- Lubitel
Lubitel refers to any of the several medium format
twin-lens reflex camera s manufactured inRussia byLOMO .The design is based on the early 1930'sVoïgtlander Brilliant camera with various improvements.They are often considered "toy" cameras due to cheap price,
bakelite and later plastic construction and low build quality. However the Lubitels use120 film , featureCooke triplet , all-glass lenses andshutter speed s can be set from Bulb to 1/250 of a second.Aperture s vary from f/4.5 to f/22. These characteristics are closer to those of an amateur TLR of the fifties than a toy or disposable camera. They can achieve good results when the lens is stopped down but, as with any 3-elements lens, the results will be soft by today's standards at larger apertures.Lubitel cameras are often used by art photographers or amateurs looking for a cheap introduction to
medium format .Models and years produced:
*TheKomsomolets camera was a forerunner of the Lubitel. Unlike the Lubitel, it has a non-focusingviewfinder . It is a close copy of theVoïgtlander Brilliant .
*Lubitel TLR 1950-1956
*Lubitel-2 1955-1977
*Lubitel-166 1977-1980
*Lubitel-166 B 1980-?
*Lubitel-166 Universal 1984-August 1988 (production terminated)ee also
*
Holga
* Diana
*Lomography External links
* [http://cameras.alfredklomp.com/lubitel2/ Lubitel 2]
* [http://lubitel-resource.tripod.com/ Lubitel-resource]
* [http://flickr.com/groups/lubitel/ Flickr Lubitel Group]
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