Sport (prototype)

Prototype version of Junost camera, reprising the name of it's glorious ancestor, the prewar "Sport". The first soviet camera with lever advance, released in 1957. Triplet -32  3.5/45 lens, shutter with speeds: 1/8s, 1/15s, 1/30s, 1/60s, 1/125s, 1/250s + B. An ultra rare to find nowadays, only very few samples are known to exist in collections. Three versions of the particular prototype camera are known to exist: PK5105 - prototype version with 3.5/40mm lens. Announced in soviet literature (1957). Never happened to see this version alive; PK5110 - prototype version with regular "T-32" 3.5/45 mm. lens already.

PK5110 - Sport Prototype camera

Junost

Yunost (Junost) means "Juvenility" in Russian. This is an uncommon fixed lens/leaf shutter rangefinder made by GOMZ (LOMO) in the late 1950's. The camera has an unusual design - separate rangefinder and viewfinder windows, crank winding lever, coupled aperture and shutter speed on the lens body. Lens: Triplet -32  3.5/45, shutter with speeds: 1/8s, 1/15s, 1/30s, 1/60s, 1/125s, 1/250s + B.. 51000 copies of "Junost" camera released by GOMZ in 1957-1961. A similar design is used on the medium format Iskra. 

PK5205 - Junost prototype camera  #571397

PK5202. Junost prototype camera was annouced at the "Universal and International Exibition of Brussels 1958" among the other GOMZ cameras like Leningrad, Neva, Smena-2, Sputnik-2, etc. Camera very similar to the Prototype Sport (Junost), but with different design of the top plate. Very good body finish. The decorative rims around the windows.  Designed to use  two film cartridges (cassettes). Serial number #570001 engraved on the lens. Never happened to see one alive.

Image below from LOMO (Russia) archives

PK5202 - Junost prototype camera  #570001

PK5202 - Junost prototype camera  #570001 (introductional article at Sovietskoe Foto magazine, 1957)

PK5205. Camera identical to PK5202, but with engraved serial number on camera's body already. Still very good body finish. The decorative rims around the windows. Still different form of top plate and lens (like on mentioned Sport). Designed to use  two film cartridges (cassettes). Serial number on the accessory shoe and lens, with date prefixes.  Only very few of these cameras are known to exist in collections. An ultra rare to find nowadays.

PK5205 - Junost prototype camera  #571397

PK5205 - Junost prototype camera with authentic carton box (ultra rare!)

PK5205 - Junost prototype camera with macro attachment (ultra rare!)

PK5208. Very uncommon to find short-run preseries version of the particular camera. With changed top plate mouldings already, though  shutter/lens design still a la "Sport" (see information above). An old style of shutter advance lever yet, as on PK5205. The particular picture below was scanned from Junost manual guide, never happened to see this sample alive.

PK5208 - Junost preseries camera

PK5209. Seems to be an earliest productional version of the Junost camera. New design of the shuter/lens. new design of the shutter advance lever already. Big film rewind knob with very unusual white memo disk. Name markings silkscreened on the top plate. Still designed to use  two film cartridges. The bottom plate still has 6 decorative bumps. Serial number engraved on an accessory shoe. No serial number on the lens. An only exponate with s/n #580094 was found in LOMO History museum (see picture below).

PK5209 - Junost  #580094.

PK5210. Seems to be the very 1st version of the regular Junost camera. Identical to PK5209, but without s/n on camera's body already. An only serial number is placed on the frontplate of the lens. Big film rewind knob with regular black memo disk. Released in 1958-1959.

Other variations: PK5215 - camera identical to PK5210, but without date prefix in the serial number. No otherwise different. Released by GOMZ in 1959-1960. Investigated camera has s/n #016086 (SovietCams); PK5217 - camera identical to PK5215, but with additional serial number on the shutter cage (inside the body).  Released by GOMZ in 1959-1960. Investigated camera has s/n #06108 (on body) and #004283 (on lens) (SovietCams).

PK5210 - Junost  #580349 with authentic red/blue colours box (ultra rare!)

PK5230. Extremely nice and rare set of Junost camera. The regular Junisost camera is fitted with specially made flash machine, called "Ogonek" (btw known similar set with Smena-2 camera).

PK5230 - Junost-Ogonek camera.

PK5220. Camera designed to use non-removable take-up spool already (some cameras come with transparent take-up spool, though the big majority of others are equipped with standard black ones). Smaller film rewind knob. Serial number stamped on the shutter cage. Another serial number on the lens (without date prefix). The bottom plate with 6 decorative bumps.

Other variations: PK5225 - one of the latest type of the particular camera. Identical to PK5220, but with redesigned bottom plate already - only 4 decorative bumps left. Released by GOMZ in 1960-1961. Investigated camera has s/n #05766 (body) and #003917 (lens) (SovietCams); PK5227 - camera identical to PK5225, but with date prefix in the serial number on the lens (Less common to find). Very limited quantity released by GOMZ in 1960-1961. 

PK5220 - Junost  #06108 with regular carton box

Mayak (prototype)

PK5300. Further Junost evoliution with totally redesigned top plate. New construction of the rangefinder mechanism. Lens: Triplet -32  3.5/45, shutter with speeds: 1/8s, 1/15s, 1/30s, 1/60s, 1/125s, 1/250s + B. Only very few prototypes released in 1960-1961, so never produced in series unfortunately. Only one real sample (1961) is known to exist in collections.

Camera below from private collection in Russia.

PK5300 - Mayak prototype camera  #612133