History of creation(little facts and guesses)
The camera is not under construction "from zero", especially system mirror
camera for professional work. "Almaz" certainly had prototypes(main - Nikon-F2).
However, and Nikon not on an empty place has arisen and has not fallen
from the moon.
LOMO got the task on development of the high-quality camera with the set of
parameters. Formal, camera was developed by request of Union of
Journalists(in 1986 Union is rejected of request - a parameters was not too
good for journalists). But it's - formal only. Most relative: "Almazes" was
planned half-minister defence industry of USSR Igor Petrovich Kornitsky.
But and A.Potiomkin did many - without his good will it has difficult
to do. History of "Almazes" was like on next history -
"LOMO-Compact"(after Photokina). But "LOMO-Compact" has more luck.
Experts of KMZ advised developers of "Almazes" (particularly A.P.Avdonin, the
head of works on "Almazes", and other LOMO-workers) to
show how is designing of mirror cameras(teaching of development SLR), than they
before were not did, and give them the engineering specifications(for
example, on the camera block control), but camera was developed independently.
At that time (end of 70's XX century) many firms in the West made cameras and
lens for PK-bayonet. GOI choose PK-mount as basic for russian cameras(Pentax
not closing by patent K-mount, only M42-K adapter), and
Almazes has been maked as sayed from top. Camera was
projected for the USSR-market, deliveries to export were not assumed(against
"Zenit", for example) - therefore Almaz has a very good M42-K-adapter - a
copy of Asahi Pentax adapter. It is possible, that Pentax patents for
USSR-territories did not declare - the market of the USSR is not significant
for Pentax.
Common for all Almazes was:
- Demountable pentaprism, replaceable focusing screens,
- Bayonet PK,
- Connection for application of the motor, waist-level, angular viewfinder,
- Many accessories,
- Exchangable back cover
Mechanical shutter made as a Kiev(a factory the Arsenal)-shutter - many people
even think, that it is a Kiev-shutter, however the design of shutter is
developed on LOMO. Lightmetering for Almazes developed in central designer buroeu,
on LOMO. Lens calculated in GOI(probably, as well as many in the USSR),
made on LOMO. Even possibilities change of a bayonet mount(!), naturally,
in workshop only. So, serios of good system SLR-cameras has
been projected...
