I don't know if any of you noticed this but one of the rare Sputnik 2's was recently processed by eBay. I read the lengthy discussion on one of the Soviet camera boards regarding its authenticity and although I would like to believe it was an actual LOMO product, it seems to me that it is likely a fake. All of the modifications made to the camera, IMO, are there to appeal to the Western Sputnik user - first of all the original wind knobs - which all of our fingers have experienced the frustration of and the lenses, which for many appear to be the achilles heel of the camera. IMO, the "lens" issues are mostly body issues as is also true of the Verascope F40. Any other opinions?
Thanks,
Steve
http://www.ebay.com/itm/330868014875?ru=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fsch%2Fi.html%3F_from%3DR40%26_sacat%3D0%26_nkw%3D330868014875%26_rdc%3D1

>Subject: [MF3D-group] Sputnik 2 - Fake?

At worse, it can only be as GOOD as a regular Sputnik

and at 250 bucks, the "faker" (if there is one) did not make a killing.

Best,
John Billingham

It's real. I've seen them before on eBay. The lenses are different, T-23 instead of T-22, but I don't know what makes them different other than the name.

The lens rings allow for auxiliary lenses, and you can get those same lens rings from a later Lubitel and use them on a Sputnik, but I never saw a Lubitel with T-23 lenses.

--- In MF3D-group@yahoogroups.com, narjan@... wrote:
>
> >Subject: [MF3D-group] Sputnik 2 - Fake?
>
> At worse, it can only be as GOOD as a regular Sputnik
>
> and at 250 bucks, the "faker" (if there is one) did not make a killing.
>
> Best,
> John Billingham
>

I agree. Why would you forge something unless there is profit to be made? Making cast aluminum Parts alone on a small scale would be prohibitively expensive.

I was very happy with my Sputnik's lenses (now sold) and the shots I took with it are easily as good as those from my TL120, but I did take the trouble to flock the chambers behind the lenses To collect internal reflections. The winding Knobs, on the other hand, were a disaster. If I replaced those too and attached a VCII meter....Hmmmm.

Timo

--- In MF3D-group@yahoogroups.com, "Ted" wrote:
>
> It's real. I've seen them before on eBay. The lenses are different, T-23 instead of T-22, but I don't know what makes them different other than the name.
>
> The lens rings allow for auxiliary lenses, and you can get those same lens rings from a later Lubitel and use them on a Sputnik, but I never saw a Lubitel with T-23 lenses.
>
> --- In MF3D-group@yahoogroups.com, narjan@ wrote:
> >
> > >Subject: [MF3D-group] Sputnik 2 - Fake?
> >
> > At worse, it can only be as GOOD as a regular Sputnik
> >
> > and at 250 bucks, the "faker" (if there is one) did not make a killing.
> >
> > Best,
> > John Billingham
> >
>

--- In MF3D-group@yahoogroups.com, narjan@... wrote:

>
> >Subject: [MF3D-group] Sputnik 2 - Fake?
>
> At worse, it can only be as GOOD as a regular Sputnik
>
> and at 250 bucks, the "faker" (if there is one) did not make a killing.
>

The individual who sold it on eBay, I believe paid considerably more for it when he bought it. As I recall, it went for more that $700 the first time around. It's not too difficult to press numbers onto metal.
Check out the exhaustive discussion here:
http://www.ussrphoto.com/Forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=179
Steve

Regarding the F40, this is quite correct.  Once the internal reflections were eliminated, the Verascope lenses performed superbly. Does the Sputnik 2 have a similar problem?

JR

On Feb 16, 2013 6:56 AM, "coronet3d" <coronet3d@yahoo.com> wrote:

 

I don't know if any of you noticed this but one of the rare Sputnik 2's was recently processed by eBay. I read the lengthy discussion on one of the Soviet camera boards regarding its authenticity and although I would like to believe it was an actual LOMO product, it seems to me that it is likely a fake. All of the modifications made to the camera, IMO, are there to appeal to the Western Sputnik user - first of all the original wind knobs - which all of our fingers have experienced the frustration of and the lenses, which for many appear to be the achilles heel of the camera. IMO, the "lens" issues are mostly body issues as is also true of the Verascope F40. Any other opinions?
Thanks,
Steve
http://www.ebay.com/itm/330868014875?ru=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fsch%2Fi.html%3F_from%3DR40%26_sacat%3D0%26_nkw%3D330868014875%26_rdc%3D1

I have a Sputnik-3 for sale. $2000 and it's yours. Let me know if you are interested and I'll post some pictures in a couple of weeks.

--- In MF3D-group@yahoogroups.com, "coronet3d" wrote:
>
> --- In MF3D-group@yahoogroups.com, narjan@ wrote:
> >
> > >Subject: [MF3D-group] Sputnik 2 - Fake?
> >
> > At worse, it can only be as GOOD as a regular Sputnik
> >
> > and at 250 bucks, the "faker" (if there is one) did not make a killing.
> >
> The individual who sold it on eBay, I believe paid considerably more for it when he bought it. As I recall, it went for more that $700 the first time around. It's not too difficult to press numbers onto metal.
> Check out the exhaustive discussion here:
> http://www.ussrphoto.com/Forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=179
> Steve
>

-- In MF3D-group@yahoogroups.com, "Ted" wrote:

>
> I have a Sputnik-3 for sale. $2000 and it's yours. Let me know if you are interested and I'll post some pictures in a couple of weeks.
>

Hi Ted, I'd buy your Sputnik-3, but I'm waiting for LOMO to come out with their Sputnik-4. Actually, you should market your flocked and calibrated Sputniks as Sputnik 1-1/2s. Arax camera buys Kiev 88CMs, upgrades them and then put's his own "Arax" brand name on it. Not a bad idea.
Steve

Really just a question of who made it and when, which is mostly of historical interest... as well as knowing whether it's truly rare or if more will be made. If it were a fake Leica that would be one thing... but does anybody really care if it's a genuine Lomo?

I bought my Sputnik from somebody who had fixed all the common problems, it takes pretty good pictures. I think it was somebody in Georgia (USA), so if you're on the list, good work. Better than the factory, that's for sure.

My wild guess: A pallet of export prototypes got rejected and stashed away for decades by the Soviet bureaucracy. Perhaps they were made in anticipation of 1980 Moscow Olympics.

--- In MF3D-group@yahoogroups.com, "coronet3d" wrote:
>
> -- In MF3D-group@yahoogroups.com, "Ted" wrote:
> >
> > I have a Sputnik-3 for sale. $2000 and it's yours. Let me know if you are interested and I'll post some pictures in a couple of weeks.
> >

--- In MF3D-group@yahoogroups.com, "coronet3d" wrote:

>
> I don't know if any of you noticed this but one of the rare Sputnik 2's was recently processed by eBay. I read the lengthy discussion on one of the Soviet camera boards regarding its authenticity and although I would like to believe it was an actual LOMO product, it seems to me that it is likely a fake. All of the modifications made to the camera, IMO, are there to appeal to the Western Sputnik user - first of all the original wind knobs - which all of our fingers have experienced the frustration of and the lenses, which for many appear to be the achilles heel of the camera. IMO, the "lens" issues are mostly body issues as is also true of the Verascope F40. Any other opinions?
> Thanks,
> Steve
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/330868014875?ru=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fsch%2Fi.html%3F_from%3DR40%26_sacat%3D0%26_nkw%3D330868014875%26_rdc%3D1

A bit late on this but yes, this is quite genuine. I have seen several auctions for them and they are pretty much idnetical to this model. I have on file pictures of five other Sputnik 2's - all with similar serial numbers (between 7 and 15) and identical details.

Francois

You mentioned a Verascope f40 and the advance and rewind knobs.  I used to own one.  I added a ratcheted rapid advance lever and a flip type rewind lever.  The camera was stolen from me several years ago.  If anybody sees it, it would be easy to identify by the levers.

JR

On Apr 16, 2013 10:17 PM, "depthcam" <depthcam@yahoo.ca> wrote:

 

--- In MF3D-group@yahoogroups.com, "coronet3d" wrote:
>
> I don't know if any of you noticed this but one of the rare Sputnik 2's was recently processed by eBay. I read the lengthy discussion on one of the Soviet camera boards regarding its authenticity and although I would like to believe it was an actual LOMO product, it seems to me that it is likely a fake. All of the modifications made to the camera, IMO, are there to appeal to the Western Sputnik user - first of all the original wind knobs - which all of our fingers have experienced the frustration of and the lenses, which for many appear to be the achilles heel of the camera. IMO, the "lens" issues are mostly body issues as is also true of the Verascope F40. Any other opinions?
> Thanks,
> Steve
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/330868014875?ru=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fsch%2Fi.html%3F_from%3DR40%26_sacat%3D0%26_nkw%3D330868014875%26_rdc%3D1

A bit late on this but yes, this is quite genuine. I have seen several auctions for them and they are pretty much idnetical to this model. I have on file pictures of five other Sputnik 2's - all with similar serial numbers (between 7 and 15) and identical details.

Francois