Legendary Russian brand Zenit made a comeback last year with a full-frame digital mirrorless camera Zenit M. After a long wait, the camera is now available for orders in the US. And although Zenit has been famous for being budget-friendly, the Zenit M camera is priced like a Leica.

The initial rumors said Zenit M would be based on a Leica SL, but it’s actually a modified Leica M (Typ 240). The difference between the two is in the design and the software: the Zenit M doesn’t feature the 6-bit lens code reader and it packs Zenit software. This means that the only lens profiles in the camera are for Zenit lenses. You can use Leica M lenses, but the camera won’t make automatic corrections.

While we’re at lenses, the Zenit M is sold in the US together with a 35mm f/1.0 Zenitar lens. The kit costs the unbelievable $6,995 – and this is at a discount. The camera with the lens will cost $7,895 at the regular price. It’s worth noting that only 500 cameras will be sold worldwide, so this certainly affects the price tag. And also, this is essentially a Leica camera. So, I guess expecting an affordable Zenit camera would probably be irrational.

If you’re interested in getting a Zenit M, it’s available in the Zenit store and ready to ship. Currently, only the silver version is available, but the black version is coming soon, too.

Specs:

Image sensor Resolution 24MP Sensor type CMOS Sensitivity range ISO 200 to ISO 6400, adjustable in 1/3 ISO increments, automatic control or manual setting Basic settings White balance Automatic, manual, 7 presets Shutter Picture series Approx. 3 pictures/s, ≤ 12 pictures in serie Self-timer 2s or 12s Lens Lens mount Zenitar M-mount Lens in a set ZENITAR 35 mm f/1.0 Exposure Shutter speed 60-1/4000s Manual setting of exposure and aperture Available Flash exposure compensation ±3 1/3 EV adjustable in EV 1/3 Metering principle / method Spot, center-weighted, multi-field metering Memory and interface Memory card types SD, SDHC, SDXC Data formats DNG™ (raw data), JPEG Power supply Battery 1 Battery capacity 1800 mAh Video and sound recording Video/sound recording Available Video recording formats Motion JPG / Quicktime Maximum resolution for video 1920 x 1080 Size and weight Size (Width x Depth x Height) Approx. 138.6 x 42 x 80 mm without lens Weight Approx. 680 gr with battery, without lens Lens specs Focal length 35 mm Relative aperture (max / min) 1:1.0 / 1:16 Angular field 61,7° Transmittance ≥0,86 Working distance 27.8 mm Lenses / components August 9, 2019 Lens mount Bayonet M-mount Focusing range limits from 0.8 m to ∞ Length of the lens (set to ∞, without cap) 88 mm Maximum diameter of the ring 74 mm Weight without cap 740 gr

[via Leica Rumors]