Zenit questions

[AgX]

-) Industar and case

The Industar 50-2 was kind of kit-lens for the Zenit. The same time it is a pancake lens.
I know it was not designed as such, but being initially designed for cameras without mirrorbox and due the resulting long barrel, it was tried to build it most compact for its front barrel, what, being used on a SLR made it a pancake lens.

It being as kit lens so compact, did it not make sense to give that kit a flat everready case? But all Zenit cases I came across have that huge snoot, for much bigger lenses.


-) E- model and strap lugs

The standard situation was that early european SLRs were lacking strap lugs and needed an everready case which then got them. Until at later models the camera got strap lugs itelf.

However the Zenit already started with strap lugs. And got everready cases that got straps itself.
With the E-model the camera lost its own lugs. Why?

To avoid having two sets of straps (camera and case)? A pair of carbine hooks would have solved that...

 

[foc]

I think the case with the large snoot was for the Helios lenses, which have a chunky lens barrel.

Regarding the Zenit E not having lugs, you can look at the Zorki range, which the Zenit was based on, and see some with and some without lugs. Maybe that's the Soviets for you. !!!

 

[AgX]

At least the Helios 44 is not huge in absolute terms: only 5mm longer than the new-FD 50mm 1.4.
However the Helios does not need a shade and by that is relatively short...

As the Zenit cases are the best of all everready cases I came accross, my thought was: Why not make at short flap for use with Industar?
However, the Industar needs a shade. And I have not come across soviet collabsible shades. Maybe that is the reason to stick to a flap with a large snoot.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

FSU without lugs were not uncommon. I have dump load of FSU RFs.

 

[AgX]

My point is that from the start all Zenits got lugs, until the E-model, whereas in Europe the development was typically just the other way. Why get rid of lugs?

 

[AgX]

Meanwhile I added an early Zenit E that still got those lugs...

EDIT:
I got it wrong, mixed up models. NO lugs at an E-model.

 

[4season]

Mine is from 1966, it has a silver shutter speed dial and 39mm lens thread, but no lugs.

 

[thuggins]

Chock it up to the Soviet "logic". My posting a while back regarding the Exa 1c fits into this same category of question.

Back when the Soviet Union first began to open up in the '80's, Russian watches flooded the market. I had one that ran for two weeks. An article at the time said that these were so popular that the Italians began making knock-offs of them. But the Italian knock-offs were of far better quality than the Soviet originals.

 

[Deleted member 88956]

My point is that from the start all Zenits got lugs, until the E-model, whereas in Europe the development was typically just the other way. Why get rid of lugs?

I will only say that I would have loved Asahi Pentax made their Spotmatic lugs not from some super soft brass. I have several bodies that looked near new, but on two of them lugs were almost worn through, only then did I start checking lugs before purchase. I never found another make with such a soft lug material used.

 

[AgX]

I think all lugs were from brass. However Canon at the A-series at least inserted steel bushings into the holes.

By the way, the Zenit 3M lugs are sharp cornered.