Soviet Cameras
This site is dedicated to Soviet cameras, lenses and other photographic accessories that were created on the territory of the Soviet Union.
Our website team consists of photographers, editors and technicians who are passionate about film photography, history and collecting. Using all our knowledge and experience, we try to collect and systematize all information about the Soviet photographic industry on our website.
We divided the site into categories and sections, added tags and subdivisions to make it easy for the reader to find information about the required camera or lens.
What are Soviet cameras and why are they interesting?
Soviet cameras are an unusual monument of history and technological prowess. Cameras produced in the Soviet Union had a number of features that are difficult to find in any other cameras of that era.
Firstly, the overwhelming majority of cameras produced in the territory of the USSR were somehow clones of German (Leica for example) or Japanese (Nikon and Pentax) cameras. Secondly, almost all USSR cameras were created with an eye on a poor audience, as a result of which they often had very lagging characteristics and sometimes poor workmanship.
But despite this, the desire to keep up with the global photographic industry forced Soviet engineers to create quite interesting cameras and lenses with very meager technological capacities and a bunch of various restrictions at their disposal.
Nowadays, such cameras as Zenit, Smena, Moscow, etc. are not only a rather interesting and inexpensive collectible, but also cameras with which you can take very interesting and unusual photographs.
At various flea markets and online stores, you can find well-preserved specimens at very low, sometimes ridiculous prices.
Despite their cheapness and often rough appearance, these cameras are able to surprise you with both the quality of the pictures and the unusual atmosphere that is created with the help of Soviet lenses.
Latest Posts
- Moskva-4 vs Moskva-5In 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…
- The Best Soviet 35mm Film CamerasIn 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…
- How to Use a 35mm Film CameraSo 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…
- How to Load 35mm Film Into a CameraIn 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…
- The Best Soviet Medium Format CamerasIn 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…
- How Does a Film Camera WorkIn 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…
- Kiev-IIThe 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,…
- What is CompositionIn this article, we will tell you what composition is, why it is needed in photography, and how to use composition rules correctly. In order for photographs to be interesting…
- What is ISOIn this article, we will tell you what ISO is, and how this parameter was regulated in film photography and digital photography. One of the exposure parameters is ISO. Light…