MT-1 Conversion

[Ambermile]

OK then, here's the MT-1 from Zenit, called the "Surprise" for some reason. Designated MT, the design is specifically for endoscopic photography and the camera is a half-frame 35mm slr derived from the Zenit 19 I believe. Anyway, it does not take standard lenses coming as it does with an odd three-way bayonet with a screw-tightening arrangement (Praktina?). If you can get one of these cameras for a decent price (currently up to £90 on the flea place but they can be had cheaper) then they are relatively easy to convert to M42. You just take off the bayonet fit section and replace it with an M42 section "borrowed" from an earlier Zenit model (or a Prinzflex 500E in my case), simples.

Mine had a dead mirror system which had to be replaced as well as a pentaprism that looked like it had gone rusty - but today saw the finishing touches and first fit of lenses along with focus tests. So far, so good - all seems to be square and in the right place. I suspect that because of the half frame format I am going to get some vignetting if I try to close the apertures below f/16 or so - but I can live with that and it is a great camera to get into a working condition. I suspect first off will see one of the cheap Chinese films being shot through, just to be on the safe side

I have batteries for the databack but doubt if I will use it... it simply fires a number between 0 and 31 strobe-fashion onto the back of the film when the shutter is fired. It will not, like most other 35mm databacks, go out of date end of 2010 though now will it?


With 500mm mirror lens

200mm tele

open back

Arthur

PS - more pics here, not much but they are in focus mostly!

MT-1 Slideshow

 

[Ambermile]

Hmm - this is novel. Seems the camera has a "Non-focusing Viewfinder". Not actually that sure how that was managed to be honest! (No wait - same as the centre of your standard split-screen focuser I guess. Just bigger!). What it does mean though is that the camera (with a lens - any lens - fitted) acts like your eye almost, everything is in focus - but only for the viewfinder obviously. It means that in effect, I have an SLR that has none of the benefits of an SLR! Even the view I get is the top bit of the image... I will have to focus by guessing distances just like the old days! I think the non-focus is because of the intended use - endoscopy would need no focusing as you only have one "lens" as it were and that would be preset. Going to make life interesting, but not impossible; I still get to use different lenses, which is a major plus ove pretty much every other half out there (I know, Pen, Alpa, Ricoh, but look at the prices!).



Arthur

 

[gliscusmo]

It's a copy of a Pentax K1000 and has the Pentax K mount so lots of lenses out there for it.

 

[Ambermile]

No, it is not. That one is a different camera altogether, the automat.

Arthur

**Edit - also the 122, which came in both M42 and Pentax K. I have the M42 version here.

***Edit #2 - pic of original bayonet fit...

 

[Ambermile]

Sometimes, you can't see the wood for the trees! I have now loaded some of that crappy Chinese bw film into the camera and (for the sake of authenticity) screwed in an Industar 50mm f/3.5 pancake. Watch this space (I may be some time, that's 72 pics!)

Arthur

 

[Ambermile]

Cheap crappy Chinese film developed, camera's a good'un! Was worried about a square viewfinder for a rectangular frame but actually, it's good, get the target in the centre and it's in the centre of the frame. Simples. Focus was with a guess at distance and a stop down or so to allow for error in the guessing on the exposure, did OK actually.

Samples below...

​

So, Chinese ERA 100 film developed in ID-11, scanned with veho scanner and messed a wee bit in PI X3 - 1, 3, 4 were with a small (Prinz 600C) flash mounted on a side bar.

Arthur

 

[Ambermile]

Today, I have replaced the focusing screen - which actually was not a focusing screen at all, just a targeting device - with a proper screen that shows when the camera is actually focused. Had a bit of a time getting the thing set properly as the VF lens was not matched to the new screen and ended up changing the pentaprism as well. A few tweaks on the height adjusters under the screen and it was sorted. Mostly, if you read about these things, it is quoted that the Zenit 19 is the only donor for this job - but I used the screen from my PrinzFlex 500 with no problems... admittedly, none of the other Zenit cameras I have here had small enough screens but it's nice to know there are other than the standard (expensive!) option around. Have also dropped in an old roll of colour film so we shall see what happens with that and the F/1.4 55mm. I am rather hopeful of some decent piccies, and now that I have discovered Rapture in Norwich for developing I feel safe doing colour in half frames.

Arthur