Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/04/28
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]"John M. Niemann" <jniemann@ivy.tec.in.us> asked: >Does anyone know if the Russians made an M3 copy? No, having produced screw-Leica clones, the Fed and Zorki teams than slowly developed the basic design into modified forms which owed little or nothing to the M series. These cameras retained the traditional screw-mount lenses. The nearest thing to an M which the Soviets designed was the late-1950s Kometa, an ugly-looking camera with its own pattern of bayonet mount, and with a Contax III-style built-in meter. Only two prototypes were built, and exhibited at the 1958 (or was it 1959?) Brussels Fair. In the 1970s, the Chinese produced the Red Flag 20, a camera which resembled the Leica M5 and used Chinese copies of M-bayonet lenses, but which had no built-in meter. Only about 200 were built. Regards, Doug Richardson