Film cameras
Zenit 122 User manual
User manual for Zenit 122. 22 pages in English. Read the original PDF, download or print a copy without registration.
22 pagesEnglish2.2 MB PDF

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Document details
- Brand
- Zenit
- Model / document
- Zenit 122
- Document type
- User manual
- Language
- English
- Pages
- 22
- File size
- 2.2 MB
- Category
- Film cameras
- Document date
- Not specified in catalog
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Page 3 · Read text
ZENIT-122 is a 35-mm single lens reflex camera intended for taking various
amateur pictures on black-and-white and color films. It can be used for special
kinds of photography as well, such as copying, taking close-up pictures of small-
size objects at short distances (ultra-close-up photography), taking pictures with
the help of a microscope (photomicrography), etc.
The- camera accepts interchangeable lenses with M42Xl screw fittings and
mechanical back focai distance of 45.5 mm.
The following features are remarkable with the camera:
- semi-automatic exposure meter operating through the lens (TTL system) pro-
vides for correct exposure setting when taking pictures with the standard lens as
well as with interchangeable lenses, light filters, supplementary lenses, extension
tubes;
'- light-emitting diodes in the viewfinder, indicating correct exposure setting,
can be clearly seen both with the diaphragm fully open and stoqped down;
- instant return mirror ensures continuous viewing of a' subject before and
after exposure;
- high speed lens is provided with a pre-set diaphragm mechanism which auto-
matically closes the diaphragm down for the moment of shutter operation;
www.butkus.usView original page 3Page 5 · Read text
HANDLING RULES
The camera. is a precise optical-mechanical instrument. It should be handled
carefully, kept clean and protected from jolts, dust, moisture, and sharp tempera-
ture fluctuations.
Do not remove the camera from its case the moment it is brought indoors from
cold to avoid sweating of its parts, especially the optical ones.
Do not touch the surfaces of the optical parts with fingers since it may damage
their coatings. Clean the optical coated lens surfaces with a clean soft cloth or cotton
wool wad slightly moistened with rectified alcohol or ether. The surfaces of the
mirror and the focusing device may be cleaned only if absolutely necessary with
a dry soft brush but in no case with humid cleaning agents.
Keep the camera closed in its case with the cap put on the lens.
Do not remove the lens from the camera without neefl to prevent dirt and dust
from getting both onto the surfaces of the lens optical parts and into the camera
itself.
If you don't use your camera for some period of time (a month and more) remove
the batteries from the camera. Keep the batteries separately in places inaccessible
for'children.
Load and unload your camera either indoors or in shade protecting it against
direct sun light and bright artificial light.
Always cock the shutter as far as it will go to avoid blank exposures.
Do not keep the camera with the shutter cocked for a long period of time
since it is likely to impair the shutter operation.
Do not try to rotate the shutter speed dial with the index moving along its short
www.butkus.usView original page 5Page 9 · Read text
ll-film rewind knob
lz-film rewind crank
l3-film speed dial
- l4-film speed scale
l5-fihn speed index mark
fG-protective strip
tf-shutter speed dial
l8;-shutter speed index
mark
l$-s[utter. cocking and
I film advance lever
' zl-cassette chamber ' 23r battery compartment
end cap
ll-yiewfinder eyepiece
lll-sprocket teeth
zi-take-up spool
26-back door
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CAMERA LOADII\IG
30 3t 32 33
?7-distance scale
28 depth-of =field scale
l$-sperture scale
30-lens mounting ring
$f-gontrol pin
]l-sperture setting ring
33-focusing ring \
1 0View original page 10Page 11 · Read text
I
Put the b.tt"ri.r into tfre in the following way: turn cap iZ counter-
clockwise as far as it will go,""-ur"remove the cap and take out the exhausted batteries
should there be any. Put new batteries into the compartment with signs ,,f "outward
(upwards). Replace the cap and turn it clockwise as far as' .it will go.'
Check the indicating light for operation. To do this, looking through the view-
finder eyepiece. press the release button 5 till a definite stop is felt. If the light-
emitting diodes (one or both) Iight up it means that the power supply operates
properly.
Load the camera with film in the following way:
- ,lift the film rewind crank 12, pull out the rewind knob 11 as far as it will go,
and open the camera back door;
- put a loaded cassette into the chamber 21;
- return the rewind knob11 to a locked position stightly turning.it, if required, to let
'the spool guide enter the cassette;
- draw out a film leader as long as to reach the camera edge and insert it into
the slot of the take-up spool 25 in so doing make sure that a sprocket 24 tooth engage
I a film perforation hoie;
I - close the back door 26, tightly pressing it to make the lock latch;
- to transport a nonexposed portion of film to the film gate, cock and fire the
shutter twice, In so doing the frame counter should be set at ,,0".
Should the film be wound tightly in the cassette, the film rewind knob wiil rotate
r when the shuttei is being cocked. If the film is loose in the cassette, the rewind
knob will fail to rotate at the first frames;
- set the speed of the film loaded in the camera by turning dial 13 till a correspon-
ding film speed vslue is click-stopped against the index mark 15.
, 1 1
www.butkus.us LView original page 11Page 12 · Read text
Bear in mind that wrong setting of the film speed with the dial 13 will result
in wrong exposure.
Reference lbble of Film Speed Units
Designation on film speed scale
1 6 . 2 5 3 2 . 5 0 6 4 . 1 0 0 1 2 5 . 200 250. 400 500 .
GOST/ISO 16 20 25 32 40 50 64 B0 100 125 160 200 250 320 400 500 640
D I N 13 14 15 16 17 1B 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29
SHUTTIiR SPEED SETTING
Turn the shutter speed dial 1? to bring a selected shutter speed opposite to the index
mark 18 on the camerq 9p plate.. In so doing the dial ls clic^k-stopped. Figures-gf
on the sh-uttjr sp-eed dial show shutter speeds in corresponding fractions a
second and ,,B" indicates a hand-controlled shutter speed. Shutter Jpeeds can be set
with the shutter both cocked and released. When taliing pictures at ,,B" the shutter
remains open for as- long as _the release button 5 is preis-ed down. To obtain a long
exposure turn the depressed release button counter-clockwise as far as it wi|1 g5
(,,T" position). The exposure over, return the release button 5 to its normal lmiddft)
position and release it. This will result in closing the shutter.
- To take a picture at ,,B" or long exposures one is recornmended to use a cable
release which can be screwed into th-e release button thread. In so doing the
camera should be mounted on a tripod.
1 2View original page 12Page 13 · Read text
STOP SETTING
Set a selected aperture against the index mark by turning the aperture setting
' r i n g 3 2 .
When tahing pictures with a self-timer, the procedure_of- s_!op.setting is some-
what different as described in the section ,,Operating the Self-Tim€r"'
F{)CUSING
The camera viewfinder is provided with a composite focusing device consisting
;i";op;ism collar-""6 gto""d glass collar or focusing wedges,-microprism-collar
"f gro""d glass F6cusing itrould be done at all shooting distances including
"nainfinitv (oo). Before"oil"r. shooting- iemove the lens cap' T'ooking . through tlt"
th" lens focusin-g ring to obtain sharp image of the object within the
"i"*ijira";t;;"grl""a glass and microprism Ind for cameras with focusing wedges to match
it and iower parts of "ofi"r"the split image. The best sharpness is obtained when
focusing" "ppE. is done at full aPerture.
@ @ @
t 3
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l. Exposure setting in caheras with two-diode indication.
Lighting of the upper diode indicates over-exposure and of the lower one-under-
exposure. T\rrn the-aperture setting ring 32 and the shutter speed dial 1Z till the moment
when both of the diodes. are lighting. 11 indicates the best possible combination of ifre
shutter speed and aperture pioviding for eorrect e*posrrie. However, if you fail to
obtain simultaneous blinking of bbth of the dioies, and changing the shutter
spqed- and aperture values over between the two neighbouring" ories results in
switchin_g the-lighting from one diode to the other, yoi may sJtect one of these
values. In such a case the elposure.will be still acceptably co"rree-t.
?. Exlnsure setting in cameras with three-diode indication.
Lighting of the upp-er (red) diode indicates orr".-"*posure and of the lower (red) one-under-eYposure.
T\{} the aPerture setting ring td and shutie" rpe"a dial 1z till the moment when the middle.(green) diode isrigf,tin!-continuously. It indicates the best possible combinatiol of shutter speed g.ng a'pertrire providing for correct -the. exposure.However, if you fail to obtain continubus-urinlirij;i;-h; middle (grcen) diode, and changing the shutter speed and aperture'values gvel between,the i"*o
results in switching the lighiing from one red diode to the other ""ilrr;;i"i"g"ffi,or", yqu may
select one of these values. In suih a case the exposure *irf u"Jiii ""a-
"""lpi-uiy "o.r""i.
i'iu TURE TAKING.
Having piepared the eamera for picture taking,-andcock the shutter, make sure of
correct focusing, framing and expolure setting smoothly ptur" tfr" releasebuttgn.!g take a picture.
l 6View original page 16Page 17 · Read text
BEAR IN MIND that sharp pressure on the release button results in camera
shaking at the moment of exposure and thus in blurring of the picture.
Whin taking pictures see to it that index marks on the release button and the
camera top plate (between,,T" and,,V") should be lined up.
To tak-e a picture with long exposure mount the camera on a tripod, set the
shutter speed dial l? at ,,B". slightly press release button 5 (the shutter should be set
beforehand in the ,,ready to fire" position) and turn it counter-clockwise as far as
it will go (.,T' position).
The exposure over, return the button to its normal (middle) position and release
it As a result the shutter will close.
CAMERA U NI.,OADI NG
When the exposure counter shows figure 36,
rewind the f ilm into the cassette.
To do this:
release the shutter. pressing release but-
ton 5;
press bush 6 downwards as f ar as it will go;
flip open crank 12 and rotate it in the arrow
direction unti I the f ilm leaves the take-up spool.
Tly and rotate the crank smoothly, without jerks,
and not too fast to avoid traces of static electri-
city on film:
t 7
www.butkus.usView original page 17Page 18 · Read text
- pull film rewind knob 11 all the way out, open the back door and remove the cas-
sdtte;
- turn the cocking lever 19 and, holding the sprocket teeth 24 with your finger, make
sure that it is engaged: j
Do not try to take more than 36 shots. However if it has happened and the film, fixed
in the cassette, prevents full shutter cocking, unload the camera in the following way:
- press button 6 and hold it doWn rewinding the film into the cassette;
- remove the cassette;
- cock and fire the shutter:
- press button 6 to reset the frame counter to ,,0".
OPERATING THE SELF.TIMER
To use self-timer mount the camera on a tripod, then do the following:
- focus the image;
- press the release button 5 till a definite stop is felt and turn it clockwise (,V" po-
sition). This will enable you td set the aperture manually since the diaphragm
does not operate automatically when the self-timer is used;
- set the aperture and the shutter speed;
- cock the shutter;
- Wind the self-timer by turning lever I downwards as far as it will go in the
direction of the camerd top plate. Red light in the self-timer window indicates
that the self-timer mechanism is not cocked, gfeen light indicates that it is cocked;
1 8View original page 18Page 19 · Read text
- prcss the self-timer release button 2 and take yo\rr place in front of the lens.
Ttre shutter will operate no sooner than in ? seconds after pressing the button;
- self-timer operation over, return button 5 to its home position.
TAKING FI,ASH PICTURES
The camera shutter is synchronized for use with
electronic flashes. To connect a flash unit with the
camera, the latter is fitted with socket 4 on the front
wall of the camera.
The camera design provides as well for cable-
Iess connection of f-lash units. For this aim it is
fitted with hot-shoe 7 -
Bef ore mounting a flash unit on the camera
remove protective slrip-of16 from shoe 7.
The Shutter speed 1/30 s only can be used
for flash photograPhy.
The aperture ii selected in acbordance with the
instmctions given in the Instruction Manual on a
flash unit being used.
www.butkus.usView original page 19Page 20 · Read text
I NTERCHA NGEABLE I...ENSES
AND CLOSE-UP SHOOTING
Ttre came_ra aecepts interchangeable lenses pro-
-vided with M42 x I mounting thread and mechanical
back focal distance of 45.b rnm.
The lenses with index mark ,nMC" are provided
with multicoating of optical surfaces that ensures
bettel - protection againts ref lexes (halos, glares,
aqg. light s-pots) when taking - pictures of Julecti
. with sharply heterogeneous illumination agiinst
light as well as improves color rendition.
V If an interchangeable lens has no automatic diaph;
liaphragm.can be handled manually. Ii a
the left-hand and right-hand edges of the
::1i?A:S"xf,:""-#'H ""iL'ii,.",lricationvou want either one tube or .'i*tl:A:"tTttf#'",*yl"*"#ig$:
E-xtension tubes proridded with a co.ntrol pin should be used with lenses where
no drapnragm rnanual.,mode switsh.is p-rovided (HELIOS-{4M-4, for example).
Extension tubes without control pins ihould be'used with the ienses in w:hicir
the..aperture is set manually (the diaphragm mode selector should be set to
"*it"rt"M")..
20View original page 20From the M. Butkus archive. Original publisher and archive notices are retained.
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PDF verified 2026-10-10.