Black factory Zenit-3M?

Hello all,

Wanted to hear from Zenit experts. I've purchased a curious all black body Zenit-3M which doesn't not look like it was painted and black paint is factory since you can thee from the wear underneath is brass and not chrome which you typically get when the camera is painted aftermarket. Also the absense of any kind of logo is interesting. It looks like the Zenitflex show on Aidas's site but without the logo. Anyone seen anything like this before?
The lens is irrelevant, I think someone just plugged the hole with the enlarger lens unless it means something..

Serial # is 66096018

Thanks,
Vlad

http://www.ussrphoto.com/resize/resize_image.aspx?ImgWd=800&IptFl=/UserContent/20102016_s-l16001.jpg

http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/20102016_s-l16001.jpg

http://www.ussrphoto.com/resize/resize_image.aspx?ImgWd=800&IptFl=/UserContent/20102016_s-l16002.jpg

http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/20102016_s-l16002.jpg

http://www.ussrphoto.com/resize/resize_image.aspx?ImgWd=800&IptFl=/UserContent/20102016_s-l16003.jpg

http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/20102016_s-l16003.jpg

so another question came up as I was discussing this camera offline with IlyaSt and maybe Zoom can help here, in production process on Zenits or another cameras with stamped tops, are the serial numbers stamped before or after the top cover is chromed?

COLOUR means latin version for export, did you notice?

Best regards,
Juhani

Hello Vlad

I have here some black painted cameras from KMZ and the only thing I can say is that there are all fakes. I had find out that most of them where made in the 90th or later. If you look at your camera you can see some differences in the black paint of the cover and the top/bottom. I think this must be a proof. It's in my opinion only but if I look to those cameras I own I'm shure that's I must be right.

Best wishes - Guido

Guido, I would have to disagree with you here, I had a couple of these black painted ones as well from early 90s when I just started collecting and those if you scratch the paint off had a chrome surface underneath, it was painted over, this one is original paint as with all the wear you see actual brass underneath. Camera is still in transit, I will inspect it more closely when it arrives and will post more detailed pictures.

Juhani, the only thing is the black Zeniflex camera on Aidas's site if 1968, this one is 1966...

Cheers,
Vlad

Princelle pointed such "no names" Zenit 3M cameras (K 1608), when they were made for distributors (Revue ?).
And as Juhani had said, the fact that "COLOUR" is written in latin characters on the rewind button could mean an export version.

Of course, that doesn't explain the black paint. If there is no chrome underneath, it could be original. A French friend erases the chrome on Leicas by electrolysis before painting them in black.

Amitiés. Jacques.

Hi Jacques, it's of course possible to use electrolysis but very unlikely as it's a costly process and not worth it, usually all the ones I've seen are just painted over the chrome. Plus this one has a lot of wear, which also makes me think it's an original paint.


Thanks,
Vlad

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="MS Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Jacques M.</i>
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If there is no chrome underneath, it could be original.
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Of course it's difficult to analyze a photo... Painting quality is low. Where is a primer? It may be a handwork in a garage.

Hi Zoom,

I will post good pictures when I receive it.

The Zenit came today, definitely painted and definitely non-factory [:(]. The seller's pictures had a yellow hue so it looked like brass but it's chrome underneath.. too much excitement for nothing [:(]

Sorry for you, Vlad. It would have been great...
Jacques.

Thank you Jacques! well in our hobby nothing comes without risk, so it's ok. It works great though and looks good on a shelf [:)]. I paid little money for it, so that's not an issue..

A few days ago I wrote a post in which I was leaning towards the authenticity vote. It did not get published, I think I did not answer antispam question. Good:-)

As a side note, removing chrome before painting was pretty common for higher quality jobs. My guy in Ukraine did this, used some chemical.
He mentioned that paint did not adhere well to chrome.

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="MS Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Vlad</i>
<br />The Zenit came today, definitely painted and definitely non-factory [:(]. The seller's pictures had a yellow hue so it looked like brass but it's chrome underneath.. too much excitement for nothing [:(]
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Hello Yuri

Yes, that's exactly what I'm thinking too ... for a painting you have to remove chrome before. But I have here some very bad fakes with very thick paint (in black or even red ...) where I think such basic rules are not used. Someday the color will drop away probably ...

As I said before there are no early black painted Zorki or Zenit cameras from KMZ known before late Zenit-E or so. But I also have some of such fakes in my collection, no question.

Best wishes - Guido