RUSSIAN CAMERA COLLECTORS CLUB

In recent years, particularly since the collapse of the Soviet Union and the fall of the Berlin Wall, a great variety of Soviet-made cameras have appeared in the west.  We have always been aware of the famous names of FED, Zorki and Kiev, and have often commented on the fact that they appear to to be copies of earlier German designs by Leitz and Zeiss.  But now, all of a sudden, cameras with strange names like 'Smena', 'Elikon' and 'Agat' are appearing in collectors' shops and camera fairs.  Unlike their predecessors, many of these cameras are of unique design and therefore in many ways more interesting.

Photography was always the most popular hobby in the Soviet Union and it had a larger following than any other.  Consequently, numerous cameras were produced to fulfil the demand. Panoramic, stereoscopic and underwater photography were also very popular and therefore the manufacturers produced many unique items for amateurs and professionals alike.  As many of us begin to realise the importance of the Soviet camera industry and the cameras that were produced, more and more are joining the ranks of the collectors of 'Russian' cameras.

Let me introduce myself.  My name is David Tomlinson, and I founded the RUSSIAN CAMERA COLLECTORS' CLUB (RCCC) in January 1994.  As a keen collector of Soviet-made photographic equipment, I was frustrated by the dearth of information available both from within and outside the former republics of the Soviet Union.  I was also aware of the growing number of fellow collectors suffering the same frustrations!  I decided that the best way forward was to accumulate as much data as possible from sources throughout the world and to form the RCCC.  Using a computer program to help me translate documents into English, I started to built up references to many pieces of equipment, including their history and places of manufacture.  My idea was that, by having a worldwide membership, the RCCC would be able to pool as much information as possible, not only from its members but also from any other sources. This accumulation of knowledge would then form the basis of "Data Sheets" which would then be circulated to members on a regular basis. 

To join the Russian Camera Collectors' Club, see the RCCC MEMBERSHIP page.

RCCC DATA SHEETS

DATA SHEETS - LATEST ISSUE