Chris's camera pages

Zenit B

Manufactured from the late sixties onwards by Krasnogorsk, this 35mm SLR camera has an interchangeable lens with M42 mount.

This model has a cloth focal-plane shutter with speeds from 1/30 to 1/500 second, plus the B setting. The shutter 'X' flash synch speed, for electronic flash is 1/30 second, and there is an 'M' synch setting for bulb flash.

The Zenit B is a simple and robust camera, and the limited range of shutter speeds is not much of a handicap in normal use. It is worth noting that like many of the earlier focal-plane shutter 35mm cameras, the shutter speed setting dial rotates during exposure, so it is important that stray fingers or flash synch leads are kept well clear of the dial. The camera has a delay-action, but unlike the more common Zenit E, it no exposure meter.

The lens supplied was either an Industar 50mm f/3.5 as on this example, or a Helios 58mm f/2 lens. Since the camera has only a plain ground-glass focus screen, it is certainly easier to pick the point of sharpest focus if you have the f/2 lens.

The accessory shoe is removable, and is often missing on the Zenit B and E models since it is a die-cast alloy moulding and fairly fragile.

Zenit B

Zenit B instruction manual on Mike Butkus' excellent website.

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