Formed by a conglomeration of several workshops in 1941 to manufacture optical equipment for the Soviet army. Began producing cameras in 1946, starting with the Moskva folding camera. Began producing the iconic Zenit SLR in 1952. Zenit (or Zenith) is brand name for a number of Russian Soviet-era cameras and accessories; trademark strictly belongs to the KMZ factory, though the BELOMO factory in Belarus also produced many cameras. KMZ the S.A.Zverev KRASNOGORSKY ZAVOD JSC stock company in 1993.