C41
Kodak Portra 400
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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The Zenit E (1965) is a Soviet 35mm SLR built at the KMZ factory near Moscow. M42 universal screw mount, mechanical horizontal-cloth shutter (slow speeds limited to 1/30s minimum — no 1s, 1/2s, 1/4s, 1/8s, 1/15s), selenium uncoupled meter on the front of the body, manual exposure. Production volume was massive — approximately **8 million units** across 21 years, making the Zenit E one of the highest-volume SLRs ever produced.
Reference
Recommended film stocks for the 35mm format your camera takes.
C41
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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Kodak Tri-X 400 is a classic black-and-white film known for strong tonality, visible grain, and documentary character.
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Kodak Gold 200 is a daylight-balanced C-41 color negative film with warm color, moderate grain, and a classic consumer-film look.
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Before you buy used
About this camera
The 8-million-units Soviet SLR. M42 mount, selenium meter, made at KMZ Krasnogorsk for 21 years.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 35mm |
| Mount | M42 universal |
| Years | 1965–1986 |
| Shutter | 1/30s – 1/500s + B, mechanical horizontal cloth |
| Flash sync | 1/30s |
| Meter | Selenium uncoupled |
| Modes | Manual |
| Weight | 950 g |
| Battery | None |
Released 1965 as KMZ's volume Soviet SLR. Production ran 21 years until 1986. Variants over the long run had slight cosmetic and meter changes. The Zenit E was sold extensively in Soviet bloc countries and exported to Western markets at very low prices through the 70s and 80s. After the Zenit E, KMZ continued with Zenit 11, 12xp, and other variants.
For 2026 buyers, the Zenit E is the cheapest working 35mm SLR you can buy with a quality lens. Used at $40–100, often sold with a Helios-44 58/2 kit lens — a Biotar-formula lens with characteristic "swirly bokeh" that's now a cult favorite among portrait photographers. M42 mount means access to every M42 lens ever made.
The trade-off is rough Soviet build quality (verify body integrity), no slow shutter speeds (limit to fast film or daylight), selenium meter (ages but works), and considerable weight (950 g — heavy for the era).
M42 universal: Helios-44 58/2 (kit, "swirly bokeh"), Industar-50 50/3.5, Mir 1B 37/2.8, Jupiter-9 85/2, Tair-11 135/2.8. Pentax Takumar lenses, Carl Zeiss-Jena lenses, Praktica lenses — all mount.
BW
Ilford HP5 Plus is a flexible ISO 400 black-and-white film with classic grain and strong push-processing tolerance.
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Kodak Ektar 100 is a fine-grain C-41 color negative film with saturated color and high sharpness.
View profile →Zenit / KMZ E
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