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Zenit E
My Zenit E has now stopped working.I do not know the insides of this camera, but all I can tell is that de mirror system stopped workind.When I click to take the picture it just sits there and I photograph the back of it and not what comes thru the lens.Can anyone help with an advice? I do not know at this time , where I can fix it.It's a camera from '74 and payed almost nothing for it from an antique fair.So to pay more to fix it doesn't sound too good. :/
Help me!
Best wishes,
Alex Cruceru.
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It has ceased to function, it is bereft of life, it has shuffled up the curtains and gone to join the "choir invisible". It is an ex-camera.(Monty Python.- you wanted the humour).
I would not give it a moment's thought, but go out into the wide world and see what you can get for cheap. The Zenit E was selenium metered cheapest of the cheap non-TTL metering unsophisticated, built like the "battleship Potemkin " and a step down from the East German PrAkticas which I listed after in 1972. almost anything is better. (avoid Holgas and the execrable "Olympia" whichever seems to be sold by some sort of cult on Craigslist)
Get yourself a nice, small SLR from t the late 70-s to early 80-s that takes silver oxide batteries minolta XG 7 and XD 11 can be had for a song sometimes and enjoy taking pictures. Meanwhile the Zenit can be a paperweight, Or hammer.
(the next poster will disagree and say that the Jupiter lens on the Zenit is a copy of the Zeiss bio on and has a unique Bokeh when Hp5 is developed for extended time in diluted Rodinal,,,, nuts.)
David
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in before the next 
chuck the junk
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I wouldn't junk a camera until I was sure it wasn't suffering from old hardened and stiff lubricant. Naptha can do wonders to gummy components.
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Find another zenit body from online sellers and use your lens as much as you can. Helios 58 mm is one of the nicest lenses on the planet and as your photographs especially last one , it has a wonderful bokeh and special color rendition. Dont invest to toyotas but the country which sent first woman and man to the space and have ability to manufacture 45000 nuclear bombs , two times more than colonies.
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Ditch the Zenit but keep the lens. I'm not sure what country you are located in, but here in the states SLRs with M42 mounts can be had very cheap. Start prowling the junk shops.
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I agree; keep the lens and look for another body. The Zenits were never known for reliability and the fact yours were for so long is a might amazing. Asahi/Pentax bodies are pretty bullet proof. Look for a nonmeter version S series as these are total tanks and seem to nearly never need servicing. If you want a camera with meter then the Spotmatic; also quite inexpensive. The Spotmatic also has a metering circuit that does not have the common mercury cell problem. These camera can be bought for far less than even a simple fix f a body by a repair person and the M42 lenses from Asahi/Pextax are still very good to excellent today and bargains.
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There is a small spring inside the chamber where the mirror travels and if somebody tweaked it, then that spring might end up unattached from the mirror end or the other way.
You need to lift up the mirror to see if thats the cause of the problem. It is relatively easy to attach it back to the mirror, I have done it for friends who got curious and messed up their Zenits.
In later models, if I am not mistaken, the spring is covered by a shield.
Old Zenits are fine cameras with excellent optics. Most haters, obviously have experience with tweaked Zenits, so I don't mind reading funny stories from time to time 
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I bought a factory new zenit et at 1990. I said russia was a cold place and this camera might survive at the freezer. I set the freezer minus 25 celcius , put the zenit inside and after 24 hours , it was working like new. Its an excellent camera and i believe someone might honor the lens with original body or opposite.
I am not understanding the people who buy m6 leica and search for japanese lens. At least , it is nostalgia. At european online sellers , there are least 6 different and post soviet bodies and very cheap.
May be www.kievusa.com helps.
ZENIT 122 Special Edition "50th Anniversary" Platinum (limited production)
189.00
ZENIT 12XP
118.00
ZENIT 212K
225.00
ZENIT AM2 (Perfect for collectors! No warranty or returns)
102.00
These are very expensive prices but a guide for research. I believe you can find them 1/3 of the price.
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http://www.sovietcams.com/index.php?-1289713476
these are newer zenits and there are more curved curvilinear ones.
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