ZENIT 19
Zenit 19, Zenitar-M 1.7/50mm, provided by Alexey, arrived on May 22nd, 2009.
It's thick sole and square shape give it a look of old Japanese or German camera, the provided bag follows this fashion, since it is exceptionally not made of leather but of thick imitation. This body is much more advanced than what was done at the time (it is contemporary of the Zenit TTL):Metal curtain shutter, from 1s to 1/1000s. The metering system is equivalent to that of TTL: one sensor at the front of the pentaprism, behind a semi-trensparent mirror . This metering is not done by pressing the shutter button, but pressing the round button in depth of field tester position. The galvanometer is then switched on while the diaphragm gets closed. The setting is obviously by "electrical zero", meaning that the needle is in a central position when the current is at zero volt, the reliability of the measure does not depend on the batteries (2x PX625).
The small button (red) next to the rewind button is used to test batteries (a LED lits in the rear, above the serial number). The blue button is for disengaging the film for rewinding. There are Zenit 19 with two shutter versions: flash-synchro at 1/60s, or at 1/125s. Also two systems for back opening: with external lock as for the E, or by pulling the rewind button. Figures on the frame counter are on a white background, there are versions with a red background.
Under the sole: the film-speed selector, and housing for the two button cells.
The 2x3 blades shutter (FZL). The whole mechanism is in the sole of the camera, which explains its thickness.