Zenit 3M "TsKBK"

Hello Everyone,

Has anybody ever seen this camera or one like it? I don't know too much about it and wrote what I could about it in the catalog entry.
Any info or ideas would be appreciated.

Regards, Bill

Now that I see that engraving, ЦКБК I think has something to do with facial/jaw surgery. Like a medical procedure/term.. if there are any Russian doctors they may chime in, I'll run it by the one I know tomorrow.

Vlad

Well, the TsKBK was evidently some type of Cinematography Research Institute in Leningrad, I think as far as I have found out so far. So I don't know what that would have to do with facial surgery? Why do you think that?

Regards, Bill

I heard this acronym before in regards to medical field and if this a medical camera it may make sense.

You are right too, it also means Центральное Конструкторское Бюро Киноаппаратуры - Central Design Bureau of Cinematographic Equipment.

Vlad

Polished chrome finish is a bit suspicious to me. Did KMZ make made any cameras with such finish? But lens look very interesting. What is it?

I doubt if the polished chrome was done at KMZ, or if it was, it was done after the engraving was put on. I would think it was polished either for looks or to be able to keep it very clean, which is why I thought it might be for medical use. But does have an accessory shoe attached to the top, so it may have been used with a flash, which might rule out endoscopy.

There are no markings on the lens at all. It has only 3 f-stops which are operated by the ring on the front with the three beads as f-stop settings. Focusing is by the large knurled ring near the front.

Maybe it was for still photos made on movie film production sets, for testing purposes of some sort. Or maybe it is medical.

Regards, Bill

Bill,
I like your camera a lot! Any way, the cute chrome finish cost much more than camera itself ...

Regards,
Aidas

quote:

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Originally posted by Vlad

ЦКБК I think has something to do with facial/jaw surgery.

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I know only one TsKBK (ЦКБК) -- Tsentral'noe konstruktorskoe buro kinoappatatury NPO "Ekran" (Центральное конструкторское бюро киноаппаратуры НПО "Экран").

Btw, you may use this service to define a abbreviations: http://www.sokr.ru/ (For verification use Google ;)

I don't know why but I have this term in the back on my mind, maybe because I grew up with so many parents friends doctors around... as I said I will ask a doctor that I know who was educated in Russia, maybe it rings a bell... it's just a gut feeling

quote:

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Originally posted by Vlad

I don't know why but I have this term in the back on my mind...

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Because "ЦКБ" (TsKB) -- is "Tsentral'naya Kninicheskaya Bol'nitsa" (and "Tsentral'noe Konstruktorskoe Buro" ;)...

You know what Zoom, it's possible, because I think someone had mentioned some jaw surgery with that acronym so it may very well be... i can't quite put my finger on it!

Dear Zoom,

Can you think of a camera like this being used by the TsKBK (Central Design Bureau of Cinematographic Equipment) for some testing or film production purpose? And, have you ever seen something like this, either the lens or the camera?

Thank you very much for identifying "TsKBK" so that I say it correctly in the catalog entry and on my site

Regards, Bill

Bill, it does not seem to me like a factory engraving though, it may be most likely an ownership engraving.

Vlad,
I wouldn't say it was a factory engraving. No doubt put on by the Ministry or organization (TsKBK) that used it.

The polished chrome top may or may not be by the KMZ factory. There is a Kristal-2 that has a similar chromed top (see Princelle pg. 150) but I suspect this was also done by the organization that owned the camera, although then the camera would have to have been taken apart to polish the top plate... so, maybe the factory was asked to provide this service.



Regards, Bill

quote:

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Originally posted by nightphoto


Can you think of a camera like this being used by the TsKBK (Central Design Bureau of Cinematographic Equipment) for some testing or film production purpose?

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May be... I think that the TsKBK had an equipment and a tools (and a hands ;) to made this modifications...

quote:

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Originally posted by nightphoto


And, have you ever seen something like this, either the lens or the camera?

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I can't zoom this camera pictures to see a details... :(

Thanks Zoom,
The camera looks like an after factory modification to me. Here are links to photos on my server so you can see the details. The lens is a mystery to me, with no markings at all on the outside, just 3 f-stops .. wide open...half closed... small aperture (maybe f-16. Lens is coated. Seems to be about 85mm - 100mm.

http://www.nightphoto.com/images/z3mmed1.jpg
http://www.nightphoto.com/images/z3mmed2.jpg
http://www.nightphoto.com/images/z3mmed3.jpg
http://www.nightphoto.com/images/z3mmed4.jpg
http://www.nightphoto.com/images/z3mmed5.jpg
http://www.nightphoto.com/images/z3mmed6.jpg
http://www.nightphoto.com/images/z3mmed7.jpg

Regards, Bill

Asked the doctor and was told there is no TsKBK, only TsKB like Zoom stated which is that Central Clinic Hospital or something like that, which what I was probably thinking of.. I remember there was some kind of medical thing that sounded similar

Vlad.