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Helios 44 s/n

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05/27/2015 12:36

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Hello!

I have seen lately an Helios 44 M42 with 5002478 as serial number.
I thought that this lens had been produced from 1960 with a s/n beginning by one or several "0" for the préséries?

So, how are they numbered?

Thanks! Jacques.

05/28/2015 01:59

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quote:
Originally posted by Jacques M.

I have seen lately an Helios 44 M42 with 5002478 as serial number.
I thought that this lens had been produced from 1960 with a s/n beginning by one or several "0" for the préséries?

So, how are they numbered?


Hi Jacques,
I was little bit interested in Helios some years ago,
maybe this site can help little bit.
http://forum.mflenses.com/complete-list-of-helios-lenses-getting-closer-t26100.html

First I would say 7-digits s/n is right, but preseries should be M39,
maybe the first "5" means 1965, I'm not sure now, after some years,
but these locking-rings are easily changable.

05/28/2015 05:06

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Hi Jacques,

Your lens was made during the first year of production in MMZ.

Some very early MMZ have KMZ logo since KMZ sent to MMZ some non-finished copy to help MMZ to get used to machines, etc..
The lenses were finished in MMZ, that's why they engraved their SN on the nameplate produced in KMZ.
Here is one exemplar :

05/29/2015 08:39

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quote:
Originally posted by Zoom
See this page: http://www.zenitcamera.com/qa/qa-serialnumbers.html
Your lens with s/n 5002478 was made in 1965 year.


Thank you for the link Zoom, I missed this webpage. One correction though regarding the statement for 50 Year KMZ Anniversary Zenit-122: (and sorry to hijack this post, Jacques)

"В 1992 году была выпущена небольшая партия в 300 штук юбилейных фотоаппаратов ЗЕНИТ-122 «50 лет КМЗ». У этих камер нумерация имела вид: 50920ННН, где 50 — 50 лет, 92 — юбилейный год выпуска. В 1993–1994 годах выпуск этих камер был продолжен, однако год выпуска указывался тот же — 1992, т.е. вид восьмизначного серийного номера фактически не изменился: 5092НННН."

This says that these all had 5092XXXXX prefix for the year and as we know the first batch just 92XXXXX based on my example. Maybe correction is in order Wink

Cheers,
Vlad.

05/29/2015 13:41

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quote:
Originally posted by Vlad

Maybe correction is in order


There are always examples when they just forgot to engrave 1 or 2 digits. We can find these mistakes easily. There might be even cameras with the same serial number only because they made a mistake.

In this case for the Zenit-122 the serial number wasn't engraved by hand but it was unusual to start with "50" for anniversary. I wish Zoom could tell us more in detail about serials.

06/02/2015 07:41

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Just received this Helios 44.
I am not accustomed with these lenses and I am a bit surprised by its weight and bulkiness, compared to my M39 rangefinder lenses.
Having the complete collection of Zenits is certainly an affair of quintals!

Now, I have to chose a 1965 body to put behind.

Amitiés. Jacques.

06/02/2015 08:03

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There is not much to choose from in 1965, you will only find Zenit-3M, but I'm not sure if MMZ made them too in that year. A 3M from KMZ shouldn't be so difficult to find.

06/04/2015 05:51

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quote:
Originally posted by Vlad

This says that these all had 5092XXXXX prefix for the year...

This page is only about the serial numbering principles, not about the numbering of specific lenses.

quote:
Originally posted by Vlad

...and as we know the first batch just 92XXXXX based on my example.

See this note: http://www.zenitcamera.com/qa/qa-serialnumbers.html#n4
Sorry, the camera from your example is not one from the first exclusive batch...

06/04/2015 06:38

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quote:
Originally posted by Zoom


See this note: http://www.zenitcamera.com/qa/qa-serialnumbers.html
Слово «порядковый» не надо понимать буквально, т.е.: «начиная с единицы, с инкрементом в 1», без пропусков. Серийный номер предназначается для производственного контроля и потому единственное требование к нему: уникальность для данного изделия. В рядах серийных номеров обычны многочисленные пробелы, вызванные различными причинами, и несоответствие, иногда значительное, максимальных серийных номеров количеству выпущенных изделий в тот или иной год.


Hello Zoom,

please tell us more about these gaps in serial numbers. Can you give some examples of these gaps? I'm interested in the time before 1960.

Thanks Lenny

06/04/2015 08:12

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quote:
Originally posted by Lenny

... please tell us more about these gaps in serial numbers. Can you give some examples of these gaps? ...

Hmmm... I do not know what to add to what has already been said in that text...

06/05/2015 15:19

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quote:
Originally posted by Vlad

quote:
Originally posted by Zoom

See this note: http://www.zenitcamera.com/qa/qa-serialnumbers.html#n4
Sorry, the camera from your example is not one from the first exclusive batch...


Hi Zoom,

very interesting. When did this information come to light? It seems that there is very little quantity of those cameras then because I have not seen another one yet.. have you? great info, thanks!

Vlad.


I kind of lost the thema of your discussion. What are you talking about? About the 50th birthday edition?

06/05/2015 21:58

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I don't understand why KMZ produced cameras in 1993 with serials #5092xxxx, not only some samples, there were 6000 of them. Makes no sense. It's like celebrating my 50ties birthday when I'm already 51. Instead KMZ could have made a special 53-year edition in 1995.

06/07/2015 19:15

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Dear Moxies and Jacques,
I will try to explain what is in discussion. The point is, that the USSR camera production didn't always follow the common known rools for the serial numbers of the cameras. In some years were made some exception, for example due to large batches or some anniversary (such as example with "50 years of KMZ").

Lenny,
you don't understand too much in this forum. Try to understand first the principals of the soviet photo industry and the principals of living in the USSR. This will give you answers to the most of your questions.

Regards, Alexander

06/07/2015 22:07

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quote:
Originally posted by AlexanderK


you don't understand too much in this forum. Try to understand first the principals of the soviet photo industry and the principals of living in the USSR. This will give you answers to the most of your questions.


Alexander, you think the #5092xxxx made in 1993 are not an exception from the rule to have two digits as a year prefix? Zoom just showed us the rules on Zenitcamera.com.
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