Chaika-2
The Chaika-II
(Seagull in Russian) is a great half frame scale focusing camera. It
is simple, compact, well made and allows you to shoot close to 80 pictures on
a standard 36 frame roll of 35 mm film. It was dame in the 1960's by the BELOMO
factory in Belarus.
Features:
- 18x24 frame size
- Shutter speeds:
B, 1/30 - 1/250. Leaf shutter built into the body,
- Lens: Industar-69,
28 mm/f:2.8, sharp and contrasty. It can be unscrewed from the camera body
and used as a wide angle enlarger lens (39 mm screw mount, not Leica compatible)
- Release button
on the front
- Flash sync
- Film advance with
a crank lever
- All metal body
- Hinged back door
- Rewind knob with
a film speed (in ASA!) memo dial on the bottom plate.
This is a scale camera,
the focusing is done by the symbols and the distance scale on the lens. The
focusing is easy and does not need to be very accurate to obtain good quality
pictures. The camera was marketed as a "pocket" model, it is only 41/4"x3"x2".
The camera is in
EXC+ condition, very clean. It comes with a soft vinyl zippered case.