Zenit AM
Zenit AM Helios 44K-4, bought by Christophe on eBay on january 29th, 2009 68£+20£sending
Superb!It is a variant of the Automat equipped with a metal vertical curtain shutter. Very close to it's "brother", but in my opinion very few common parts (film advance mechanism, buttons, mirror and pentaprism) The molding of the frame is different internally, the pentaprism cache is narrower (the electronics is now on the right side of the exposure room, seen from front). The display in the viewfinder is different:Above, a red triangular diode, pointing upwards: lights if too much light. In the middle, a round green LED: illuminates if the exposure is good, flashes to indicate a long exposure. Below, a red triangular diode, pointing downwards: not enough light (but the shutter still releases).
The body bears the marking "Made in Russia" (Sdelano v Rossii). The timer button is different, the viewfinder shutter is no more included. The superb shutter (FZL-84) with 7 fan-shaped +1 horizontal strips (each curtain) was seemingly subcontracted by a manufacturer of watches, no problem between two state-plants, more delicate (financially) between two private companies after the collapse of the USSR, hence the low number of units produced, and the continuation of the parallel production of the Automat.
The M42 adapter is different from the automat one and is now locked by a pin (1) coupled with the lock button, which goes into the notch (2)In (3), the lower stop of the mirror is now mounted on a spring.The sight glass is still interchangeable.
Accessories sold with this camera: a viewfinder shutter, the M42 ring and a curious battery adapter. Also a bag, a special series for KMZ 50th anniversary (visible in "Accessories").
Also provided: adapter for 4 LR6 batteries , which connects at the right of the lens, under the flash-sync. socket. Attention, on the Automat, the same outlet is an outlet for electric trigger, if you connect a trigger on the AM, you burn the electronics!
Zenit AM, bought for us by Alexey, delivered on June 18th, 2009.
Here are the photos found with an announcement of the Russian auction site Molotok.ru.Looking closely, I recognized a Zenit 11, a Zenit ET, two Zenit B, a Zenit 3. The latter was presented as an "automat" but the shape of the top cover, around the pentaprism is rather the one of an AM. And as on the top view, you can see a self-timer button, this is not a AM2, but really an AM (manufactured in 11802 ex.) so a rather rare model.
Alexey must have groused when we asked him to to buy this lot, a priori without interest, but when he got the AM in his hands, he may have thought that I have a pretty good sight, and sent an e-mail to show us the serial number: 93000001! (the first body of the 1993 production).He sent this and the Zenit 3, and kept the others, as planned.
Here is 93000001 when it was delivered!
It got a complete disassembling before cleaning.
And here it is! isn't it better like that? (and it works!)