Zenit

[Dani Filth]

hy .. i have a russian camera .. a Zenit .. don't know exactly what model ... and I was wondering if this camera can be used for the kind of photos you get on the track ..
does anybody has some expierience with the Zenit????
also I'm a noob .. i have done only a few photos in my life ... .. btw .. I also have a FED 3 ....

[redshoes]

Wow, haven't seen one of those for years. My first camera was a Zenit E (or Zenith as it was know in the UK). Manual focus, manual apperture, manual wind, actually manual everything. Built out of surplus Russain tank parts by the feel of it. Takes Pentax-M42 thread lenses.

You'll need to experiment with the various settings quite a bit but no reason you couldn't take some decent photos with it.

[paul-collins]

Zenit is still making cameras, if you can believe it. I believe they use the Pentax K-mount (certainly my long-gone Zenit E had the Pentax threads for a screw-on lens).

They're pretty inexpensive, but look to have most up-to-date features.

Dani, a camera is as good as its lenses and the eye behind it. Give it a try! (What's a FED 3?)

[Dave Brand]

Originally posted by Dani Filth
and I was wondering if this camera can be used for the kind of photos you get on the track ..

You'll learn a lot more about photography using your Zenit than you would with any expensive auto-exposure/autofocus/auto-everything camera! Probably get better results, too, as you have total control over what the camera's doing.

[tanalised]

Originally posted by paul-collins
Zenit is still making cameras, if you can believe it. I believe they use the Pentax K-mount (certainly my long-gone Zenit E had the Pentax threads for a screw-on lens).

They're pretty inexpensive, but look to have most up-to-date features.

Dani, a camera is as good as its lenses and the eye behind it. Give it a try! (What's a FED 3?)

Whats a FED 3!!
a Russian rangefinder Leica clone. The Soviets only made about 60 million of them and now traders flog them off at Ebay for a few rubels. I use a FED 5c on occasions for B&W candid photography and the results are brilliant. Sure it feels like your holding a brick and the quality control was probably inversly related to how much vodka the production line peasants had drunk that day but they cost about 1/1000 of a Leica and the lenses are both very good and interchangable with Leica screw mount. I've even tried shooting with mine at a rally with fairly good results, using a slow speed and panning.
I reccommend you buy one and pull it out at your next motorsport meeting just to see what the bloke beside you with the EOS1\d will say!

[Webslinger]

I agree entirely with the above - the best way to learn photography is with an old manual camera. I started my photographic career with a Zenith EM, and took most of my racing shots in the early years with a Chinon 200mm lens.

I once read that you could take a Zenith to a rowdy Russian wedding, and later leave "the party" with a workable camera, with 'V' shaped dents having been left in the heads of the more troublesome punters!

With advancing years, manual focussing would now be a chore for me, but as a 'starter camera', the Senith would be a first class choice! Look no further my friend...

[ss_collins]

I use a zenit, did loads of pics with it that are in my book

[Dani Filth]

thank for the advices .. It'a a Zenit 11

http://goran.picasso.hr/zenit.html

i wonder if i need to change my lenses ... and what kind off lenses do I need ...

[GTV27]

what kind of lens to you have?
for most motorsport you'd probably need something at least 80mm or higher.
200mm to 300mm is the go if you can't get close to the track, but I'd presume you'd need to get hold of some compatable Pentax lenses for that.

[Dani Filth]

Helios-44M .. those are the lenses ..

[paul-collins]

44m? I thought the Zenit-11 was a 42m mount? (=42 mm threaded lens)

42m lenses are widely available for not much money (and still good manual lenses, too).

[Dani Filth]

yes the lens mount is 42 but on the lenses is written Helios-44M

[ss_collins]

I've got a selection, the shorter 30mm and 28mm are great.