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The Smena is a viewfinder camera for 35mm film developed and made by GOMZ and later Belarus factory MMZ. Produced between 1953-1960 by GOMZ and c.1958 by MMZ with quantity of 1.774.847 units (MMZ model is not included).

First series of Smena is also known as Smena-1

Smena = Смена, means Young Generation.

These cameras were designed to be inexpensive and accessible to the public. It is a very simple viewfinder camera made of bakelite. It has a removable back and uses cassette to cassette film transport. All controls are on the lens/shutter barrel.

The long lasting Smena series went through at least 15 versions, running until the 1990s.

Smena had a bakelite body and was equipped with a three element lens (Cooke triplet) with a leaf shutter. Early versions had separate shutter release lever on the lens and a frame counter release button on top of the body, later series were equipped with a single button on the body combining both functions. Smena, as well as all subsequent versions till the Smena 7, had no film rewind capability and two cassettes had always to be used.

There are 5 types and 6 subtypes of the GOMZ and MMZ Smena. [1] [2] [3] [4]

The list of all Smena models is in the article Smena Series by GOMZ & MMZ & LOMO.

Smena 01

Smena type 3b GOMZ c.1960 (1953-1960)

Specifications[]

  • Lens: GOMZ T-22 (Triplet) 40mm f/4.5 filter slip-on
    • Aperture:f/4.5-f/22
    • Focus range: 1.3-10m +inf
  • Focusing: manual front focusing, guess the distance
  • Shutter: central leaf shutter, speeds: 1/10-1/200 +B
  • Shutter release: on the lens-shutter barrel
  • Cable release socket: on the lens-shutter barrel
  • Cocking lever: on the lens-shutter barrel
  • Frame counter: manual setting, window on the top plate, not works wo/film
  • Winding knob: on the left of the top plate
  • Viewfinder: reverse telescopic finder
  • Re-wind lever: none, two cassettes must use always
  • Flash PC socket: none
  • Cold-shoe
  • Back cover: removable, opens by a latch on the right side of the camera
  • Engraving on the back cover: GOMZ logo
  • Tripod socket: 3/8"
  • Strap lugs: None
  • Body: bakelite; Weight: 290g
  • serial no. on the lens

Notes and references[]

  1. Typing is as to Alexander Komarov in Fotoua
  2. There are usefull books about cameras of former USSR and have classifications also.
  3. Pages from the the book of former USSR cameras by Suglob, Shaternik, Kochergin
  4. Discussion about clasifications in the books of Princelle and Suglob, Shaternik, Kochergin in USSR Photo Forum

Links[]

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