The Zenit 11 is a solidly-built camera with essentially the same Leica type cloth shutter as earlier Soviet rangefinder and SLR cameras. It has an external selenium meter mounted on the prism front above the lens. The meter isn't coupled to the camera. The Zenit uses the M42 Pentax screw-mount lens which means there is a variety of lenses from all over the world that will fit it. Partially depressing the shutter release stops down the lens. Additional pressure releases the shutter (source: http://home.att.net/~wayne.cornell/camera/russianslr.html).