ZENIT TTL - 12XP Comparison

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I grouped all the descendants of Zenit E in the same "family," but you can often see two "sub-families" because from Zenit 11, the hull was modified, and the coupling mechanism of the diaphragm changed. This comparison between TTL and 12XP shows the differences.
The Zenit TTL has already received a new shutter speed selector.

Les deux boitiers de face Viewed from the front, you have to remove the lenses to see the main difference: the mirror is wider and it's improved mechanism takes more space; thus the body has been enlarged around the lens mount, and the square shape at the bottom allows to put the tripod thread (almost!) in the middle. The selftimer lever and button have a new shape.

Les deux boitiers de côté The back cover is no more locked by an external mechanism. It can now be opened by pulling up the rewind button, like on the japanese cameras.

Les deux boitiers de dessus The film-speed selector indications are in Din and Gost-Asa on the TTL, in Gost-Asa only on the 12xp; the selecting is not in the same direction! The 12 now has a synchronized flash shoe (some TTL already have the synchronized flash shoe).

The Helios 44M-4 lens which takes place of the Helios 44M is no longer equipped for a manual closing of the diaphragm; when you use the selftimer, you have to manually close this diaphragm: for that, the new shutter-release button can now be blocked at half-stroke. This system is still present on the last models.

Les oeilletons des deux boitiers The main difference is inside the body: the Zenit TTL is equipped with a single CdS sensor, at the front of the pentaprism. From the 12 the metering uses two CdS sensors at the rear of the prism, at the left and right of the sight (like on the large majority of the other make cameras), than only one sensor, above the sight. The sight has a smaller hole, to gain space for the sensors. It is possible that the wider mirror improves light metering in this configuration.