Fake KMZ lens??

Hi Juhani!

I've seen TOE Helioses before but this is the first time I actually see a KMZ logo on it.. wow you have one too! Incredible! Did KMZ officially license this I wonder? I didn't see any mention of these lenses on zenitcamera.com, although I may have missed it... thanks for this additional info!

Cheers,
Vlad

Reply author: cedricfan

Replied on: 20181111142237

I think TOE was far too valuable, and too close to KMZ for anyone to say no, when extra lenses was needed.
And as "UK only", it would not have influenced other markets.

What I remember from Finland is that the USSR lenses were a true rarity, only MTO was really available. Jupiter-135mm sometimes advertised, but rarely sold.

Best regards,
Juhani

Reply author: Vlad

Replied on: 20181111155509

Still really strange why it required a KMZ logo...

Reply author: Guido

Replied on: 20181111174356

Hello all

Well, I have a problem too with the KMZ logo. The S/N of my Helios-44 lenses are all 7- or 8-digits, only some very early lenses had 6-digit numbers. The Helios-44-7 (00xxxx) are exeptions, a Helios-44M (05xxxx) and a Helios-44M (83xxxx) had only 6-digit numbers as far I can say about short digit numbers. My best guess is your copies aren't original from KMZ. Probably.

It's no Helios in my collection without the "-44" prefix by the way. And all my Helios-44 are 2.0/58mm and I don't have any 2.8/135mm.

Best wishes - Guido

Reply author: Zoom

Replied on: 20181121142715

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Vlad
 Did KMZ officially license this I wonder?<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Of course not. This is called counterfeit.

Reply author: Jacques M.

Replied on: 20181121152121

I wonder what is the added value to "fake" such a lens. And what is the original lens which was faked?

Jacques;

Reply author: cedricfan

Replied on: 20181121222313

Don't say "fake", but "house brand", and you understand why.
Give customer what he needs, all of it, for correct price and quality.

Best regards,
Juhani

Reply author: Jacques M.

Replied on: 20181122094237

OK, Juhani. Thanks.
A problem of word, as often...

Jacques.

Reply author: cedricfan

Replied on: 20181122102759

We may think that the Soviet lenses were great, but when ttl-metering came to Zenit, the preset-lenses became very clumsy for the laymen.
Also there was no 28mm wide angle, which was a standard addition to a lens combo of normal & 135mm tele.
Even worse it became when zooms got popular! Nothing even close...
So yes, I can fully understand why TOE added these re-branded lenses to their range, and calling them Helios made them easy to sell with Zenit :)

Best regards,
Juhani

Reply author: Vlad

Replied on: 20181214134642

Juhani, I respectfully disagree, it IS fake. using KMZ logo is a violation of copyright.. I can probably live with Helios name being used but putting another factory's logo on a lens that wasn't theirs is technically counterfeiting. I agree with Zoom..

Best regards,
Vlad