# Has anyone ever heard of this camera?



## havoc (Dec 23, 2004)

It looks like a piece of crap, but its going for a ton of money. Anyone have any info on this cam? Lubitel is a Russian company i thought, but other then that i know nothing about it.


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## hobbes28 (Dec 23, 2004)

I think you forgot something there....maybe a link.


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## havoc (Dec 23, 2004)

LOL, well ****, i knew i forgot something LOL Nevermind the auction already ended LOL


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## hobbes28 (Dec 23, 2004)

Well how much did it go for??


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## havoc (Dec 23, 2004)

1500 dollars US All i know is it was a lubitel rangefinder with a nikon lense and it was 6x7cm format


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## Hertz van Rental (Dec 26, 2004)

Lots more on Google but I like the design of this page. Not sure if it's the same Lubitel though. I can only find the TLR 166.

http://lubitel-resource.tripod.com/manual.html


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## Mitica100 (Dec 28, 2004)

Hertz van Rental said:
			
		

> Lots more on Google but I like the design of this page. Not sure if it's the same Lubitel though. I can only find the TLR 166.
> 
> http://lubitel-resource.tripod.com/manual.html



I'm sure that's not it, these go for up to 50 dollars a pop in excellent condition.  It must be some rare Lubitel, small run production.  I'll do some research too, now that I have some time.


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## Mitica100 (Dec 28, 2004)

Update:

Only thing I could find is a UK page:

http://www.rolandandcaroline.co.uk/russian2.html

Nothing that expensive, though.  I'll keep researching.


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## havoc (Dec 28, 2004)

Naw, it was a rangefinder. Had a Nikon Lense. and looked like a toy. Almost Holga like. I really dunno what it was.


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## santino (Jan 27, 2005)

dunno, lubitel is actually not a brand, lomo manufactured them and like mitica said they go for 50 bucks and less. i would call them "toy cams" no coated lens, focusing kinda impossible. hmmm, strange.


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## ksmattfish (Jan 27, 2005)

Lubitel and Lomo were both USSR brand names, although we now know them most from the Lubitel plastic TLRs and that popular Lomo point-n-shoot.  

I imagine that the reason for the large value on this particular camera is due to rarity of the camera and/or the Nikon lens.


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## Mitica100 (Jan 27, 2005)

It must have been some sort of strange marriage between a cheap Russian camera and a Nikon lens. There is no record of any kind showing that Lomo (the manufacturer of Lubitel) has used Nikon optics on their cameras, even their prototypes. Someone must've put it together and claimed to be original. Unless...  Where's the darn picture?

The other thing that comes to mind is a Russian RF camera, very good copy of a Contax III, named Kiev (or KUEB in cyrillic), which could use either Russian lenses or Contax lenses. Some of these were manufactured without a logo, they're pretty rare. Could it be that Lomo decided to copy a Nikon RF as well?  I'll research some more.


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## havoc (Feb 17, 2005)

I think i found the camera again, It not a Lubitel, sorry guys the camera I was reffering to was a "Plaubel Makina 67" Its a range finder with a Nikon fixed 50mm lense and a spot meter. I guess its one of the smallest 6x7 format cameras. Still does not look worth that proce withthe fixed lense in all. But hey maybe it is the next best thing to sliced bread...


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## ksmattfish (Feb 17, 2005)

havoc said:
			
		

> Still does not look worth that proce with the fixed lense in all. But hey maybe it is the next best thing to sliced bread...



Plaubel cameras are very nice, but they are expensive because of the way they are built and marketed.  A lot of attention to detail and quality and hand building combined with low production numbers (compared to most other camera brands) makes the price go up.  This also seems to attract collectors, and that makes the price go up too.  Many the reviews I've read of Plaubel cameras go something along the lines of:  great camera, but over-priced unless you really need a specific feature offered in the Plaubel only.  Smallest 6x7 rangefinder is definately an intriguing feature.


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## havoc (Feb 18, 2005)

Ahhhh I see. Thanks Matt, that sheds more light on it for me.


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