1000 Cameras from USSR by Viktor Suglob

Wow, look at that weird Foton on the cover!

Vlad.

Yes this camera is a rare "FOTON 23". a redesigned "Polaroid One-Step". Differently from previous "FOTONS" and the original "MOMENT" from LOMO, this camera was developed to use original Polaroid films. Polaroid had a great success in Russia in the end '80 years. This happened after an American exhibition in Moscow where the Polaroid firm gave one camera free to whose who bought three rolls of film.
The success was such, that in the begining of the '90 years, it was formed in Moscow a joint venture enterprise called "Svetozor JSC" aimed to produce and sell Polaroid products. KMZ produced at his own expenses these new FOTON camera models for using those "Zero Delay" films . Due unknown reasons, the firm "Svetozor" went bankrupt before they sold the first film pack and everything was a great loss.
LP

Viktor sent me the cover of the book, various camera photos and his own site. I did see in the chests of the museum an enormous amount of prototypes which I think will be included in the book. This huge number of prototypes comes mainly from BelOMO.
I feel this should be an extaordinary book and the best on Russian cameras up to this days.
Viktor Suglob is also a great photographer using as he says -Only film cameras- which give more freedom for his kind of works.
He awarded the best "Neighbourhood of Lithuania and Kaunas Master Photograper" with his work "Steps over Earth".
I believe each of the members should own one "1000 cameras from URSS"
LP

I would imagine that in early 90s Russia started heavily importing foreign photographic equipment including Polaroid instant cameras, and Polaroid brand was so popular that no one wanted a domestically produced Foton. That's what probably bankrupted Svetozor, the funding was most likely reconsidered after the actual market research.. I'm just guessing, but it's probably most likely scenario. Also in 90s Russia all the start up businesses had to have very heavy criminal connections in order to survive. You had to pay a good chunk of your income to the organized crime. That may have been a factor too, but who knows...

Vlad

Regarding Viktor, here's an article in Russian about the opening of his Photo Museum in 2004. It's quite old, but I doubt a lot of people saw it.

http://www.photohunt.by/names/event/museum/

Vlad.

And here's Viktor's amazing Photography work:

http://mirfoto.by/gal_suglob/index.htm

Vlad.

Hello friends,

I was succeeded to visit Viktor's museum a few months ago. Although trip to Lukashenka's Belarus is always some kind of exotic, it was worth anyway as the new good friend was found in Minsk. Viktor Suglob is very friendly person, totally "sick" by camera collecting, very informative and competent. I was allowed to touch all these ultra rare items, as well as a draft copy of his new book. Beeing very communicative and with a lot of friends worldwide, Viktor assembled the huge amount of information about cameras never seen before. So I'm sure his book will be the "Event of Century" in our community for sure!
Regards,
Aidas

Hi everyone,

Viktor dropped me a note today - he was sick for a while and then frantically working on his book, so had no time to answer our emails, but he said that if book was called "1000 cameras from USSR", it is now more like "1200 cameras from USSR".. he told me that he has tons of new material and tries to add it to the book. As a preview he had sent me a few interesting cameras:


A handmade Lomo equivalent of the FED OneShot?




Moskva 3 with redwood body devoted to the fifth anniversary of a victory over Germany



Some school paper-made camera


Another Vileika venture?

I'll add these to the catalog at some point. Posting these here as a preview.

Vlad

Did he mention how soon his book will be in stores?

No, but I doubt that it'll be this year... hopefully next year.

Amazing cameras!!!! While I have to wonder if Moskva was built like this by KMZ or it - how to put it - after market upgrade?

quote:

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Originally posted by Luiz Paracampo

Yes this camera is a rare "FOTON 23".

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This is "Foton-Super-1" (1978), see
http://www.zenitcamera.com/archive/foton/index.html#foton-super-1

quote:

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Originally posted by Luiz Paracampo

Differently from previous "FOTONS" and the original "MOMENT" from LOMO, this camera was developed to use original Polaroid films.

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No. All Fotons developed to use an original Polaroid films/packs.
P.S. ...some cameras -- in addition to the Soviet-made packs.

quote:

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Originally posted by Luiz Paracampo

Polaroid had a great success in Russia in the end '80 years.

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Yes.

quote:

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Originally posted by Luiz Paracampo

This happened after an American exhibition in Moscow where the Polaroid firm gave one camera free to whose who bought three rolls of film.

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No. And nothing was sold on this exhibitions.

quote:

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Originally posted by Luiz Paracampo

in the begining of the '90 years, it was formed in Moscow a joint venture enterprise called "Svetozor JSC" aimed to produce and sell Polaroid products.

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SP "Svetozor" based on the "Signal" plant in Obninsk and made "Polaroid Supercolor 635CL".
P.S. ... and refurbish Polaroids and promote a Polaroid-made technics (like scanners, special scientific cameras, etc.)

quote:

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Originally posted by Luiz Paracampo

KMZ produced at his own expenses these new FOTON camera models for using those "Zero Delay" films .

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KMZ produced only Foton(-1) in 1969--1976 years.

quote:

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Originally posted by Luiz Paracampo

Due unknown reasons, the firm "Svetozor" went bankrupt before they sold the first film pack and everything was a great loss.

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"Svetozor" was closed, as I know, in 1998--1999 years, of course, not "before they sold the first film pack"... ;)

I have just proudly sent my modest contributions to the book. I was very pleased and amazed to get an email from him for a couple of camera pictures

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

I've just pasted a large article that I've translated for Viktor into to the Wiki entry for the book. It's about the creation of this book that just went to print(!!!). Just click on entry link on top of this thread.

Vlad.

Russian original of this article is attached as a file to the entry. (if anyone is interested)

Vlad

Absolutely fascinating, looks to be a superb book, by a great photogropher too, I would love to see it

Samsung GX-10,too many Russian Lenses, A lot of Zenit, some Yashica,and a Pentax Body also finally a Minox35GT

Viktor sent me email today asking to post this addendum to the article I've posted earlier (it's addressed to me so any "you" in it is me. ) :

По-поводу книги. В тексте, который ты переводил, упомянуты не все люди
которые внесли свой огромный вклад в создание книги. В книге обязательно,
словами благодарности, будут отмечены и Милос Младек и Алэн Берри, Абрамов,
Балашевич и все все остальные, кто давал когда-либо информацию для книги, и
конечно ВЫ.

с уважением, Виктор.

Regarding the book: In the text that you've translated not all the people were mentioned and thanked. In the book itself, there will be thanks mentioned for Milos Mladek, Alain Berry, G. Abramov, Balashevich and all the others who had ever provided any information for the book and of course you.

Best regards, Viktor.

quote:

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Originally posted by Vlad

В книге обязательно, словами благодарности, будут отмечены ... все все остальные, кто давал когда-либо информацию для книги ...

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Посмотрим...

I don't know why you would doubt his statement about thanks to contributors.

Regards, Bill

Hello everyone!
Thought I'd update you on the book. Viktor had wrote me today that book has a scheduled release date now of September 30, 2009. He also had sent me a few pages from the book to post here. Enjoy and try not to cry because I think I did a little...




























Vlad

quote:

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Originally posted by Vlad

...try not to cry...

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Thank you.
Now I know where are the some stolen cameras from the KMZ R&D center collection...