Zorki-2

Zorki-2 is a 35mm film rangefinder camera produced at the KMZ from 1954 to 1956 and is a clone of Leica II with an added self-timer.

The Zorki-2 is a modernized version of the Zorki-1 camera and differs from it in the self-timer built into the body, the ability to change the shutter speed both before and after cocking the shutter, as well as the presence of lugs for attaching the strap.

Zorki-2 Specifications

Type: 35mm rangefinder camera
Manufacturer: KMZ plant
Production period: from 1954 to 1956
Format: 24x36cm on 135 film
Lens mount: m39 thread mount
Lens: Industar-22 f3.5/50 or Industar-50 f3.5/50
Rangefinder base: 38mm
Shutter: focal-plane shutter with speeds from 1/20 to 1/500 sec.
Viewfinder: optical parallax viewfinder not combined with the rangefinder
Lighmeter: none
Flash synchronisation: none
Selftimer: mechanical
Weight: 580 grams

The camera is still equipped with an Industar-22 f3.5/50 or Industar-50 f3.5/50 lens. As we said in the article about the first model, these lenses give a wonderful vintage image, having good sharpness combined with nice bokeh. Recall that the Soviet Industars are clones of the German Tessar lenses.

As in the first model, Zorki-2 has a classic shutter with shutter speeds from 1/20 to 1/500, copied from the Leica cameras.

A similar set of shutter speeds was in most cameras from the Zorki, Zenit and FED line, and only occasionally can you find a wider set of shutter speeds.

As mentioned above, the self-timer is one of the innovations in the camera, and in our opinion, this is quite a useful addition, because this function can be used not only to shoot yourself, but also to take pictures at slow shutter speeds and avoid shaking in the pictures.

In addition, now you can change the shutter speed both before and after cocking the shutter. This is a very handy feature, because now after cocking the shutter you can choose a combination of shutter speed and aperture.

As in the previous model, the Zorki-2 camera has two windows – one for focusing and the other for framing. For comparison, in the FED-2 camera, which was produced in the same years, these two windows were combined into one.

We also recall that at the same time, the Arsenal plant produced Kiev rangefinder cameras, which had not only a combined viewfinder and focusing window, but also a shutter with metal curtains with shutter speeds from 1/2 sec to 1/1000 as well as an opening back cover.

Conclusion

On the one hand, the Zorki-2 camera is a fairly good camera, which, in addition, takes very cool photos and has a stylish appearance.

But on the other hand, Kiev cameras were produced in those same years, which had much more useful functions.

In addition, in our time it is quite difficult to find a Zorki-2 camera in good condition and at an adequate price, since the total volume was only 10310 pieces.

In light of all this, the team of our site believes that if you want to buy a camera similar to Leica and get a Leica experience using at a low price, then it is better to purchase Zorki of the first model, if you just want to buy a good Soviet rangefinder camera, then it is better to purchase Kiev-4am or Zorki-4k.