Sovietcameras.org
Soviet cameras, lenses, and film photography
Hi, I’m Stepan Ayvazyan. I’ve been working with film photography for over 20 years, and on this website I’ve decided to gather everything I know about it. Here, I share detailed reviews of cameras and manual lenses, and document my experience and knowledge related to film photography.
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Soviet Camera Plants
Latest Camera Reviews
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Kiev-II
The Kiev-II camera is a classic Soviet rangefinder camera produced between 1947 and 1955. It was developed based on the German Contax II camera, produced at the Zeiss Ikon factory, which was captured by Soviet troops during World War II. Kiev-II is a mechanical camera without an exposure meter. Table of Contents Introduction As we…
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Iskra-2
Iskra-2 is a Soviet 6×6 medium format camera that differs from Iskra-1 in the presence of a built-in uncoupled selenium light meter. The Iskra-2 camera was produced from 1961 to 1963 at the KMZ Plant. The camera is developed on the basis of the first Iskra camera. Iskra-2 was produced in two versions – with…
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Iskra
Iskra is a Soviet 6×6 medium format folding camera produced at the KMZ plant from 1960 to 1963. The Iskra camera replaced the Moskva medium format cameras, which, unlike the Iskra, could shoot not only in 6×6 format but also in 6×9 format. But despite the fact that the camera does not have the ability…
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Moskva-5
Moskva-5 is a Soviet folding medium format film camera that takes photographs in 6×9 and 6x6cm, produced from 1956 to 1960 at the KMZ. The Moskva-5 camera was the last in a series of folding medium format cameras of its family. It was created on the basis of the previous model Moskva-4 and had improved…
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Moskva-4
Moskva-4 medium format rangefinder camera was a continuation of the Moskva-2 and produced at the KMZ plant from 1955 to 1958. Moskva-4, like many Soviet cameras, is a copy of a German camera, in this case of Super Ikonta from Carl Zeiss. Like the previous cameras from the Moskva family, this device, with its small…
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Moskva-3
Moskva-3 is a folding scale-focus camera designed for photographic plates and produced at KMZ from 1950 to 1951. Moskva-3 is a very unusual camera, because, unlike other models of Moskva medium format cameras, this device shoots not on 120 format film, but on photographic plates, and it has a frame size not of 6×9, but…
Latest Guides and Articles
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Moskva-4 vs Moskva-5
In this detailed article, we decided to compare Soviet medium format cameras Moskva-4 vs Moskva-5 to tell you which one is best for you. Moskva-4 vs Moskva-5: Introduction Moskva-4 and Moskva-5 are Soviet rangefinder cameras produced at the Krasnogorsk Plant named after S.A. Zverev (KMZ) in the 1950s. These models are part of the Moskva…
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The Best Soviet 35mm Film Cameras
In this article we will tell you about the 4 best Soviet 35mm film cameras, as well as which one is right for you and how to buy it. Among the variety of analog cameras, a special place is occupied by Soviet 35mm film cameras, known for their unique characteristics, relatively good reliability and, most…
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How to Use a 35mm Film Camera
So how do you use a 35mm film camera? How does using a film camera differ from using a digital one? What should you remember when using and what should you never do when using a film camera? In this article we will answer all these questions. Using Film Cameras: Basic Information You could buy…
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How to Load 35mm Film Into a Camera
In this article I want to tell you how to load 35mm film into a camera, what you need to remember and what you should never do. Loading 35mm film into a camera is a basic skill for film photographers. This process may seem difficult for beginners, but with practice it becomes quick and easy….
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The Best Soviet Medium Format Cameras
In this article we will tell you about the best Soviet medium format cameras that do not lose their relevance even in our time. About Soviet Medium Format Cameras Medium format photography holds a special place in the hearts of photography enthusiasts due to its ability to capture images with impressive resolution and detail. During…
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How Does a Film Camera Work
In this article we will tell you about how does a film camera work from the moment you press the shutter button to the finished photograph. In addition, we will tell you about the main components of a film camera and what affects the final result and what exactly in a film camera makes film…
About Sovietcameras.org
For many years, we have been involved in film photography professionally and have also collected analog cameras and lenses.
In 2020, we created Sovietcameras – a website dedicated to Soviet cameras, lenses, and other photographic accessories made in the USSR.
Here we publish reviews based on real-world use and years of experience, share film photography basics, and explain how to shoot film to get consistently good results.
What are Soviet cameras
From the beginning of the 20th century until the very end of the Soviet Union, a vast number of different cameras were produced on its territory, including legendary models such as Zenit, Zorki, FED, and many others.
Many of these cameras were either direct copies of well-known German and Japanese designs or were heavily inspired by them. At the same time, there were also fully original models that had little or no direct equivalents on other markets.
The Soviet photographic industry also produced an enormous number of lenses. Some of them were direct copies of German and Japanese optics, others were based on those designs, and some were entirely original.
In addition, a wide range of related equipment and accessories was manufactured, including interchangeable viewfinders, flashes, light meters, tripods, and much more.
All of this photographic equipment was produced at several major factories, such as KMZ, Arsenal, LOMO, and others.
For a beginner – and often even for an experienced photographer or film camera collector – it is not always immediately clear where a particular camera was produced, what its equivalents are, what designs it originated from, what it represents technically, or how it is meant to be used in practice.
On the pages of this website, we have organized and systematized this information, providing careful, detailed, and accurate reviews of each piece of equipment, with clear and honest conclusions.
