Nº 5000002, 1950, condition B+ € 5.000-7.000 well preserved Zenit pre series or test camera engraved No. 5000002 from the property of an employee of KMZ. Most of its characteristics are those of an early Zenit, e.g. the “Square Logo”, while it still has a few minor details in common with the first prototypes of the Zenit as well. It mainly differs from the series model by the execution of the prism housing and the eyepiece, which both seem to be one of a kind. Dr. Milos Mladek, well-known expert in Russian cameras writes in his expertise: 'After a thorough examination of the camera and after having compared it extensively with both a Zenit prototype and a “Square Logo” model Zenit, we consider this camera a KMZ factory research model that was very probably made just before the series production of the regular Zenit to test the new rounded shape of the prism housing and moreover to test a special diopter-adjustable eyepiece (+/- 3 diopters, three lenses in a non-rotating mount, very well made - regrettably it later did not make it into series production). It always was highly unlikely that KMZ would have started series production of the regular Zenit body without having tested the new shape of the prism housing: here is the test sample. - It comes with a later lens, cap and case'.
Zenit proto
Posted - Aug 10 2015 : 2:57:44 PM
