Strange serial on Ajax F-21

Hi!

I recently bought a F-21 which has serial number: N* 33708. I have read in several forums that the two first numbers represent the production year, but that is not possible if they started producing the cameras about 1951...

The camera seems to be original and used.

Do anyone have any ideas about this? I have watched several photos and newer seen any F-21 with similar serial number.

Hello Mikael

The mystery of the s/n of the F-21 is not yet solved. I have collected some numbers over the years and I found some blocks of s/n beginning with 5xxx, 3xxxx, 7xxxx, T7xxxx, T8xxxx and T9xxxx. I think the (later) "T" models are numbred by year, the earlier ones my be batches made over some years. Maybe also the 7xxxxx range could be numbred alike. It could well be that the 5xxx serie may also represent the year in the two first numbers, at least from 1951 trough 1953. There exist also other numbers, i.e. 006xxx, Pxxxxx or 2Pxxx and 2Ixxx.

If I should guess I would say your camera was made in the late 50's or in the 60's. But that's just a wild speculation. ;-)

If anyone have more infos about the existing numbers I would be happy to see a list.

Best wishes - Guido

Hello Mikael,
If your read on russian, this page for you(KMZ make F-21):
http://www.zenitcamera.com/qa/qa-serialnumbers.html
If your unknown russian, in two words: for military products serial number can contain(exactly known only military customer, rules changed in times): PYQNNNNN. P - last digit of plant-maker(KMZ has #393), Y - last digit of year(1953,1963,...), Q - quoter of year, NNNNN - serial number in quoter. Or maybe PYMNN, 7 - mean month in year. Choose yourself: #708 in year, #8 in july. e.t.c...
And letter "T" mean tropical.

http://xalmaz.narod.ru

Hi!!

Thanks for two great awnsers! I am so impressed that there is people that knows about this - I am amazed!

Thank you for taking time to awnser!

Hi Xalmaz!

Thanks for great help! Is is right that my camera is from KMZ fabric, made "year 3" aso. Is it possible to know from which decade it belongs (1953 -63 -73 -83)?

TAHNKS!!

quote:

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Originally posted by xalmaz

Hello Mikael,
If your read on russian, this page for you(KMZ make F-21):
http://www.zenitcamera.com/qa/qa-serialnumbers.html
If your unknown russian, in two words: for military products serial number can contain(exactly known only military customer, rules changed in times): PYQNNNNN. P - last digit of plant-maker(KMZ has #393), Y - last digit of year(1953,1963,...), Q - quoter of year, NNNNN - serial number in quoter. Or maybe PYMNN, 7 - mean month in year. Choose yourself: #708 in year, #8 in july. e.t.c...
And letter "T" mean tropical.

http://xalmaz.narod.ru

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Hi Mikael!
I'm not an expert in F-21, probably, if you insert picture of yours F-21, we can talk more precise.

http://xalmaz.narod.ru