Camera question: Sputnik-2

Bill I respect your opinion and your expertise very much! I believe we have to look for paperwork about this camera: manuals, advertisements, news paper adds, pictures, anything! I keep my mind open as well, and believe me I will be really happy if you discover true Sputnik 2, but then more I think, and read about your finds then more I skeptical about origin of the camera. As an engineer by hard and by education I can tell you no way reputable manufactory will make faceplate the way you described(it not technological even for prototypes). As a person who spent half of my life in USSR I can tell you that no way prototypes can have name written in English( I do not want bored you with personal stories about paranoia of patriotism at that time). Also in the middle of the 70th I got my first camera and was really in photography. I was living in Kiev and was visiting photo stores weekly. I do not remember that Sputnik or any other camera was laying on the shelves. The exceptions was Etude and Kiev 6. Etude no one considered to be a camera and Kiev 6 not many can afford. May be other places in USSR have better supply. But in capital of Ukraine I can not remember excess inventory of Sputniks in 70th. Believe me I’m not trying to argue with you. Same as you, I trying to find true. And as you can see something in this camera is against my believes and experience.
I’m also concerned about blue coating on the lenses. Lens coating is really sophisticated process, what hard to replicate without very special machinery and dryer. But on other hand it easy to dissolve few drops of ink from ballpoint pen in acetone, and tined the glass. Every year we colored this way Christmas lights. I wonder if you could run roll through your camera and examen the results.

Okynek,
I will do some tests on the lens coating today, including acetone and looking with ultraviolet light, but even before I do it I am pretty sure that these are professionally coated lenses, not acetone dye. I have been involved with lenses and cameras for 40 years and I know coatings pretty well.

Also, I would agree that there is no way it is a prototype. Not every camera has a prototype. If all that is being done is cosmetic changes and a new model number, no prototype is needed. But, I have a number of prototypes of Russian cameras in my collection and they vary in so many ways from normal production techniques that you would not believe it! For example, the prototype of the Zorki-35M has the top plate of a Zenit-E, with the reflex prism housing cut off, a new flat plate added, welded in place, and then resurfaced with matte chrome! You can see this detail in the photos at my web site at, http://nightphoto.com/z35m.html

So, this camera aside, it is quite amazing what designers and engineers will go through to make a new model. This faceplate will be 'childs play' to them if they want that look on it so that it matches the well-known SPUTNIK style of front label. And, I don't understand why you think no engineer would make it this way when the Komsomolets already has a lens faceplate made this way? So, it is not new.

It is a good idea to shoot a roll of film through it and I will do it this week.

Regards, Bill

hi friends
would you wait some few days...i will show you a surprise for you..
so we can continue the discuss after..

Sherlock Holmes.

Like my Zenit AM-2 serial 92000002 which is totally different from the "big production" AM-2 cameras. I did take it apart in attempt to fix it, but no luck as everything under the top looks different, mostly "hand made". Also the face is propably made from an Avtomat top, with the text scratched away! So, you never know about the prototypes or beginning of the production as Zoom would propably like to call them.

http://www.cedricfan.sivut.ws/Juhani's%20website%20ORIGINAALIT/

Alain, the suspense is killing me!

I have to open my eyes. It there - great article about Sputnik - Thanks to Photo history of Mr. Abramov:
http://www.photohistory.ru/sputnik-all.pdf
Article is in Russian and unfortunately I did not have English version Download time was slow. So be patient, it worse it! You can see there prototypes for Sputnik 3, 4, 5... - just kidding
Article does not put all the stops on the above camera history, it more guide for modification and usach of Sputnik but I found it absolutely fascinated! If no one else take initiative to translate it in English, I'll try, I'm just warry that my English is not strong enough for such job
By any means, Bill, please continue your research before any conclusions.