There may be trouble ahead - I've bought a Lubitel 2

Sewin · Apr 18, 2019

I sold my Yashicamat a couple of years ago, it was heavy when walking and cycling

Since then I've been using a folder, but the TLR urge came back and I wanted something light.

So, for the price of a few pints I've acquired a Lubitel 2 in very good condition with all the documents etc.

I'm expecting focusing problems, but who knows.........I like a challenge.

locutus · Apr 18, 2019

I ended up modifying mine to be a scale focus camera. Put a groundglass on the film position and recalibrated the focus scale.

I found actually focusing it to be a nightmare.

Sewin · Apr 18, 2019

locutus said:
I ended up modifying mine to be a scale focus camera. Put a groundglass on the film position and recalibrated the focus scale.

I found actually focusing it to be a nightmare.

Thanks, that is what I was intending to do, scale focus and check the lens at infinity.

Ko.Fe. · Apr 18, 2019

Brilliant finder or how it is called should be called brutal finder.
But it is very good scale focus camera with distance scale where it should be.
It should be no problem to do re-alligment of taking lens.
But I wasn't able to get out viewing lens.

Dali · Apr 18, 2019

Same experience as Locutus here. I re-calibated both viewing and taking lenses and scale focus mine 95% of the time. For more critical use, I use a tripod and an eyepiece in reverse position to magnify the center part of the ground glass which is pretty awful. My Lubi 2 does not leak light but the taking lens has a noticeable vignetting whatever the aperture.

removedacct1 · Apr 18, 2019

I had one of these a few years ago, and it was in very good condition. However, it lasted less than a year before the shutter failed completely. These are known for their poor shutters - they rarely survive for long. I wouldn't buy one again.

Alex Varas · Apr 18, 2019

It was my first MF camera and I focused fine every picture but I don't remember if it was too harsh the process, maybe I got lucky with my one.
Great camera and congrats!

cramej · Apr 18, 2019

Sewin said:
I sold my Yashicamat a couple of years ago, it was heavy when walking and cycling

Since then I've been using a folder, but the TLR urge came back and I wanted something light.

So, for the price of a few pints I've acquired a Lubitel 2 in very good condition with all the documents etc.

I'm expecting focusing problems, but who knows.........I like a challenge.

The Lubitel is quite light as it is nearly all plastic, but a Yashica TLR is by no means heavy. If you're expecting results that are even close to the same league as the Yashica, you'll be sorely disappointed. I absolutely hated using the Lubitel I had years ago - even when expecting toy-like images, I was disappointed.

pentaxpete · Apr 18, 2019

I have been given a Lubitel ( Marked 'LOMO') not sure if it is the same as yours but today loaded it with 2005 dated Fuji NPC 160 film which I set 100 ASA on my Weston Master V and took some flower pics. On some I held it upside down over my hear with 1/250 shutter set. Not finished the film yet !! The STRAPS are very hard material and difficult to manage.

Huss · Apr 18, 2019

Mine was the hardest to focus camera I ever used. The film transport
failed on the 3rd roll (new camera) but before that happened I made a few
images with it that I really liked.

Sewin · Apr 23, 2019

alexvaras said:
It was my first MF camera and I focused fine every picture but I don't remember if it was too harsh the process, maybe I got lucky with my one.
Great camera and congrats!

Thanks,

It arrived over the weekend. As expected the focusing is quite difficult, however I checked it with a laser and it seems quite accurate, so I will use scale focusing.

I removed viewfinder hood and cleaned the mirror and ground glass, a small bit of fungus on mirror, but not on lenses.

Removing the hood and replacing it was easy as there are enlarged slotted holes which allow you to position the three screws and slot the hood back in, nice and simple for someone like me with clumbsy fingers!

Alex Varas · Apr 23, 2019

Now it's time to determine the model you got
http://www.sovietcams.com/index.php?784016222

Sewin · Apr 24, 2019

alexvaras said:
Now it's time to determine the model you got
http://www.sovietcams.com/index.php?784016222

The certificate is dated 1976.

Cholentpot · Apr 28, 2019

I've had mine for a while. I think it was the first camera I bought.

I guess I got lucky, camera focuses right on, inside is flocked and it's solid as a brick. I even got a filter with it that lives in the secret side door that I only found a few years ago.

There may be trouble ahead - I've bought a Lubitel 2

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