Customer Reviews

The Authentic Guide to Russian and Soviet Cameras: Made in USSR : 200 Soviet Cameras

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This is the best book on Russian and Ukranian cameras period. It comtains a comprehensive rundown of all of the models, dates of manufacture, places of manufacture, and feature differences. A must for the serious collector of Russian and Ukranian phtotgraphic equipment.

It is hard to overestimate the value of this book to collectors and users of the many great Soviet era cameras that have appeared in the USA since glasnost removed political, cultural and commercial barriers, but the text is often almost undecipherable and the many pictures are not reproduced as well as one might hope. Why Hove would publish a book in broken English is the question one is left with after even a cursory examination. Compare to their beautifully executed text and illustrations in their book on Rollei collecting.
Princelle's book is still great, and unless someone publishes an English edition of the Isaak S. Maizenberg book, it will remain the best thing out there. I hope the second edition has better editing and crisper illustrations.

This book is really THE source of info on Russian and Soviet cameras. The one drawback is the overabundance of literal translations from the original French text. For example, it leaves the original "JO" as-is ("JO" stands for "Jeux Olympiques," or Olympic Games -- there were quite a few Soviet cameras that were produced in special models to commemorate the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games). Because I speak French, I was able to decipher these oversights, but I see how they could detract from the overall experience of reading this book for people who do not. Still, if you collect Russian or Soviet cameras, you need this book.