The Camera Site

Komsomolets (Which means "young people" in English language) is A bakelite bodied TLR. It belongs to the group of Voigtländer Brillant (1937) copies. In some aspects it is more featured than The Halina (at the bottom) . It has a bit better taking lens, T-22 (I suppose, that "T" means triplet), 1:6.3 / 7,5cm and the (ZT) shutter speeds are , B - 1/25, 1/50, 1/100. A nice feature in these cameras is the filter locker on the left side of the camera.

This is not strictly a twin lens reflex since there is no connection between the viewing lens and the image lens. It was produced from 1946 to 1950. Komsomolets is quite rare, only ca. 25000 cameras were made thus some source of information tells as much as 300 000.

Lubitel 166 Universal is the latest and the last TLR camera made by Lomo. It was produced from 1983 to 1993? The material is more modern plastic and the body is redesigned. It opens and loads differently and there is no filter holder anymore. The lens is T-22 but the largest aperture is 4,5 and the shutter speeds are, B, 1/15, 1/30, 1/60, 1/100 and 1/250 with built in self timer and a flash contact. The Lubitel-166 Universal has the ability to take 6X6 or by adding a mask 4.5X6 pictures.

"«LUBITEL 166-UNIVERSAL» is an up-to-date and simple in operation camera intended for the widest range of photo amateurs.
The camera incorporates a coated lens, two viewfinders (optical and frame one), diaphragm shutter with wide range of speeds, self-timer and flash synchronizer. It assures precise focusing, operation with two picture sizes (6x6 and 4.5x6 cm), daylight reloading and exterior shooting on tripod and Hand-held shooting.
It is enough to raise a little the reflex vievvfinder cover to see deep betvveen the light protective hoods a large and for any illumination distinct clear image according to which it is easy to fit frame limits when the object is already found or to find a new scene.
Image focusing is performed by slight rotation of a lens knurled mount."

Ljobjtelji Lubitel

in English~hobbyist,amateur

This model seems to be in the evolution order between Komsomol and Lubitel 166. In fact it is Lubitel II. Lenses are connected and now they are working like in a real TLR. The lens is the same as in Lubitel 166 U but the shutter speeds are different, B, 1/19, 1/25, 1/50, 1/100, 1/200 and no self timer. (I would appreciate if somebody could help me about the name of this camera. My skills in cyrillic ends with capital letters) Though this camera was also sold marked with Latin characters. (Thanks to Martin Casteleijn for information about Lubitel)

"Scales of distances, diaphragms and exposures and all the control units are located to assure speed and convenient operation.
Frame counting is performed through the window according to values on light protective paper of the film.
Due to reflex viewfinder it is possible to take pictures at high level holding the camera over the head as well as turning it horizontally at the right angle.
Viewfinder lens has f/2.8, i. e. considerably higher than the photographic lens and thus the higher sensitivity to focusing.
For taking pictures at eye level (shots have then more natural perspective) the frame viewfinder is used that is more convenient when there is experience in estimating distances by eye and in correct focusing according to distance scale.
It is daylight loaded camera. For convenience the back is hinged.
The camera is rated for work in the temperature range from minus 15 to + 45° C without direct effect of solar radiation and atmospheric precipitation."

Lubitel-2 1955-1977 (best introduced on ACP Lubitel 2 page)

The common truth is that the cameras made in the former Soviet Union may sometimes prove unreliable but mostly they are working and you get very good pictures with them. That argument is true with Lubitel cameras as well.

An extremely versatile 6×6cm twin-lens focusing reflex taking twelve pictures on 120 roll film. Although this camera is priced at the lower end of the scale, it incorporates most features required by the keen beginner and yet has a performance that will satisfy the critical user.

The lens is a 75mm coated f/4.5, which focuses down to 4'. The leaf shutter is behind the lens, has five speeds from 1/15th to 1/250th second, and is synchronized for flash.

The Lubitel-2 is a camera without frills. You wind on the film by means of an ordinary knob and there is a window to show you the frame numbering on the back paper. There is a clever helical screw mount to the taking lens. As this is rotated it turns the upper, viewing lens to similar focus. Viewing is by means of an always-in-focus convex lens giving a brilliant image. A circular ground-glass spot at the centre is used for focusing. There is a folding magnifier and a flip-up direct vision viewfinder incorporated in the folding hood. The camera contains a filter compartment, has a delayed action device built into the shutter, and is supplied with ever-ready case.

GOMZ stands for Gosularstvennyi Optiko-Mekhanicheskii Zavod (State Optical-Mechanical Factory), which was founded in 1932 near Leningrad (today St. Petersburg). In 1965, the name was changed to LOMO or Leningradskoe Optiko Mekhanichesko Obedinenie (Leningrad Optical-Mechanical Union).

Halina-Prefect Senior

Halina Prefect Senior is a full metal leatherette covered Twin-Lens-Reflex camera. It is made in Hong Kong. It is fitted with a Haking´s Double Meniscus F:8 lens. The shutter has two settings, B and "Click". The most sophisticated feature is an accessory shoe and a flash contact.

Haking Group, Hong Kong, P.R.C. has almost 50 years history of manufacturing an extensive range of Halina brand 35mm, APS, and 110 cameras, including manual wind, fixed focus, autofocus and zoom models. Binoculars in many styles, compact and compact zoom models, roof prism types, fiberglass and all-metal bodies, weather proof and sports models. Still the brand is not very familiar in this part of the world.
For a such modest camera Halina Prefect is a very well finished and engineered. It attests again the truth that if the product is simple and wisely realized it won´t go wrong after one or two years use.