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Photosniper Cameras

The Photosniper cameras were originally made for the Military for battlefield photography. The most famous user of the photosniper was Nikita Kruschev. It is rumored that he was actually the father of the modern photosniper. Supposedly his photosniper FS2 was broken and he took it to KMZ to be repaired. When he was told that it was no longer in production he said that that was too bad because it was really a useful camera. This was taken as a command by the management and the new photo snaiper was born.

Photosniper FS-2

The FS-2 was originally made in Leningrad by GOI.. Why it is called a FS-2 in unknown the FS is presumably FotoSnaiper but why 2? This is not strictly a SLR but is used as if it were one. It has a mirror box and the FED camera body attaches to the box.They were made in black and olive drab with a total production of probably less than 500. A second batch were made during the war at KMZ and are far rarer. They are virtually identical except for engraving.

Photosniper FS-3

This is the first of the modern SLR photosnaipers. It used a modified Zenit E the Zenit ES. It added a connector so that the trigger in the stock could fire the camera. The earliest cases had a brass knob instead of the later plastic. The early metal cases were silver instead of black.

Early models were finished in gray instead of black and had a gray lens cap. The filters for the gray Tair were also gray. It was supplied with a5 72 mm filters all marked KMZ. They were XC10, XC12, XC17, X3C-9 and OC12 in some cases the filters are labled in english

Strangely enough some of the units were sold without cameras. In these cases the lenses would accept T mount adapters.

Photosniper FS-12

The camera was switched to a Zenit 12S varient with through the lens metering. The lens and camera have an electrical interconnection to let the meter read correctly with the Tair-3S lens. The normal lens is now a Helios-44M-4

Photosniper FS-4

This was a prototype using the Zenit 16 camera. Very few made.

Photosniper FS-5

This was a prototype using the Zenit Automat and 300mm Telezenitar lens. Very few made.

Photosniper FS-12-2

The camera was switched to a Zenit 12XPS varient with through the lens metering. The lens and camera have an electrical interconnection to let the meter read correctly with the Tair-3S lens. The normal lens is now a Helios-44M-6 2/58. There is a new shoulder stock design, the trim has been changed and it is supplied in a cheap leatherrete case..

Photosniper FS-122

Zenit 122 used as the camera and the stock was changed.