Zenit II User manual

ATTENTION!

  The present Descriptioncontains characteristics'andessentialoperating princip-
les of the ZENIT-ll camera and cannot be regarded as a handbook on photography.
   Before using this camer&;m?ke thorough study of the handling rules and ope-
rating proceduresgiven in the present Description
  Due to ever-advancing developmentin camera construction, minor differences
may occur between the text and your camera.





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USES AND ADVANTAGES

   ZENIT-Il  is a 35-mm single lens ieflex camera intendeclfor a broad circle of
amateur photographers.lt  is designed for valiious kinds of shooting on black-and-
whitp or color films.
   The camera is fitted with a mechanismof automatic pre-set diaphragm, a'built-
in exposure meter, an instant return mirror, a self-timer, a shutter cocking lever
and is synchronizedfor use with flash units.
   The camera is focused by a microraster as well as a ground glass collar.
   The Fresnel lens ensures uniform brightness of image over the whole field of
view of the viewfinder.
   With the help of extensiontubes the ZENIT-ll camera can be used for making
copies. lt allows as well to take close-up pictures of small-size objects at short dis-
tances (macrophotography) and  to takp pictures with the help of a microscope
(photomicrography).
  The ZENIT-l I camera has the following features:
     -  a secret lock of the back door;   .
     -  a shutter disengaging bush;
     -  a tripod nut in the centre of the camera bottom;
     -  a shutter speed dial not rotating while cocking the shutter;
     -  a film rewinding crank;
     -  cable connection for flash units:
     -  a hot-shoe for llash units.

HANDLING RULES
   The ZENIT-ll camera is a preciseopticat-mechanicalinstrument. lt should be
 handled carefully, kept clean and protected from  jolts, dust, moisture and sharp
 temperaturefluctuations.
   Do not remove the camera from its case the moment it is brought indoors fronr
'cold      to avoid sweating of its parts, especiallyoptical ones.
   Do not touch wilh fingers the surfaces of the optical parts since it  is likely to
 cause deterioration of their coatings. Clean the optical coated lens surfaces with
 a clean sott cloth or cotton wool wad slightly moistenedwith rectified alcohol or
 ether.
   The surfacesof the mirror and focusing device rnay be cleaned only if absolutely
 necessarywith a dry soft brush but in no case with humid cleaning agents.
    (eep the camera closed in its case; in so doing the cap should be placed on the
 kns and the shutter released.
   Do not remove the lens from thp carnera without need to prevent dirt and dust
 from getting both onto the surfaces of the lens optical parts and into the camera
 itself.

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To screwthe lens in and out take hold of it with your hand and apply lhe lnain
   tffort to the lens mount part carrying the depth-ot-fi,eldscale.
     Load and unload your camera either indoors or in shade protecting it against
   direct sun light.
     Always wind the shutter as i"r as it will go to avoid blank exposures.
.    Do not keep the camera with the shutter cockedfor a long period o[ time since
     it is likely to impair the shutter operation.
    Do not try to rotale the shutter speeddial in the short interval between500and
   "8" and the film speeddial in the interval having no figures. Do not rotate the
  shutter speeddial and do not cock  the shutter when the self-timeris running in
   "8" mode and when setti'ngthe releasebutton in "T" position. lt is likely to cause
  unsticking of the shutter blinds tape.
     The camera photocellis designedfor a long service life. To ensure its trouble-
   free operationand long time service do not subject it to the direct sunlight and
  carry the camera in its case when you are not using it. Keep the photocellwindow
  clean to ensure accurate operation ol the exposure meter.
     Since the camera  is a complex instrument, its repair and adjustrrrenlshoulrl
  bc made in repair shops only.

8 -..-film rewind crank
 9 -film  rewind knob
l0 -exposure counter dial
I I -shutter  cocking and
        f ilm advance lever
l2 -shutter   disengaging
    bush
l3 -shutter speed dial
14 -protective    strip   of
    hot-shoe
l5 -,shoe  for  mounting
     llash units and other                                              I    accessories               9                   1 4

l6 -cassette chamber
l 7 -lock  latch
l8 -cassette spool guide
l9-viewfinder  eyepiece
20-pressure plate
2l -back  door
22 -take-up  spool
23 -sprocket
24 -tilm  frame slides
25-film  gate
26 -aperture scale guide                                              26   32    3 l   3027 -tilm  speed scale
28 -aperture scale of calculator
29-shutter speed scale of calculator
3o-exposure meter needle
3l -calculator pointer
32-f ilm speed scale index mark

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OPERATINGPROCEDURES


                         I.OADINGTHE CAMERA

         Load the camera in the followi,ng procedure:
                 -   pull film. rewind knob 9 upwards; as a result back door 2l should open;
                  -  holding knob I  in the upper position, place a cassetteloaded with film into
      chamber l6;
                  -  return film rewind knob I completely home to its locked position;
                  -  draw out a lilm leader from the cassetteand insert it into the slot of take.up
        spool 22; in so doing ensure that a sprocket tooth engage a sprocket hole in film;
                  -  turn shutter cocking lev.erI I as far as'it will go to make sure that sprocket23
        teeth have properly engaged sprocket holes in film;
                  -  close back door 2l;
                 -  fire the shutter by pressing releas" tutton  4. While cocking the shutter, the
          film  is advanced by one frame. To transport a non-exposed portion of film  to tlre
               f ilnt ga-te,cock and f ire the shutter twice by turning lever 1l nad pressing button 4.
        Bring figure "0" of exposure counter dial l0 to the index mark before ihe second
        shutter firing. Should the film be wound tightly in the cassette,knob g with filrn
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rewind crank 8 will rotate when the shutter is being cocked. lf the film is slack in
lhe cassette,the rewind knob will  fail to rotate wilh the llrst lew trames.

                        F I L M S P E E D S E T T IN G

  The film speed scale has figures 16, 32, 65, 130,
25O,500 showing film speed in I-OCT-ASA units.
Under figure 32 there are marked two dots: the
left-hand one corresponds to a film speed of 25
f OCT-ASA units and  the  right-hand one to 32
f OCT-ASA units. The opposite side of the scale
has figures 13, 16, 19,22,25,28,showing film speed
in DtN grades.
   The  f ilm  speed scale  f igures can be seen in
curved windows of the aperture scale; the windows
are fitted with setting index marks. To set a re-
quired  f ilm  speed (for  example, 65 I-OCT-ASA
units), turn aperture scale 28 to bring the setting
index mark to figure 65. The same procedureshould
be followed in setting film speedif  it is calibrated
in Dl N grades.
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EXPOSURE DETERMINING                   :
       Direct lhe camera at an object to be photographed.Turn shutter speed scale 2g
    to fine up calculator pointer 3l with exposure meter needle 30. By scales 28 and Zg
   you can read now a number of combinations of shutter speedsand aperture values
   appropriate for a given scene and speed of the loaded film. With any of these com-   binations you can obtain an image of proper density.                            ff
     The shutter speed and the appropriate lens stop, chosen depending on conditions
    of photographing, should be correspondinglyset on the camera and the lens.
      Figures from 5O0 to 2 on shutter speed scale 29 show shutter speeds in fractions
   of a secondand those from  I to 30 show whole seconds.Figures wi,thin the interval
   from 500 to 30, indicating fractions of a second, on the shutter speed scale 2g of
   the calculator correspondto those on the shutter speed scale l3 of the shutter.
     For example, figure 125 of the calculator shutter speed scale alines with figure
   5.6 of the aperture scale. lt means that with the lens stop of f/5.6, the shutter speed
   of lll25 s should be used, with the lens stop of tl4 the shutter speed should be that
   of 11260s; with the lens stop of f/8-l/60  s and so on.
          lf necessary,it is possibleto set a required lens stop by a selectedshutter speed.

                                                          t7h.                  -             -                                                                                                - . - . ]lff

Should the marks of the scales fail to aline by hall an interval, the lens aperture
ring should be set in a halt-stop click-stop position between correspondingvalues    d
of the aperture scale.
   Cases of sharply heterogeneousillumination of a scene require special attention:
   1) the main object of a scene is less illuminated than the background. Such a        I                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    '
case usually  takes ptace when taking pictures against snow, sky or water back-
ground lighted with the sun. To obtain correct exposure ol the main (dark) object,                                                                                                                                                             I
open the diaphragm I or 2 steps more as compared with the exposure met€r reading;       I
   2) the main object is more illuminated than the background (when taking   I      *
picture of an illuminated face of a person against a dark background and so on).        I
In such a case step down the lens by  I or. 2 steps.





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S H U T T E RS P E E D S E T T I N G

   Turn shutter speed d ial  t B to bring a setected
shutter speed value oppositeto the index mark.  I n
so doing the dial is click-stopped.Figureson the
shutter speed dial show shutter speeds in corres-
ponding lractions of a second and  " B" indicates
a hand-controlledshutter speed.Shutter speedsmay
be set both with the shutter cocked and released-.
when taking pictures at  " B" the shutter remains
open whil.e the releasebutton is pressed.To obtain
a long exposureturn the depressedreleasebutton
counter<lockwiseas  f ar as  it  will go  ( "T "  posi-
tion). The exposureover, return the ieleise button
to its normal position. To take a picture with  " 8"
o_rlong exposuresuse should be made of a tripod.
when taking pictures at the other shutter spe.eds
see to  it  that index marks on the release bution
and the camera top plate (betwoen "T" and "V")
should be lined up.


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STOP SETTING
   To obtain a selectedaperture on HELlOS44fvt-4 lens align with the index mark
one oi the figures (2,2.8,4, 5.6,8, ll, 16) of aperturescale34 engravedon aperture
setting ring 38.
   This procedurewill not result in lens stop setting but will set preliminarily the
aperture value to which the diaphragm will close down at the moment the release
button is pressed.
   The same should be done to set an aperture on HELIOS-44M lens. But in so
doing the diaphragm mode selector switch of the lens should be set to "A"  posi-
tion.





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FOCUSING#

     The camera viewfinder  is provided with Fresnel
   lens 43 in the centre of which there are two focusing
   devices: microraster  44, arranged in the centre of
   the field, and ground glass collar 45. Watching an
   object to be photographed, turn focusing ring 3-7to
   obtain a sharp image on  the  microraster or the
   ground glass collar. Focusing is better done with
   the diaphragm fully  open. The best sharpness is
   obtained when the image in the microraster-is clear,
   without  ripples. The ground glass collar  is used





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D E P T H O F F I E , L D D E T E R M I N I N G

   Making  use of scales i]5 and  iXi, you can determine the distances from  the  filrn
to lhe front and back limits within which  all the objects will be sharp on  filrrr. For
example, the lens is focused at  ll m and an aperture of f/8  is selected. lrr this case
you can read on scate i]6 against  two  tigures  "8"  of scale 35 two  figures  2.3 and
{.S.   lt  means  that  objects  ptaced at a distance froln  2.1} to 4.5 lttetres fronr  the
camera will be sharp on  film.
   Approximate  drepth of  field  limits  with  a certain aperture set on the lens can be
determined visually as  well.  In mode  of automatic pre-set diaphragm  to do  this
press release button 4  tilt a definite stop and evaluate the image sharpness visually
on the ground glass collar  in the viewfinder.





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I

Ei                         P I C T U R ET A K I N G
E]E.
I
I    Having prepared the camera for picture takilrg, cock the shutter, make sure of
JF correcttocusing and exposuresetting and smoothly press the releasebutton to take
  a picture.
   REMEMBER that sharp pressureon the releasebutton results in camera shaking
  at the moment of exposureand thus in blurrirrg of the picture.

U N L O A D I N G T H E C A M E R A

  When the exposure counter shows figure
36, rewind the  f ilm into the cassette.To do
this:
    -r release the shutter by pressing release
button 4;
     -, s€t  the  shutter sPeed dial   at  any
shutter speed but  " B" and long exposure;
     -  disengage the  shutter  by  pressing
down bush l2 against the stoP;
     -   lift crank 8 and rotate it in the arrow
direction  until  the film  leaves the take-up
spool;
     -  pull out the film rewind crank as far
as it will go; as a result the back door will open. Holding knob I  in the upper po-
 silion, remove the cassette.
      !f necessary,the camera can be unloaded atter exposing any number of frames.


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OPERATING THE SELF.TIMER

   To  use the  selt-tirner lnou nt  the ca lnera on   :r
 tripod, then do the  f ollowing:
      -  focus the lens;
      -  set an exposure ( shutter speed and aperture );
      -  pr€SS button 4  till a definitp stop and turn   it
clockwise.  with   HELlos-{4M    lens  instead  of
pressing the  button,  set the d iaphragm mode  se-
lector switch  to "M"  position;
      -  cock the shutter;
      -  wind  the self-timer by turning  the sell-timer
setting lever  I down as far as  it  will  go;
      -  press  self-timer  release button  2 completely
home;
      -  take your place in front  of the lens.
   The shutter  will  operate no sooner than  7 se-
conds after pressing the button.

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TAKING FLASH PICTURES
   The camera shutter  is synchronized for use with various types -of flash unlts
(X-synchronization). To connect a flash unit with the camera the latter is fitted
*ittt-"  socket on the front wall ol the camera. The camera is provided as well with
a hot-shoe.
   Flash pictures can be taken at a shutter speed of l/30 s only.           v
                                               I N T E R C H A N G E A B L EL E N S E S

                                                     t ,                                                                                   '
                       various interchangeable lenses intended tot TENIT type ot              accepts   The camera
reflex-    cameras with a roller-blind shutter.
     ift.  interchang..bl.  lenses likewise the standard ones are mounted on the ca'
-"i"-Uy--.u.r     m42Xl  thread. The fla-ngeffilmdistance of the lenses is 45.5 mm.
  When using "fu fAlfi-gn  interchangeabE'lens the left-hand and the right-hand
.ages--itt.    well ?s the upper one of the-image on negativ..may be slightly llt"?lf;^        "rcamera does iroi'altow to use its exposure meter when use is made ot 3M-5A
o, niC Mi'o-i000- nrrl int"rchangeable lenses as the outer mounts of these lenses
shade the photocell.
  Whpn interchangeablelenses having no automatic pre-set diaphragm are used,
the diaphragm is set manuallY.

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C L O S E . U P S H O O T I N G

   With the help of a special stand
the Z E N lT-l  l camera can be used f or
making copies of  drawings, manu-
scripts, photographs, etc. To make
copies use should be made of exten-
sion tubes that go between the camera
casing and  the lens. One tube or a
combination of tubes can be used to
achieve  the  magnif ication  wanted.
Reproduction scale depends on the
length and number of tubes which is
clearly illustrated by the copies of a
postage stamp.
  When use is made of H ELIOS-44M-4
lens, extension tubes fitted with cont-
rol pins ( yT3T ) should be used. Other
inlerchangeable lenses accept exten-
sion tubes without control pi ns ( yT3 ) .
 In such a case the diaphragm is set
manually.

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