Skip to main content

Love gear inspired by history? Zenit returns with the Zenit M rangefinder

Shvabe / Facebook

The Russian optics company behind one of the most widely produced SLR cameras is back with a full-frame digital rangefinder. On Wednesday, September 26, Zenit unveiled the Zenit M camera, designed in collaboration with Leica, during Photokina 2018.

The digital rangefinder will be equipped with a Zenitar 35mm f/1.0 lens, optics that create a “unique bokeh and soft focus effect,” the company says. The camera is designed based on the Leica M Type 240, but the company says the Zenit M has adjustments to both hardware and software from that original platform.

Recommended Videos

The parent brand of Zenit is Krasnogorsky Zavod (KMZ Zenit), which is owned by Shvabe. The company has not yet shared full details for the upcoming camera that comes after a dozen-year hiatus from camera production. The Russian-based company teased that the camera was coming back in 2017.

KMZ Zenit (c) Shvabe

The body of the camera is inspired by past Zenit cameras, as well as the Zorky, which was also developed with Leica influence.

“[The] Zenit and Leica cooperation forms a unique alliance between long-term experience in optics manufacturing and modern technologies of Russia and Germany. With this project we for the first time declare launch of world famous Russian brand Zenit into the new segment of photography equipment market,” said Alexey Patrikeyev, the CEO of Shvabe.

While details on the upcoming camera are slim, the company says that the rangefinder will be available beginning in December across Europe, with availability in Russia in January 2019. The company hasn’t yet said if the camera will be sold in the U.S.

“On purchasing the camera and the lens the users will get not only a high-quality device with elaborate ergonomic design and high optical characteristics, but a really smart camera which will provide high image quality,” said Vadim Kaliugin, CEO of KMZ Zenit.

KMZ originated in 1942 as an optics factory, with the company’s first SLR cameras following in 1952. The company’s long history also includes a panoramic camera, followed by compacts in 1997. While the company hasn’t manufactured cameras for more than a decade, the factory continued to focus on optics, including producing the Lomography Petzval lenses, a remake of a historic lens.

Hillary K. Grigonis
Hillary never planned on becoming a photographer—and then she was handed a camera at her first writing job and she's been…
SpaceX images show the awesome power of Starship’s Raptor engines
The Super Heavy booster's Raptor engines powering the Starship's launch on November 19, 2024.

SpaceX has posted some incredible images showing the Super Heavy booster's 33 Raptor engines as they powered the Starship rocket skyward at the start of the vehicle’s sixth test flight on Tuesday.

“[Thirty-three] Raptor engines powering the Super Heavy booster off the pad from Starbase,” SpaceX wrote in the message on X.

Read more
Best Black Friday drone deals to take to the skies
DJI's Air 3S drone.

Update 11/29/2024: As you likely know, we spend a lot of time reviewing our deal guides to make sure the prices are all up-to-date and you're getting the latest info on steep Black Friday deals and discounts. Our most recent update was no exception. We added a few more offers and updated all the prices. Enjoy!

If you’ve been shopping Black Friday deals you may have noticed there’s a lot to shop right now. Among the hot items are drones, with plenty of Black Friday drone deals available. That includes recognizable brands like DJI and Holy Stone, as well as some budget-friendly options. We’ve rounded up all of the best Black Friday drone deals, and you can read all about them below. So if you’ve been shopping Black Friday camera deals and would rather take a camera to the skies, or if you’d simply like a new toy to fly around, read onward for all of the details on how to save on a drone during Black Friday.

Read more
This Fujifilm Instax Mini 11 instant camera bundle is $90 for Cyber Monday
The contents of the Fujifilm Instax Mini 11 instant camera bundle.

We're already seeing the best Cyber Monday camera deals all over. In fact, many of Walmart's Cyber Monday deals are going strong, for example, including their Fujifilm Instax Mini 11 instant camera bundle, which is currently still on sale for only $90. Saving 10% also makes this deal the perfect holiday gift, giving your loved one everything they'll need to start making instant camera memories. You'll have to hurry, though, as there's no assurance that this bargain will last as long as most of the other Cyber Monday deals that are sticking around.

Why you should buy the Fujifilm Instax Mini 11 instant camera bundle
The Fujifilm Instax Mini 11 is an instant camera that gives you the photo that you took in just a few seconds. It prints immediately, like an old-school Polaroid. It's also very beginner-friendly, as it will automatically choose the most appropriate shutter speed based on your surroundings for the perfect shot. The Fujifilm Instax Mini 11 also has a selfie mode that you can activate by pulling out the lens barrel, and you can use the selfie mirror to make sure that you're taking the perfect selfie.

Read more