Focusing a Lubitel 166+

[Ces1um]

I have an old Russian lubitel 166 universal which is old and temperamental. The shutter sticks in cold temperatures, the focusing gets very stiff and is just generally difficult to work with below zero (Celsius). I'm thinking maybe a new one, perhaps lomography's version may not have these quirks. That being said, I've heard the lubitel 166+ has a split prism viewfinder. I know my older one doesn't and it also doesn't say anything about it's focusing on the lomography microsite for the camera, so I'm not sure I believe what I've read here and there on the internet. There seems to be very little information on this camera aside from what lomography puts out (probably because of the astronomical price). Does anyone know how it focuses?

 

[AgX]

What is that spot on the groundglass?

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/44/35/83/...bae7847133--vintage-cameras-reflex-camera.jpg

But Lomo made several versions of this camera anyway.

 

[Ces1um]

What is that spot on the groundglass?

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/44/35/83/...bae7847133--vintage-cameras-reflex-camera.jpg

But Lomo made several versions of this camera anyway.

I think that spot is actually the only part on the focusing screen that is actually "ground". That's why the little magnifying glass matches up with this spot. Now lomo's new 166+ universal focuses differently, from what I've read, and supposedly has a split prism focusing screen- if what I've read is correct.

 

[AgX]

I have never seen such. Such would be the contrary of some "macro" screens with central clear spot and thus could work.

 

[mikemgb]

From what I remember of the pair of Lubitels I owned a few years ago focusing didn't actually make the image that much sharper.

Still, I miss those cameras.

 

[Ces1um]

From what I remember of the pair of Lubitels I owned a few years ago focusing didn't actually make the image that much sharper.

Still, I miss those cameras.

they aren't a particularly good camera, but they are fun and produce some quirky images. Occasionally they can be surprisingly sharp. Sometimes the aberrations in the lens is so apparent it looks like you left your coffee cup on top of the printed photo. I just enjoy their size and how you use it. I particularly like setting the shutter speed and aperture directly on the lens. Large format photographers shouldn't have all the fun.

 

[Ces1um]

Oh- and here's where I saw that they have a split image prism.

https://www.lomography.com/magazine/202029-the-wonderful-viewfinder-of-the-lubitel-166-plus

 

[mikemgb]

they aren't a particularly good camera, but they are fun and produce some quirky images. Occasionally they can be surprisingly sharp. Sometimes the aberrations in the lens is so apparent it looks like you left your coffee cup on top of the printed photo. I just enjoy their size and how you use it. I particularly like setting the shutter speed and aperture directly on the lens. Large format photographers shouldn't have all the fun.

Oh, I agree with you, they are fun and one day I'll probably buy another one. I had 2 many years ago, one set up as 6x6, the other as 645, I just used whichever one suited the scene best.

 

[AgX]

Oh- and here's where I saw that they have a split image prism.

https://www.lomography.com/magazine/202029-the-wonderful-viewfinder-of-the-lubitel-166-plus

In a comment at that page:
"But the 166+ is totally redesigned. The fresnel viewfinder is bright, flat, sharp, and contains a split-image microprism finder."