The FT-2 (Cyrillic: ФТ-2) is a Russian panorama camera,[1] made by KMZ between 1958 & 1968.
It takes 12 24x110mm exposures on a length 35mm film intended for 36 normal-sized frames, loaded into special cassettes. The lens turret swings swings from right to left through 120°, spreading the image across a curved film plane.[2] The viewfinder is simple metal frame with a central target, which folds over the back of the camera when not in use. In front of the viewfinder is a circular orange spirit level.
It was exported under the names "Spiratone", "Panorama" and "Spaceview". In total, 16,662 were made[3]. The shutter speed is set by positioning two brake levers, mounted on the top plate of the camera. Early versions (model I) had a lever that allowed to tighten the spring and thus calibrate the shutter speeds. This was abandoned with model II. The film is advanced independently of the shutter, using a metal knob.
Technical Details
- Lens: 50mm f/5 Industar-50, fixed aperture
- Shutter: 1/100, 1/200, 1/400s[4]
Models
There are two base models with a number of versions and variants:[5]
Model I
with break adjustment ring on the bottom. Produced between
- Type a: shutter winder is single arm lever with wider end (on top)
- variant i: Cyrillic lettering on front face (1958)[6]
- variant ii: front face blank (1958)[7]
- Type b: shutter winder is single arm lever with tapering end (small notch on botom) (1958-1960)
- variant i: lettering in Cyrillic
- variant ii: lettering in English (export model)
- variant iii: branded Spiratone (sold by F. Spira, USA)
- variant iv: branded Panorama (sold by F. Spira, USA)
- variant v: branded Spaceview (sold by Tranchant, France)
Model II
without break adjustment on the bottom
- Type a: shutter winder is single arm lever with tapering end (small notch on botom)
- variant i: lettering in Cyrillic (1960-1963)[8]
- variant ia: lettering in Cyrillic, frame counter disc is white (normally black) (1963)[9]
- variant ii: lettering in English (export model) (1962)[10]
- Type b: shutter winder is double arm ("butterfly") lever (1966-1967) [11]
Notes & References
- ↑ The FT stands for Fotoapparat Tokareva ( Фотоаппарат Токарева; translates to: Tokarev's camera), named after the camera's designer, the Soviet weapons designer Vasilievich Tokarev.
- ↑ Even though the FT-2 has a similar view angle to the Widelux (FT-2: 120°, Widelux: 126°), the FT-2 uses a 50mm lens which results in a narrower (and thus longer) negative than the Widelux, which is equipped with a 26mm lens.
- ↑ FT-2 @ sovietcams.com
- ↑ A shutter speed of about 1/60th in undocumented but can be achieved by having both brake levers in the horizontal position.
- ↑ The Fotoua Site splits the camera into four types. In the absence of a formal and official KMZ type specifications, model definition used in this camera-wiki entry is based in substantive design changes, with minor changes expressed as types and variants
- ↑ Fotua Type 1
- ↑ Fotua Type 2
- ↑ Fotua Type 3a
- ↑ Fotua Type 3b
- ↑ Fotua Type 3c
- ↑ Fotua Type 4
Links/Sources
