Home | Profile | Register | Active Topics | Members | Search | FAQ

 All Forums
 General Discussion
 Collectors and Users Open Forum
 USSR copies of Chinese cameras

Note: You must be registered in order to post a reply.
To register, click here. Registration is FREE!

Screensize:
UserName:
Password:
Antispam question: Please provide registration password:
Answer:
Format Mode:
Format: BoldItalicizedUnderlineStrikethrough Align LeftCenteredAlign Right Horizontal Rule Insert HyperlinkInsert EmailInsert Image Insert CodeInsert QuoteInsert List
   
Message:

* HTML is OFF
* Forum Code is ON

New! Upload Image

Smilies
Smile [:)] Big Smile [:D] Cool [8D] Blush [:I]
Tongue [:P] Evil [):] Wink [;)] Clown [:o)]
Black Eye [B)] Eight Ball [8] Frown [:(] Shy [8)]
Shocked [:0] Angry [:(!] Dead [xx(] Sleepy [|)]
Kisses [:X] Approve [^] Disapprove [V] Question [?]

 
Check here to subscribe to this topic.
   

T O P I C    R E V I E W
USSRBJ Posted - Jan 08 2009 : 9:48:36 PM
Actually, I have no Chinese old cameras until today. All of may collections are USSR cameras. But I find some of you like Chinese cameras especially those USSR clones, so I thinks this topic is not exceed the extent of our forums.
All of these pictures showed to you are from other Chiese collectors. Thanks for their share.

I think my cameras' knowledge is poor, so if there is any wrong with what i describe, please correct it.

Zi jin shan, copy of Zenit


Shanghai58-1(not 58-2), copy of Zorki


Nanjing58-2, copy of Fed 2


Changle, copy of Lubitel


Changjiang, Huashan, copies of Smena



I find a rare Chinese camera called Xingguang also has some common parts with Smena, especially the top of the camera.

27   L A T E S T    R E P L I E S    (Newest First)
Lenny Posted - Dec 05 2014 : 03:42:48 AM
quote:
Originally posted by AlexanderK

I find the title of this topic quite curious. There were no USSR copies of Chinese cameras as well as there were almost NO Chinese copies of the USSR cameras.
All "Chinese copies" were really the original USSR cameras, that were produced on the factories built by USSR in China. All these cameras were made with the original soviet technical documentation from original soviet parts under the coaching of the soviet engineers.
So they were not a copy, but the original, branded for the "USSR younger brother".



Interesting. I didn't know that FED and KMZ produced in China.
Were these cams only produced for the chinese market?
When did this USSR/China cooperation start? 1958?
They made the Fed-2. How about Zorki-2C and Zorki-5?
Zorki-2C and Zorki-5 have a big gap in the serial numbers. Zorki-2C was produced till around #5816xxxx and then started again with #589xxxxx. Zorki-5 had first a 7-digit serial number in 1958 and later in 1958 it changed to 8-digits starting with 589xxxxx also.
Could it be that all 589xxxxx Zorki-2C and Zorki-5 are chinese made?
I'm not sure about Fed-2, but there are changes in the serial-number-system also.

The Zenit copy "Zi jin shan" shown in the first photo in this thread seems to be a real chinese copy before this USSR/China cooperation.
cedricfan Posted - Dec 04 2014 : 2:14:19 PM
Originally it was so. But later the USSR-designs were modified to suit Chinese. Also designs like shutter and lens were adopted to many cameras, which lead to that most Chinese cameras are technically almost same. So not copies, but neither original either, except the very few earliest models. Same evolution that happened with Fed, Kiev and Zorki.

Best regards,
Juhani
AlexanderK Posted - Dec 04 2014 : 2:02:51 PM
I find the title of this topic quite curious. There were no USSR copies of Chinese cameras as well as there were almost NO Chinese copies of the USSR cameras.
All "Chinese copies" were really the original USSR cameras, that were produced on the factories built by USSR in China. All these cameras were made with the original soviet technical documentation from original soviet parts under the coaching of the soviet engineers.
So they were not a copy, but the original, branded for the "USSR younger brother".

What is about Chinese Lieca-copies? I think they are copies of original Leica, but not the copies of FED or Zorki (may be except of FED-2?).

Regards, Alexander
Luiz Paracampo Posted - Dec 04 2014 : 11:05:19 AM
This Shanghai is much nearer a Leica IIIb than Zorki or FED
Shanghai has slow speeds and prismatic finder (towards joining oculars
Regards
LP
JS1 Posted - Dec 04 2014 : 12:17:10 AM
Very interesting post.

I probably will add a Shanghai 58-1 to my collection, a Leica/Zorki/Fed copy of 1958



best regards
Johan
jokerrabit Posted - Jan 26 2010 : 08:19:27 AM
yes thank you very much Juhani, very cool of you to post this. if I can get it translated I'll post it back up here. laters
cedricfan Posted - Jan 25 2010 : 10:35:25 PM

http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/2512010_Huqiu.JPG

Hope this helps!

Best regards,
Juhani
jokerrabit Posted - Jan 25 2010 : 5:33:03 PM
thank you very much! Juhani, I'd like to add this camera to my collection some day so this will help me allot. if you can scan the pages of your Chinese camera book that could turn out to be very useful. my brother in-law is Hmong and I also have a Chinese friend who might be able to help in translating the pages. that is if no one here can do it in the first place.

than you again.
cedricfan Posted - Jan 24 2010 : 12:09:12 PM
It has the same lens/shutter construction than already Seagulls had in 1960ies: 45mm f/2,8 and speeds B & 1s - 1/300s.
Typical to Huqiu is the Canonet-like film advance lever & shutter release design.
Most likely no exposure meter but coupled rangefinder.
Made in mid-70ies.
If someone can translate Chinese then I will scan a page of my Chinese camera book?

Best regards,
Juhani
jokerrabit Posted - Jan 24 2010 : 09:17:30 AM
quote:
What do you want to know?


thank you Juhani
first off when and where was it made? how many and for how long? is it a common camera? is it a knock off of something else or it's own design? what are the shutter speeds focal lengths? stuff like this. are there any special features?
cedricfan Posted - Jan 23 2010 : 07:52:18 AM

http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/2312010_Huqiu1.JPG

I have this version and this:


http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/2312010_DSCF1687.jpg

What do you want to know?

Best regards,
Juhani
jokerrabit Posted - Jan 23 2010 : 05:20:22 AM
Hi dose any one have any knowledge about a Chinese camera called Huqiu 35mm?

this guy would like to know about it
http://www.camerasdownunder.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=4&pos=17
as well as my self.
USSRBJ Posted - Jan 11 2009 : 7:12:29 PM
Hi,

North-West of China consist of Shaan Xi, Gan Su, Qing Hai, Ning Xia, Xin Jiang.

Zhou
quote:
Originally posted by Zoom

quote:
Originally posted by USSRBJ


Xibei in Chinese means "North-West".


Wow... Interesting: from what place it was located as "North-West"? ;)
Thank you!

Zoom Posted - Jan 11 2009 : 3:38:52 PM
quote:
Originally posted by USSRBJ


Xibei in Chinese means "North-West".


Wow... Interesting: from what place it was located as "North-West"? ;)
Thank you!
USSRBJ Posted - Jan 11 2009 : 11:14:04 AM
Hi Vlad,
I have changed that entry. I'll keep on learning how to use this fully functional site.

Best regards,
Zhou
quote:
Originally posted by Vlad

Please go ahead and edit that entry, that is why it's WIKI for a reason, if you see a mistake and you are sure of a correct answer, just change it!

Thanks!!
Vlad.

Vlad Posted - Jan 11 2009 : 10:46:58 AM
Zhou,

The Zi jin shan seems to be more of copy of an Exakta rather than Zenit and Shanghai58-1 I think is direct copy of Leica rather than Zorki due to the front slow shutter dial... just seems like the Soviet industry didn't really have impact on these 2 particular designs.. but the Changle and the others are clearly Soviet "borrowed" design..

Vlad.
Vlad Posted - Jan 11 2009 : 10:41:18 AM
Please go ahead and edit that entry, that is why it's WIKI for a reason, if you see a mistake and you are sure of a correct answer, just change it!

Thanks!!
Vlad.
USSRBJ Posted - Jan 11 2009 : 10:37:21 AM
I find there is a mistake in Wiki catalog. That F-21 copy called "SY 916" is wrong. It's real name is "1503". In my memory, "SY 916" is the nickname of author who mentioned 1503 in his article.
USSRBJ Posted - Jan 10 2009 : 7:14:23 PM
Hi Zoom,

Xibei in Chinese means "North-West".

There were lots of USSR helping item in China, 1950s, and I also think Hua Shan's production is one of them. Maybe I'd better use "imitate" instead of "design", sorry for neglect.
As the story goes, Hua Shan's lense and shutter assembly were made in USSR.

Best regarts,
Zhou

quote:
Originally posted by Zoom

quote:
Originally posted by USSRBJ

Maybe you mentioned is Xibei Optical Instrument Factory.


Thank you! The year of this plant foundation is very close to my data. But is it correct to say that the Shaan Xi provice is in North-West?

quote:
Originally posted by USSRBJ

Smena's copy Huan Shan and Lubitel's copy Chang Le were designed by this factory...


I think that it is too hard to make an independed design of something if you have an all original documents, an original soviet equipment and a soviet specialists to help. ;)
This plant (and I think that all others too, up to 1960 year) was build by USSR.

Zoom Posted - Jan 10 2009 : 5:14:06 PM
quote:
Originally posted by USSRBJ

Maybe you mentioned is Xibei Optical Instrument Factory.


Thank you! The year of this plant foundation is very close to my data. But is it correct to say that the Shaan Xi provice is in North-West?

quote:
Originally posted by USSRBJ

Smena's copy Huan Shan and Lubitel's copy Chang Le were designed by this factory...


I think that it is too hard to make an independed design of something if you have an all original documents, an original soviet equipment and a soviet specialists to help. ;)
This plant (and I think that all others too, up to 1960 year) was build by USSR.
USSRBJ Posted - Jan 10 2009 : 10:02:54 AM
Another version of Chang Jiang.
USSRBJ Posted - Jan 09 2009 : 7:39:27 PM
Hi,
Maybe you mentioned is Xibei Optical Instrument Factory. It was found in Xi An, Shaan Xi provice, 1957.
Smena's copy Huan Shan and Lubitel's copy Chang Le were designed by this factory in 1958, and were massly producted in 1959 and 1961 respectively.

Best wishes,
Zhou


quote:
Originally posted by Zoom

quote:
Originally posted by USSRBJ

...Xing guang was made by BEIJING CAMERA FACTORY.


Btw., may be you know: where was in a 1950s--1960s the "State North-West optical mechanical plant" (in Russian: "Государственны?Северо-Западный оптико-механический заво?)?

Zoom Posted - Jan 09 2009 : 4:07:32 PM
quote:
Originally posted by USSRBJ

...Xing guang was made by BEIJING CAMERA FACTORY.


Btw., may be you know: where was in a 1950s--1960s the "State North-West optical mechanical plant" (in Russian: "Государственный Северо-Западный оптико-механический завод")?
USSRBJ Posted - Jan 09 2009 : 04:34:35 AM
Ok, no problem. If there is any news, I will contact with you.
quote:
Originally posted by cedricfan

If you ever see one that could be bought please inform me, I can propably arrange the shipping and payment with my contacts.

cedricfan Posted - Jan 09 2009 : 04:02:16 AM
If you ever see one that could be bought please inform me, I can propably arrange the shipping and payment with my contacts.
USSRBJ Posted - Jan 09 2009 : 03:13:27 AM
Juhani,
Xing guang is rare even in China.
It's a simple camera with: shutter speed:1/25,B; aperture:F8,F11,F16
Xing guang was made by BEIJING CAMERA FACTORY.

quote:
Originally posted by cedricfan

Lovely, thanks! Is the Xing Guang hard to find? My contacts in China have not yet found me one. I already have Changjiang and Huashan as I collect Smena..

Best regards,
Juhani

cedricfan Posted - Jan 08 2009 : 11:31:12 PM
Lovely, thanks! Is the Xing Guang hard to find? My contacts in China have not yet found me one. I already have Changjiang and Huashan as I collect Smena..

Best regards,
Juhani

USSRPhoto.com Forums © USSRPhoto.com Go To Top Of Page
Snitz Forums 2000
Google