Komsomolets TLR

Hello,

I was luck to buy the Komsomolets with frame counter recently. All sympthoms refer it should be the oldest one. I would be very appreciated to know what types of Komsomolets camera do you have in your collections? Now I have 3 different looking Komsomolets with T-21 lens and the late one with T-22. I have heard that very late ones had an additional 1/200s speed, is it the truth?

Best Regards,
Aidas

Mine is "type B" with filter chamber and red counter window, T-21 and 1/100 shutter. #4758034.

Smena rules

quote:

---

Originally posted by cedricfan

Mine is "type B" with filter chamber and red counter window, T-21 and 1/100 shutter. #4758034.

Smena rules

---

Juhani,

what you mean by "type B"?


Thanks,
Aidas

Your website types!

Smena rules

Mine's the one in the catalog Not sure what type..

Just looked at Aidas's site, mine is Type C.. didn't know there were different types... oh man... I'm running out of money getting all these variations... It's a never ending adventure... hehehe... getting more and more expensive the more you collect... yikes!

Knowledge adds pain...

Smena rules

quote:

---

Originally posted by cedricfan

Your website types!

Smena rules

---

thanks ... I've been forgotten about that source ...

If you will take a look at the earliest Komsomolets (not placed on my website yet), you will see different design of shutter plate again. So a, b, c type markings will be moved up again ...

A most curious specimen . so where is that frame counter? I see 3 little circles on the side.

This curious Komsomolets seems to be made from original bodies (or dies) from original pre-war Voigtlander Brilliant cameras.(the counter proves that)
Interesting to note that all (my known) Komsomolets has the same basic ZT shutters further used on Lubitel cameras but lacks the gear train of speeds regulation , Instead they have a variable wheight that can offer 3 speeds. These shutters are of different conception of the original Brilliant shutters. The lenses also vary because they are direct descendants of "Nettar" series from Zeiss both in Komsomolets and all Lubitel up to the end of production (166 Universal).

Interesting! what's also intriguing me though that is has the Leningrad inscription on the bottom as well, so it is a modified Brilliant die and not the original unchanged die, but I guess then, later, to simplify the production they had removed the counter windows and the mechanism itself...also notice how much thicker and heavier are the cocking and release levers! Is this typical of later Komsomolets cameras? Mine has the standard flat Lubitel-type levers.... They also look much more intricate to produce and probably later were simplified as well into what we have all seen...

quote:

---

Instead they have a variable wheight that can offer 3 speeds.

---

It would be very interesting mechanics there! And it should be really simple! But how weights work if camera up side down?

... one more picture of the same camers ...

I have numbers for 7 Komsomol'tsev. 5 of them I still have, including the '47 models. I will check them out and report here this weekend.

Komsomolets 476444 frame counter
Komsomolets 4713334 frame counter (will verify)
Komsomolets 4876455
Komsomolets 4911579
Komsomolets 4954231
Komsomolets 5023658

Yuri

Yuri,

Thank you very much for your Komsomolets info!


Regards,
Aidas

Aidas, here they are. I will post links, since the images are large. I also have original (10 megapixel), if you need them, please ask. Feel free to use these images. Serial numbers are in file names.

All 5 cameras have filter compartments, though none has filters in them.

The oldest, with a frame counter 476444

http://www.fedka.com//Pics/Komsomol'tsy/koms476444.jpg
http://www.fedka.com//Pics/Komsomol'tsy/koms476444b.jpg
http://www.fedka.com//Pics/Komsomol'tsy/koms476444s.jpg

The next 4 cameras (1948-49)are common variation, but you can see that the molds are different. Some were from the early batch (left side, looking at the front, has screws that cover what used to be a frame counter), some from the later batch, when the simply molded the whole side together with the body.

http://www.fedka.com//Pics/Komsomol'tsy/koms48128228.jpg
http://www.fedka.com//Pics/Komsomol'tsy/koms48128228b.jpg

http://www.fedka.com//Pics/Komsomol'tsy/koms4876455.jpg
http://www.fedka.com//Pics/Komsomol'tsy/koms4876455b.jpg

http://www.fedka.com//Pics/Komsomol'tsy/koms4911579.jpg
http://www.fedka.com//Pics/Komsomol'tsy/koms4911579b.jpg

http://www.fedka.com//Pics/Komsomol'tsy/koms4954231.jpg
http://www.fedka.com//Pics/Komsomol'tsy/koms4954231b.jpg

This one, is the newest, 5023658, and it is almost a Lubitel. It has a T-22 shutter, all-black shutter front, speeds engraved on the side, and the red window has a cover ofer it, just like a Lubitel. And to save even more, they removed the Leningrad from the bottom.





http://www.fedka.com//Pics/Komsomol'tsy/koms5023658.jpg
http://www.fedka.com//Pics/Komsomol'tsy/koms5023658b.jpg
http://www.fedka.com//Pics/Komsomol'tsy/koms5023658p.jpg

Yuri,

I'm very appreciated to get this information - thank you very much! Itt seems to me, that at least 10 versions of Komsomolets were issued and our task to know them all ...

I'm absolutely sure, that Komsomolets with frame counter is very rare to find, so lucky you and me. Viktor Suglob has evidences, that these early cameras were produced since 1944 (!), so may be we have to split categories not into prewar and postwar ones, but to add one more "wartime cameras" ...

Best Regards,
Aidas

Aidas,
I am not questioning Victor, but it would be odd to see a consumer camera production in 1944. Do you know ANY consumer camera that was made during the war?
As far as frame counter - it is surely very uncommon, but my records show two of them, though I was able to find only one (the other one was probably sold or traded sometime ago, and I did not record this).
My point here is that it is not as rare as other exotic cameras, such as TSVVS, no-name Contax, and such.
If you look at the serial number spread for this version (with the counter), at least thousands were made.

Yuri

Aidas,
Can you post a picture of the back door of your "counter" Komsomolets from 1947? I want to see the film window location.

Thank you,
Yuri

Yuri,

I didn't find a picture of rear door recently, but I can confirm, that film window is left-sided, not centered as usual.

I have got an interesting message from Estonian camera collector recently, concerning our dispute. He have sent me at least 5 versions of Komsomolets cameras, starting from the early one. The most interesting thing - his early "counter" Komsomolets has left-sided window, but comes with later shutter design. That confirms me, that at least 3 version of "counter" Komsomolets existing for sure ...
I will try to clasify all the Komsomolets known to publish in our Forums, ok?

Thanks again for your information!

Regards,
Aidas