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Zenit-122 Special Edition

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04/29/2008 19:22

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Hello everyone,

I just added a list of serial numbers that I had to this entry. If you have a Zenit 122 Special Edition Titanium "50th Anniversary" camera, please add it to the list.

Regards, Bill

04/29/2008 21:17

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I have a theory maybe Zoom can confirm it.. my camera is one of the original 300 that were made in 92, and the ones you guys all got are from 93 and 94, they got 50 prefix because they did not want to put 93 or 94 prefix and mine has the original year prefix... thus the older die (Made in USSR)...

04/29/2008 23:48

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Hello Vlad

I don't know if it's a fake but maybe a sort of "first try" or so ... ;->

It's remarkable that the painted logo of your version has a little fault in it, maybe a problem with the stamp.

For the serial numbers given by KMZ one little remark: There are *not* production datas, but datas of the delivery of the items. This is also noted in the list pubished by KMZ. So I'm not so shure that all the 5092xxxx s/n are not produced in 1992. Maybe this special edition was put in stock because the price was higher than for other Zenit 122 models and so the selling goes over the next two years? It's only an idea about this ...

Best wishes - Guido

04/29/2008 23:57

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All of the ones on the list have a 50 and then start with 92xxxx, so I think they are from 1992. I don't see any from 1993 or 1994 ? Yours doesn't look fake.

# 50920415 lens - # 92562130 Helios 44M-6 (Juhani Halmeenmaki collection)
# 50922670 lens - # 93298293 Helios 44M-6 (Sean Smith collection)
# 50922704 lens - # 93289857 Helios-44M-6 (okynek)
# 50923326 lens - # 984006 MC Zenitar-M2 (SovietCams collection)
# 50923533 lens - # 93219371 Helios 44M-6 (Tom Tiger collection)
# 50923558 lens - # 87017834 MIR 1-b (Bill Parkinson collection)
# 50923660 lens - # 91488802 Helios 44M-6 (SovietCams collection)
# 50925123 lens - # 93281843 Helios 44M-6 (Bill Parkinson collection)
# 50925693 lens - Helios 44M-6 (Illustrated in Princelle Book)
# 50926482 lens - # 89182898 Helios 44M-4 (Bill Parkinson collection)
# 50926935 lens - # 91159562 Helios 44M-6 (Mirfoto collection)
# 50928004 lens - # 93357880 Helios 44M-6 (Steve Berkowitz collection)
# 50925117l lens - # 90072043 Helios 44M-4 (AlexPhoto- on Ebay 2007)
# 92316563 Vladislav Kern Collection

And ... after the 92 yours has six more numbers, but the others have only four numbers after the 5092.... Your theory is interesting, but I'm not sure why anyone thinks that they were made after 1992 ? The lenses don't seem to be a reliable way to tell as they are all over the place and were probably often switched and interchanged.

We have had a discussion before at the ZCG, including Zoom, who has said records show that there were something like 6000 of these made, but compared to other cameras that were made in quantities of 6000, these don't show up very often (I think ???).


Regards, Bill

04/30/2008 00:04

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I'm puzzled at the fact that mine says USSR and all yours say Russia... really weird.. in terms of these show up often or not, I've seen maybe around 4 or 5 of these for sale for past year...

04/30/2008 00:12

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Hello Vlad

quote:
Originally posted by Vlad

Guido, what fault in logo are you talking about? Some paint may have chipped with the age...


Yes, you're maybe right. I've taken a closer look now and it could well be that some paint is missing after all this years.

Best wishes - Guido

04/30/2008 00:57

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Juhani has the earliest serial number on the list which begins with "50" maybe he can look and see if his camera says "Made In USSR" or "Made In Russia". Since this was the time of the change in government, maybe this camera falls right in the change. So, maybe Vlad's example is the earliest on the list and the "50" was added when the country name was changed.

Also, the cameras with "50" have the serial number on the bottom and Vlad's has it on the upper back. But I have no doubt that Vlad's is not a fake as all of the logos appear to be exactly the same as my three examples.

Regards, Bill

04/30/2008 07:42

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quote:
Originally posted by nightphoto

Juhani has the earliest serial number on the list which begins with "50" maybe he can look and see if his camera says "Made In USSR" or "Made In Russia". Since this was the time of the change in government, maybe this camera falls right in the change. So, maybe Vlad's example is the earliest on the list and the "50" was added when the country name was changed.

Also, the cameras with "50" have the serial number on the bottom and Vlad's has it on the upper back. But I have no doubt that Vlad's is not a fake as all of the logos appear to be exactly the same as my three examples.

Regards, Bill

Mine is made in Russia.
And a propable explanation for Vlad's serial is that it is a normal 122-serial. Maybe the top was broken & exchanged to a spare parts top, and painted to the SE-looks as the rest of the camera was that.

Smena rules

04/30/2008 09:39

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Zoom,

thank you for confirming my theory!! Everyone, the article says exactly what I thought! Big smile. 300 made in 92 (with 92 prefix), the rest with 50 prefix are made 93 and 94. I should be hereby known as a Theoretical Collectionist! Big smile. $10 a theory! Wink.

Bill, thank you for starting this topic, I have discovered yet another gem in my collection thanks to you! Smile

Vlad
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