Konvas

Konvas (Russian: Конвас) is the general name of portable 35mm motion-picture cameras that was manufactured in the USSR by KMZ (KRASNOGORSKIY MEKHANICHESKIY ZAVOD – Krasnogorsk Mechanical Works), known as ZENIT camera makers, and later on, MOSKINAP (MOSKOVSKIY ZAVOD KINOAPPARATURIY – Moscow Works of Cinema Equipment (The holder of the Order of the Badge of Honour – Орден «Знак Почета»), at one time in the late 80's had over 2,000 employees; now OAO "MOSKINAP", and for a short period at the same factory after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The factory was manufacturing Laser soundheads, and 35mm sound projectors originally were made by Odessa PO KINAP some time ago.

Initially, the camera was used widely by fiction, documentary, and news cameramen throughout the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe.

Konvas cameras are reflex, using a spinning mirrored shutter, allowing the operator to view the scene through the main lens during filming.

Consequently, the shutter speed is slightly higher, for which the exposure must be compensated from the usual 24fps frames per second light meter setting by 1/3 of an f/stop.