Important announcements for 2007

[lushd]

News of great interest to lovers of cameras made in the USSR was released today.

1. The Lomographic Society has announced that it will take over the camera manufacturing business of Leica AG from January 1st 2007. Manufacturing will be moved to the LOMO factory in St. Petersburg and new models will be produced and old lines refreshed. In the press release, the Society said: "With immediate effect we are overhauling the unsuccessful Leica M8. From February it will be available with a new 1mb sensor and a plastic lens. Pictures will be recorded onto 1.44 mb floppy disks in jpg format. It will be supplied in a box with some plastic things and a silly book." Questioned about price, a spokesman said it was too early to state an exact amount but he anticipated it would be in the region of $10,000 US.

2. Following this, KMZ in Moscow have announced that they have bought the rights to the Leica M7 and MP which will no longer be made by the Leica company. Renamed the Zorki 20 and Zorki 20m, they will be sold in kit form with three lenses, a leather case, 10 rolls of film and a set of five filters for $100 and $125 respectively. A spokesman said he hoped the high price would not put people off but times had changed and the company needed to make a profit. An initial production run of 500,000 of each model is anticipated.

 

[darkkavenger]

*calls KMZ to pre-order one of each* 😀 😉

 

[Rodinal Addict]

I sent an e-mail to the KMZ company, discovering that these fine cameras can be shipped here to the US for $150.00 (No Pay pal, cashiers cheque or wire transfer only please), and will be shipped in a sturdy box, tied with yak hair string.

 

[zhang xk]

Hi Donald,

Is the $10,000 upgraded camera still called Leica M8? Or should it be called LOMO 8M?😀
I am more interested in the Zorki 20 and 20M for $100.😛

Zhang

 

[PetarDima]

I can't belive it ! 100 american dollars is about 6000 serbian dinars ... shadows of Zorki & Kiev are alive again. Where ( on net ) can I read about new russian rangefinder cameras? Where is the link, please? 😀

 

[rolleistef]

I read somewhere that the Lomo 8M (yes it's the 8M) would have a built in b&w CRT-screen on the rear of the camera, with a resolution of 24 lines. An additional PCMCIA component will enable the camera to receive soviet TV-channels.
The new Plasticron 2:52,4+/- 3mm is based on the well known Industar 50, and has 4 elements in 8 groups, including many airspaces filled with genuine KGB soporific gas, that turned out to be a very good colour transmittor. However, the sensor being B&W, it's no use.
The Plastilux will sell 12$ on ebay, it's a redesigned Summilux with an heidosmat formula. It's not sure yet whether it will mount any camera, nor whether the Lomo factory has enough money to buy a collimation apparatus. Thus, the glorious era of the back and front focusing J3s. It might mount any M camera, but there is still an hesitation, will the mount be m39 or badly made M mount?
I ordered the Zorki 20m, it's due to arrive around the 20th of August 2008, according to the Lomographic Society. I'm looking forward to seeing whether they finally reused the same lens as on the Lubi 2, and what chromatic abberation it will make. I'll be posting a new thread as soon as it arrives.
Cheers!

 

[lushd]

Actually, I think the KMZ offer is a bit mean. After all, there's no lens hoods included.

 

[rolleistef]

there's a low cost option for that - pay an extra 200£ and you might get a matching plastic hood for your plasticron. A Lomo official told me that they could use metal due to the possibility of electric shocks, between the plastic on the lens and the metal on the hood.
A siberian panther-fur leatherette is included with the lens hood. Real fur, no nylon!
Otherwise this ebay seller makes a special offer for 20 lens hoods.

 

[lushd]

Special Editions

Special Editions

KMZ have just announced some special editions of the new Zorki 20/20m. There will be three:

* Moscow Olympics 1980 (apparently the original silkscreens were still in the warehouse)

* 50 years of Soviet Power (see above)

* Zorki 20 "Pollonium", commemorating 10 years of the FSB (believed to be safe in everyday use, but better wear lead gloves just in case)

Demand is likely to be high, so buy now!

 

[Ash]

hah! great!

 

[Scarpia]

The only problem I see is that this camera might set off sensors in airports. Have they thought of this or is this a new way to keep people from leaving the motherland?😕
Kurt M.

 

[Keith]

Is it true that the preview function on the 8M has been upgraded to a small 50 page sketch pad and stick of charcoal for reliability? 😕

 

[Ash]

yes but you must travel to moscow to meet the artist each time

 

[FrankS]

Can someone with inside connections please post a photo of the actual camera? Not a phoney photoshopped mock-up! This would be a RFF exclusive, and we could draw in folks from other forums.

 

[peterc]

I read somewhere that the Lomo 8M (yes it's the 8M) would have a built in b&w CRT-screen on the rear of the camera

Make sure you order the "extra tube set" option. Vacuum tubes are getting hard to come by these days.

Peter

 

[peterc]

this camera might set off sensors in airports.

Only if you don't fly Aeroflot.

Peter

 

[Keith]

Can someone with inside connections please post a photo of the actual camera? Not a phoney photoshopped mock-up! This would be a RFF exclusive, and we could draw in folks from other forums.

A friend who passed through Ukraine recently was able to to slip this by the authorities!

 

[raftman]

I don't get it. Why's it funny to demean Russia and their cameras with ill-informed stereotypes?

 

[Keith]

I don't get it. Why's it funny to demean Russia and their cameras with ill-informed stereotypes?

I would bet that anyone involved in this somewhat frivolous thread owns and loves numerous FSU cameras! :angel:

 

[FrankS]

As Keith said, this is good-natured fun. Many of us use and love FSU cameras.