Zorki-3

Zorki-3 is a Soviet rangefinder camera produced by the KMZ Plant from 1951 to 1956 and developed on the basis of the first Zorki models taking into account the design of the German Leica III camera.

Zorki-3 is in fact the first truly advanced rangefinder camera produced at the KMZ plant and had significant differences from the first models copied from the German Leica II.

Zorki-3 Specifications

Type: 35mm rangefinder camera
Manufacturer: KMZ plant
Production period: from 1951 to 1956
Format: 24x36cm on 135 film
Lens mount: m39 thread mount
Lens: Jupiter-8M f2.0/50
Rangefinder base: 38mm
Shutter: focal-plane shutter with speeds from 1 to 1/1000 sec.
Viewfinder: optical parallax viewfinder combined with the rangefinder
Lighmeter: none
Flash synchronisation: none
Selftimer: none
Weight: 668 grams

One of the most significant innovations is that the rangefinder and viewfinder are finally combined in the Zorki-3 camera. This means that now you do not have to constantly look from one window to another, which greatly simplifies and speeds up the process of taking pictures.

It is also worth noting that the Zorki-3 viewfinder is really large and clear, which, of course, greatly simplifies work in low light conditions and, in general, makes the photography process much more pleasant and comfortable.

The next significant improvement is that the Zorki-3 camera has long shutter speeds up to 1 second and a short shutter speed of 1/1000. Now, although the camera is equipped with a shutter from the old Leica, it has a set of shutter speeds from 1 to 1/1000 of a second, which is a very good achievement for a camera of the early 50s.

Another improvement is the opening back of the camera. Now you do not have to cut the film in a special way and insert it from the bottom, as was done with previous models.

This greatly simplifies not only the process of changing film, but also the camera adjustment, because in order to adjust the camera and lens, you no longer need to disassemble the entire camera.

In addition, the Zorki-3 camera is now equipped with a Jupiter-8 f2.0/50 lens. The large aperture of the lens not only allows you to shoot in poorer lighting conditions and use less light-sensitive film, but also creates more beautiful background blur.

It should also be said that the Industar lenses were made on the basis of the Tessar scheme, while the Jupiter lenses were created on the basis of the Sonnar scheme, which gives the images a slightly different character.

The camera has an M39 mount, which means that you can use a wide range of lenses that were produced for this mount. For example, you could screw on the Jupiter-3 f1.5/50 lens, which is one of the fastest lenses produced in the USSR.

Also, you can use the wide angle Jupiter-12 f2.8/35 or the long-range Jupiter-11 f4.0/135. But of course, keep in mind that in order to use these lenses, you will need to use the appropriate interchangeable viewfinder.

Conclusion

The team of our site can safely say that the Zorki-3 camera is one of the best Soviet rangefinder cameras along with Kiev rangefinder cameras, which were produced at the Arsenal plant.

Zorki-3 has a good range of shutter speeds, an excellent viewfinder combined with a rangefinder, an opening back cover that simplifies film changes, a great lens and many other advantages.

In addition, this Soviet film camera has a very charismatic appearance, which, in our opinion, is also a big plus, because in the Soviet Union they often produced, although not bad in terms of performance, but disgusting looking cameras.

If you can find a Zorki-3 camera in good condition and at an affordable price, then you will not only get great shots, but also enjoy the process of photography.