Soviet and Russian Cameras - FT-1, FT-3, FT-2



FT-1 (1948)

Prototype panoramic camera, conceived by E.V.Soloviev. 12 views 24x102mm on 35mm preforated film. 120° Angle of view. A single (equivalent) shutter speed: 1/50s. Industar-22 3.5/5cm lens. Dimensions: 130x90x70 mm. 1030 g. (source: J.L.Princelle "The Authentic Guide to Russian and Soviet Cameras", 2nd edition).

Produced: 1948 Name: „ФТ-1“ Producer: KMZ Frame size: 24x110mm. Lens: Industar-22 3.5/50. Shutter: 1/50s. Quantity: unknown, but very few. Image Courtesy: Princelle book.
	PM2605 - FT-1 Prototype camera.




FT-3 (1952-1953)

Prototype panoramic camera, conceived by E.V.Soloviev. 12 views 24x102mm on 35mm perforated film. 120° angle of view. Variable slit-width shutter, equivalent speeds: 1/25s, 1/50s, 1/100s and 1/150s. Industar-22 3.5/50mm lens. Focus: 1.2m - 2.5m - ∞. Removable panoramic optical finder with built-in bubble level.


Produced: 1952-1953 Name: „ФТ-3“ Producer: KMZ Frame size: 24x110mm. Lens: Industar-22 3.5/50. Shutter: 1/25s, 1/50s, 1/100s, 1/150s. Quantity: unknown, but very few. Camera opposite from private collection in China. At least 4 versions of FT-3 camera are known to exist. Almost identical to each other, but with different coding systems of the serial number. An earliest version has no nameplate at all (see below).
	PM2630 - FT-3 prototype camera #343037.



PM2620. Seems to be an earliest version of prototype FT-3 camera. Comes without nameplate plaque nor serial number. I could not check what s/n is written on I-22 3.5/50 lens unfortunately. Picture opposite was kindly provided by authors of SSK book "1200 Cameras from the USSR", 2009.
	PM2620 - FT-3 prototype camera.

PM2625. Camera identical to PM2620, but with nameplate plaque on the top. 5-digits serial number and KMZ logotype stamped on the plaque (see picture below). Industar-22 lens #00055. Camera opposite from private collection in Russia.
	PM2625 - FT-3 prototype camera #06036.


PM2625 - FT-3 prototype camera #06036 - the very complete set.

PM2630. Camera identical to PM2625, but with new 6-digits serial number coding system. Industar-22 lens #00057.
	PM2630 - FT-3 prototype camera #343037.

PM2635. Camera identical to PM2630, but with date prefix in the serial number. 5-digits serial number again. An earliest so far known camera has s/n #53001 (private coll.), the latest so far known camera has s/n #57017 (private coll.). Camera #53001 opposite from private collection in Russia.
	PM2635 - FT-3 prototype camera #53001.





FT-2 (1957-1968)


This camera was the first soviet panorama camera to be put into full production. It uses a curved film plane and a sweeping lens to minimize distortion. These cameras used a special film cassette with the film moving from one cassette to the other. This makes rewinding unnecessary. If as is often the case, one or both of the cassettes is missing the camera is not usable. There is no source of cassettes and to get them you would have to buy another camera (source: www.rafcamera.com).


Produced: 1957-1968 Name: „ФТ-2“ Producer: KMZ Frame size: 24x110mm. Lens: Industar-50 3.5/50. Shutter: 1/100, 1/200, 1/400s. Quantity: 16.662 units.





PM2655. Seems to be an earliest version of panoramic FT-2 camera. Very limited quantity released by KMZ in 1957-1958. Engravings on the frontplate, notched shutter handle. Some cameras come with additional engravings "SDELANO B CCCP" on the rear viewfinder. An earliest so far known camera has s/n 5800051 (private coll.). Sample opposite scanned from Soviet Camera Catalogue (1959).
	PM2655 - FT-2 camera.

PM2660. Camera identical to PM2655, but with different design of notched shutter handle (see picture below). Break adjustment ring on the camera bottom. Appr. 220 cameras (PM2655+PM2660) released by KMZ in 1957-1958. Camera #5800212 opposite from Ulrich Witte (Germany) collection.
	PM2660 - FT-2 #5800212.

PM2665. Seems to be an earliest regular version of the particular camera. Identical to PM2660, but without engravings on the frontplate already. Name markings in Cyrillic characters are stamped in the black metal plaque on the top plate of the camera (see picture below). Still notched design of the shutter handle. An earliest so far known camera has s/n #5800239 (V.Suglob coll.). Camera #5800239 opposite from Viktor Suglob (Belarus) collection.
	PM2665 - FT-2 #5800239.

PM2670. Camera identical to PM2665, but with changed design of the shutter handle again (see picture below). Cameras with 6-digits, 7-digits and 8-digits are known to exist. Some cameras come with additional engravings "SDELANO B CCCP" on the rear viewfinder. Camera opposite from private collection in Europe.
	PM2670 - FT-2 #5800469.

PM2675. New camera construction without break adjustment ring on the camera bottom already (see picture below). 6-digits serial numbers starting from 1959 already ... Some cameras come with additional engravings "SDELANO B CCCP" on the rear viewfinder. PM2680. Camera identical to PM2675, but with exports markings already. Camera from private collection in Europe.
	PM2680 - FT-2 #620770.

PM2685. The latest version of the particular camera with changed design of shutter handle, which becomes binary now. White frame-counter's disk. 5-digits serial numbers already. Nameplate markings in Cyrillic characters. Camera opposite from private collection in Europe. PM2690. Camera identical to PM2685, but with export markings already.
	FT-2 (latest) #67535.