Soviet and Russian Cameras

The Zorki-4 was the first of the Zorki cameras to be exported in mass to the West and beyond. Usually this camera came with a Industar-50 lens and in some cases with the Jupiter-8 lens. The first Zorki-4's were engraved, but this changed very quickly. Later versions of the 4 had painted on letters. Usually Zorki-4 has the Cyrillic markings but it can also be found with Roman letters [2].
Produced: 1956-1973 Name: „Зоркий-4“ Producer: KMZ Frame size: 24x36. Lens: Jupiter-8 2/50. Shutter: 1-1/30s, 1/60s, 1/125s, 1/250s, 1/500s, 1/1000s + B. Quantity: 1.715.677 units.




1st version (1956-1959)


PM1705. Seems to be an earliest version of Zorki-4 camera. Released in 1956. Engraved Cyrillic markings. Engraved shutter speeds. Old sequence of slow shutter speeds: 1s, 1/2s, 1/5s, 1/10s, 1/25s. The chrome parts of the body outlined by a small decorative rim. Finder's window outlined by decorative rim as well. 4 screws visible around the hot shoe, without stop bolt. Strap lugs on body. Shutter's advance and film rewind knobs have line-finish style, as on Zorki-3C camera. An earliest so far known camera has #5612006 (eBay 2010).
	PM1705 - Zorki-4 #5643900.

PM1710. Camera identical to PM1705, but with knurling finish style of camera's heads already. The latest so far known camera has s/n #5730565 (eBay 2008). PM1715. Camera identical to PM1710, but with additional "SDELANO B CCCP" engravings on the rear plate.
	PM1710 - Zorki-4 #5706392.

PM1720. Very uncommon anniversary version to commemorate "Youth Festival" in 1957. Comes with green leather coverings, instead of regular black vulcanite. There's no "Festival" engravings on the rear plate. Only very few cameras are known to exist. Camera opposite from private collection in Russia.
	PM1720 - Zorki-4 #5712505.

PM1725. Camera identical to PM1720, but with black leather coverings. Slightly different style of engravings (seen on Character "4" obviously). Seems to be an anniversary "Festival" camera again. There's no "Festival" engravings on the rear plate yet. Very rare to find nowadays.
	PM1725 - Zorki-4 #5733726.

PM1730. Very uncommon anniversary version to commemorate "Youth Festival" in 1957. Engravings "Festivalnij" on the rear plate. Regular black body vulcanite. Otherwise identical to PM1710. An earliest so far known camera has s/n #5735179 (SovietCams).
	PM1730 - Zorki-4 #5735179.

PM1735. Released in 1957-1959. Camera very similar to PM1710, but with few differencies: different style of engravings (seen on Character "4" obviously). The chrome parts of the body is outlined by wider decorative rim (see picture below). PM1740. Camera identical to PM1735, but with additional "SDELANO B CCCP" engravings on the rear plate.
	PM1735 Zorki-4 #5841194.

PM1745. Seems to be the latest version on this group. Camera identical to PM1735, but with new sequence of slow shutter speeds already: 1s, 1/2s, 1/4s, 1/8s, 1/15s, 1/30s (see picture below).
	PM1745 - Zorki-4 #5912219.





2nd version (1960-1966)

PM1750. Released in 1960-1963. Finder's window no more outlined by decorative rim, but markings still engraved (see camera opposite). New sequence of slow shutter speeds: 1s, 1/2s, 1/4s, 1/8s, 1/15s, 1/30s. No more visible screws (4) around the accessory shoe, which have stop bolt already. The latest known camera so far is #63169003.
	PM1750 - Zorki-4 #60011117.

PM1755. Released in 1960-1966. The very first export version, under stylized name "Zorki-4" in Roman characters. "SDELANO B CCCP" or "Made in USSR" markings and KMZ logotype on the rear plate. Otherwise identical to PM1750. Happened to see cameras without strap lugs on body.
	PM1755 - Zorki-4 #6159121.

PM1760. Very uncommon export version, under name "Зorki-4" in handwritten style. Probably produced only in 1961. All markings still engraved, strap lugs on body. "SDELANO B CCCP" or "Made in USSR" markings and KMZ logotype on the rear plate. Tripod thread - 3/8''.
	PM1760 - Zorki-4 #6155302.

PM1765. Very interesting version was released in 1962. New style of name markings, but still engraved (later the same style was used widely, but already silkscreened). Comes with Jupiter-8 lens, tripod thread still 3/8''. An earliest so far known camera has s/n #62027115 (eBay 2009).
	PM1765 - Zorki-4 #62044083.

PM1770. Less common export version, under stylized name "Zorki-4" in Roman characters. "Made in USSR" markings and KMZ logotype on the rear plate. Different body coverings (leather instead of regular vulcanite). Released in 1965-1966. Comes with Jupiter-8 lens, tripod thread still 3/8''.
	PM1770 - Zorki-4 #65518899.




Zorki-4 technical


PM1780. Very uncommon to find technical version of Zorki-4 camera. Although the particular camera comes without viewfinder, rangefinder, selftimer and accessory shoe, it's still easy to take apicture with it. No otherwise different from regular Zorki-4 cameras. Camera opposite from private collection in China.
	PM1780 - Zorki-4 #64189041.





3rd version (1963-1968)



PM1800. Quite common version to find. Nameplate markings silkscreened (engraved on previous versions) on the frontplate. Shutter speeds engraved yet. PM1805. The most common Zorki-4 version in the entire group. All markings are already silscreened. Can be found with Jupiter-8 or Industar-50 (less expensive). The latest so far known serial number #68654380 (Simon, Canada).
	PM1805- Zorki-4 #63136563.

PM1810. Very interesting variation of Zorki-4 was issued in 1967-1969. Camera identical to PM1805, but covered with different type of body leatherette. Very few samples are known to exist. Investigated camera has s/n #69042170 (SovietCams). Camera #67533538 opposite from Alexey Nikitin (Russia) collection.
	PM1810 - Zorki-4 #67533538.

PM1815. Very uncommon anniversary version "Great October - 50". Commemorative markings silkscreened in dark blue on the rear plate. A limited quantity released in 1966-1967.
	PM1815 - Zorki-4 #67002988.

PM1820. Less common to find anniversary version "Great October - 50". Commemorative markings silkscreened in red on the rear plate. A limited quantity released in 1966-1967.
	PM1820 - Zorki-4 #67109657.


PM1825. An Anniversary version "50 Years to Soviet Authority". Quite popular camera with commemorative markings, silkscreened on the top plate. Comes with Jupiter-8 lens (see camera #67634499) or Industar-50 lens (my another camera has s/n No. 67121711).
	PM1825 - Zorki-4 #67634499.

PM1830. Very uncommon anniversary version "Great October-50". Red engravings on the rear plate. Not discount the possibility of beeing counterfeit. Camera opposite from private collection in Russia.
	PM1830 - Zorki-4 #67103111.





4th version (1967-1973)




PM1850. One of the latest export versions from the Zorki-4 group. New styled export markings silkscreened on the front plate. Was produced only for export market supposedly, since never happened to see one with Cyrillic letters indeed ... "Made in USSR" markings on the rear plate. Strap lugs on camera's body, still big finder's window. Very uncommon version to find. PM1855. Identical to PM1850, but with regular black leatherette body coverings. Strap lugs on body, still big finder's window. Investigated camera has s/n #67633124 (SovietCams). An earliest so far known camera has s/n #67530526 (T.Bennett coll.).
	PM1850 - Zorki-4 (type-4a) #67537597.

PM1860. One of the latest versions with Zorki-4 markings in Cyrillic characters. Camera identical to the late versions of the 3rd group, but without strap lugs on body. Big finder's window yet. Single KMZ logotype on the rear plate. May be fitted with Industar-50 3.5/50 or Jupiter-8 2/50 lens. Less common version to find. An earliest so far known camera has s/n #68009345 (private coll.).
	PM1860 - Zorki-4 #68010333.

PM1865. Very uncommon version of the particular camera. Comes without selftimer, different body coverings again. No more strup lugs on body, though finder's window still bigger size. Old style nameplate markings in Cyrillic characters. Single KMZ logotype on the rear plate (see picture below). Visually no otherwise different. Very few cameras released by KMZ in 1970-1971. An earliest so far known camera has s/n #70150564 (private coll.).
	PM1865 - Zorki-4 #71967842.


PM1870. Late version of the export Zorki-4 camera. Comes without strap lugs on body already. Big finder's window yet. "Made in USSR" markings silkscreened on the rear plate. Released by KMZ in 1968-1969. An earliest so far known camera has s/n #68727907 (private coll.). PM1875. The latest known version of the export Zorki-4 camera. Smaller viewfinder's window (18mm x 12.5mm or 0.7'' x 0.5''). "Made in USSR" markings silkscreened on the rear plate. May be fitted with black Jupiter-8 lens.
	PM1875 - Zorki-4 #70044653.




PM1880. The latest known version of the Zorki-4 with nameplate in Cyrillic characters. Comes without strap lugs, smaller viewfinder's window (18mm x 12.5mm or 0.7'' x 0.5''). Released in 1968-1973. May be fitted with white or black Jupiter-8 lens. The latest so far known camera has s/n #73000661.
	PM1880 - Zorki-4 #73000367.