Smena/Vizit

Hi everybody

I cant find any information about this camera.
http://vanadkaamerad.web-album.org/photo/1053196,kaamerad

(Camera is mine, photo not mine)

Looks like Smena ( 6 ), but has "Vizit" there on logo.

Any ideas?

Thanks

Hi Andres,

this is very interesting! I know only of a BelOMO Vizit which is a Zenit rebrand.. Never even heard of GOMZ/LOMO variation!

http://ussrphoto.com/Wiki/default.asp?WikiCatID=73&ParentID=1&ContentID=618&Item=Vizit

is the nameplate on this camera metal? I've seen quite a few where eBay sellers replaced the nameplate with something else just to sell it as a "different" Smena as these nameplates very often fall off with age because glue dries out...

Best regards,
Vlad.

The intriguing name Visit Always hurted me.
Seeing the translation to Portuguese this word could be translanted as Visita or Visite and has the following mean according to the sentence:

Visit, Visitor, Visitation (from sobrenatural), Visitation (from sobrenatural), Visitant ,Ghost, Gest, Arrival, Call, Caller, Survey.

What do they really want to say?

I believe it is a fake plate
LP

quote:

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Originally posted by Luiz Paracampo

Seeing the translation to Portuguese this word could be translanted as Visita or Visite and has the following mean according to the sentence:

Visit, Visitor, Visitation (from sobrenatural), Visitation (from sobrenatural), Visitant ,Ghost, Gest, Arrival, Call, Caller, Survey.

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Luiz,
don't worry, in Russian the word "Визит" has only one meaning. It is "visit"

It seems not to be original. The only known rebrandings of Smena were Global and Revue.
I have one Vilia camera with the name Universal. It is also a fake. However I don't really understand why is it necessary to fake such cameras as Smena or Vilia.

Regards, Alexander

still a very strange name for a camera

Hello dear Alexander and Luiz,

I am also inclined to believe it may be aftermarket modification but I sent it to our LOMO expert Aidas to see what he has to say about it.

Alexander, there is also Cosmic 35 version of Smena-8. Actually the only one that has export names is Smena-8, if it is by some odd chance is an original name plate, this is probably Smena-8 then..

I also haven't seen a font type like that on any Smena cameras...

Cheers,
Vlad.

Alexander, I would love to see the picture of that Vilia you're talking about!

Cheers,
Vlad.

quote:

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Originally posted by VladAlexander, there is also Cosmic 35 version of Smena-8. Actually the only one that has export names is Smena-8, if it is by some odd chance is an original name plate, this is probably Smena-8 then..

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A bit more than only "8" were rebadged:
Symbol also exists as Cosmic & Revue and Panorama. 8M as Cosmic. But these were all export. And this "Visit" is cyrillic = domestic market.

Maybe the name change was done to hide the fact that it is only a Smena? And Visit as it is not a camera name.

And if we talk about USSR camera names they are highly poetic and pompous. Zorki, Zenit and Almaz for example. In west names like this were used to hide bad products...

Best regards,
Juhani

quote:

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Originally posted by cedricfan


A bit more than only "8"

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Good day Juhani,
I really wonder how many Smenas you have. Which one do you like most? Maybe you can give the rest of us without Smenas a hint which is a must have Smena. I wonder how their shutter works too.

quote:

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Originally posted by Lenny

Maybe you can give the rest of us without Smenas a hint which is a must have Smena.

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Lenny,
there is no "must have" Smena, but there are some "not more possible to find" Smenas, such as Smena-12 or Smena-14.
I have about 35 different Smenas in my collection and almost all of them were found on Ebay or camera fairs for 5,- till 15,- Euros.
To find any common Smena nowadays is not a problem.

Juhani,
so far as I know, the was no any Smena with the name "Panorama". If you have one, I would ask you to show it here please. It seems for me to be a "sister" of Smena-Visit


Regards, Alexander

quote:

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Originally posted by AlexanderK


so far as I know, the was no any Smena with the name "Panorama".

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Alexander,
there is a "Panorama" on fotoua within the types of "Smena-Symbol".

Once I bought a set of two cameras and I told the russian seller to keep the Smena because I wanted to save the tax :)
Was it a mistake?


http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/412015_Smena and Zorki-2C.JPG

OK, Lenny,
was my mistake. I have found it also on the Aidas web site. I have learned something new .
About the other two cameras: how much did you need to pay for them? The tax is normaly about 20%. These two cameras you can find also in European Ebay (German or UK), but the price could be some 15% higher as by russian sellers. So you must deside yourself.
Such Smena costs in Germany about 15,- Euro and Zorki-2C about 50,- Euro.

Regards, Alexander

quote:

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Originally posted by AlexanderK


About the other two cameras: how much did you need to pay for them? The tax is normaly about 20%. These two cameras you can find also in European Ebay (German or UK), but the price could be some 15% higher as by russian sellers. Such Smena costs in Germany about 15,- Euro and Zorki-2C about 50,- Euro.

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At a low price there is no tax, but once I pass the free-tax-zone I have to pay the tax for all. Had some trouble with the customs office in the past and it's quite a hassle.
The Zorki-2C is great. Before I would buy 3 Smenas I would buy every other 2C.

quote:

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A bit more than only "8" were rebadged:
Symbol also exists as Cosmic & Revue and Panorama. 8M as Cosmic. But these were all export. And this "Visit" is cyrillic = domestic market.

---

Juhani, I was just talking about Smena 5 to 9 body types. The only one rebadged was 8

Cheers,
Vlad

quote:

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Originally posted by AlexanderK

quote:

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Originally posted by Lenny

Maybe you can give the rest of us without Smenas a hint which is a must have Smena.

---

Lenny,
there is no "must have" Smena, but there are some "not more possible to find" Smenas, such as Smena-12 or Smena-14.
I have about 35 different Smenas in my collection and almost all of them were found on Ebay or camera fairs for 5,- till 15,- Euros.
To find any common Smena nowadays is not a problem.

---

Very true. Except that finding anything else than the very most common types at flea markets here in Finland or in our southern neighbor Estonia is now impossible. So finding any new types is very frustrating search for me, when I have already so many (60-70 cameras).

Favorite one? I would say SL or 19. But I have never taken a single shot with a Smena!

Best regards,
Juhani

quote:

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Originally posted by cedricfan

Very true. Except that finding anything else than the very most common types at flea markets here in Finland or in our southern neighbor Estonia is now impossible. So finding any new types is very frustrating search for me, when I have already so many (60-70 cameras).

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Oh I feel so bad for you being in Europe, Juhani.... Try finding any Russian cameras in USA markets... absolutely nothing.. I ONLY have to use eBay or my personal connections... haha

Cheers,
Vlad

quote:

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Originally posted by Vlad

Try finding any Russian cameras in USA markets... absolutely nothing.. I ONLY have to use eBay or my personal connections... haha

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I think there is no better country in eBay to get a cheap russian camera than eBay in USA. The high shipping fees from USA won't give Europeans a chance to compete.

I thought I had a connection to Ukraine too, but once Dmitry found out that I was in love with his camera he more than doubled his price. Well, my addiction is not that severe. Now Dmitry still has his camera for sale

Lenny, true and not true.. there is a lot less rare camera selection here in USA compared to what you can find privately in Europe, but if they do turn up they are indeed cheaper..

Back to the topic - Aidas had replied to me, this is a modern modification of the camera or what you guys like to call a "fake". Here are two more that are from the same series (left and right), Cosmic 35 is original.


http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/512015_SmenaX3.JPG

Cheers,
Vlad.

Collectors be aware!!!!
It took me about 20 minutes to "remake" missing faceplate for this Smena 5 camera:


http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/512015_DSCF2138.JPG

I did this just for fan. But having time, skills, and intent it show how easy to came up with "new" variation for the camera.

Interesting Leninetz and Tovarich
But Artek seems that the top is recoverd with celluloid sheet over the original grey piece.
Regards
LP