

The mirror type view-finder diagram is shown in Fig. 1. It operates
together with camera lens 1 and consists of swivel mirror 2, plane­convex lens 3, the plane surface of which is frosted, penta-prism 4 and
triple-lens eyepiece 5.
With the mirror in its upper position 2' the camera gives an inverted
image on film plane 6. With the mirror down, the image is received on
the frosted plane of lens 3. The image sharpness on the frosted lens 3
plane is just the same as on the film plane. The inverted image of the
subject given by the camera lens is again inverted by mirror 2 and prism
4, and comes to the eye through eyepiece 5, as a straight image.
To wind the shutter turn winding knob 8 (Fig. 2) as far as it will go in the
direction indicated by the arrow engraved on the top cover. At the same
time, this will move the film, lower the view-finder mirror, wind the
shutter and bring into action the snap-shot counter.

Fig. 1
1 -- camera lens; 2 -- swivel mirror; 3 -- plane-convex lens with frosted
plane surface; 4 -- penta-prism; 5 -- triple-lens eyepiece; 6 -- film plane

The snap-shot counter dial 9 is set at zero by rotating its knurled end in
either direction. The number of exposures is read off by means of black
pointer 10 engraved on the upper side of the camera. Set the counter at zero
with the shutter wound up.
The shutter is released by pressing the release button 11 which has a
conical thread to accommodate a cable release. The exposure speeds are
changed by a little lifting and turning the exposure setting ring 12 until the
index line 13 is opposite figure indicating the desired speed. The ring 12
may be turned only through the part of the scale marked B, 25, 50, 100,
250, 500 and back.

Do not turn it in the interval between B and 500

The figures on the scale indicate exposure speeds in fractions of a second,
for example 50 instead of 1/50, 100 instead of 1/100, etc. Longer exposures
"T"

(originally: "Д" -- Cyrillic "D") are obtained with the ring 12 set at
"B". In this case press the release button 11 and turn it so that the pint
engraved on it moves towards the letter "T"
"D")

as far as it will go. When the exposure is to be ended move the release

button back and release it.

(originally: "Д" -- Cyrillic

Fig. 2

5 -- eyepiece; 7 -- adjusting ring; 8 -- shutter winding knob; 9 -- snap-shot

counter dial; 10 -- counter pointer; 11 -- shutter release button; 12 --

exposure setting ring; 13 -- exposure setting indicator; 15 -- film rewinding

knob; 16 -- synchronizing lever; 17 -- synchronization scale

To wind the film back into the magazine, with the shutter released, turn
the ring 7 so that the point engraved on it moves towards the letter "R"
(originally: "П" -- Cyrillic "P", from 'перемотка', 'peremotka' -­rewinding)
knob 15 in the direction indicated by the arrow. The knob should be
rotated until the force required to rotate is decreased. This shows that the
film has been bully rewound and is completely in the magazine.
The lens is tightly screwed into the ring and has the mounting 19 (
with the distance scale. The distance set is shown by the red index 20.
The lens opening can be changed by rotating the objective front ring 21
until the necessary division comes opposite the index point 22. For
convenient changing of the lens opening three lens opening scales are
engraved on the ring 21. They have three corresponding index points 22.
The lens design enables lens opening to be set with filters on.
The lens is provided with the depth of field scale 23. The depth of field is
the distance between the nearest and the farthest objects in a scene which
will be sharp in the picture. The depth of field increases as the lens
opening is made smaller, or as the distance focused upon is increased.

to a stop. Then, wind the film by rotating the film rewinding

Fig. 3)