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Russian seller blacked out factory logo
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PostPosted: Wed Oct 14, 2020 5:33 am    Post subject: Russian seller blacked out factory logo Reply with quote

I have an odd question I was hoping someone here might be able to answer. I've gone down the Soviet lens rabbit hole and received my latest sample tonight - a Mir-1V in what seems to be mostly stated condition. It needs a CLA but I've gotten the hang of those.

My question is about the factory logo. This one was made by Vologda. All looked well on the advertisement, but when I received the lens the Vologda logo had been blackened out. It was only Sharpie marker and came back off with a few swipes, but I thought it was strange. I double checked the auction photos and it was not blacked out when it was listed. It must have been done before shipment, I guess.

Is such a thing common? And why?


PostPosted: Wed Oct 14, 2020 6:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Perhaps photos in advertisement were edited. It really does not make sense otherwise.


PostPosted: Wed Oct 14, 2020 8:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

was the serial number the same?


PostPosted: Wed Oct 14, 2020 4:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That make me remember the MTO I bought with roughtly erased serial number. I still wonder what is the story behind it.



Back to your question, I also don't see any reason a seller would do that. I also sudjest to check the serial number on your lens and on the auction.


PostPosted: Thu Oct 15, 2020 1:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

BurstMox wrote:
That make me remember the MTO I bought with roughtly erased serial number. I still wonder what is the story behind it.



Back to your question, I also don't see any reason a seller would do that. I also sudjest to check the serial number on your lens and on the auction.


BTW deleting a number is suggestive of a crime. The lens may have been stolen from a photographic museum or something similar. Possibly stolen from a private collection. A red P indicates a very early version of the lens.


PostPosted: Thu Oct 15, 2020 1:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I did check the serial upon arrival and it's the same lens. Or at least the same trim ring, I guess. The auction photos don't show any evidence of doctoring to my eyes. It doesn't really matter in the end since it's cosmetic and wiped off within a few seconds. I just thought it was odd.

I know there's a set of Soviet lenses for sale on the classifieds here that has one lens with a blacked out trim ring, so I'd just wondered if it was common for some reason.

I'm planning to disassemble the lens for a CLA this evening. I'll ask the seller tomorrow and hope Google Translate doesn't mangle it too much. Seems like it'll be a fun lens!


PostPosted: Thu Oct 15, 2020 1:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

BurstMox wrote:
That make me remember the MTO I bought with roughtly erased serial number. I still wonder what is the story behind it.



Back to your question, I also don't see any reason a seller would do that. I also sudjest to check the serial number on your lens and on the auction.


An MTO 500 is next on my list! I'm familiar with catadioptric telescopes so I'm looking forward to finding one of those.

I've only managed to snag one 'red p' lens so far. Most seem pretty pricey since they're usually one of the first runs.


PostPosted: Thu Oct 15, 2020 3:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Double check the auction pictures for any identifiable mark on the body that you can compare with the lens in hand, I've seen a few body swaps after the auction closes, the ID ring is swapped onto a similar but worse performing lens.

Filing off the serial is definitely a red flag, but there can also be other reasons it might have been done, maybe the serial was 666 eek the number of the beast!


PostPosted: Thu Oct 15, 2020 8:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you're happy with the purchase, just ask the seller. It might be something innocent like one of his kids is a devil with a sharpie.

An odd habit I had as a kid was to put my signature on every banknote to see if one would eventually come back to me. Not something I'd recommend today. I never received one back *sigh*.


PostPosted: Thu Oct 15, 2020 9:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

LLB! wrote:
BurstMox wrote:
That make me remember the MTO I bought with roughtly erased serial number. I still wonder what is the story behind it.



Back to your question, I also don't see any reason a seller would do that. I also sudjest to check the serial number on your lens and on the auction.


BTW deleting a number is suggestive of a crime. The lens may have been stolen from a photographic museum or something similar. Possibly stolen from a private collection. A red P indicates a very early version of the lens.


I think it's more a steal from work place back in soviet days. The lens itself is not very rare, it's an early model of MTO 1000 (the pre-1960 version).


PostPosted: Thu Oct 15, 2020 9:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

jessebear wrote:


An MTO 500 is next on my list! I'm familiar with catadioptric telescopes so I'm looking forward to finding one of those.

I've only managed to snag one 'red p' lens so far. Most seem pretty pricey since they're usually one of the first runs.


Talking about first run and MTO 500, knowing that production of MTO 500 started in 1956 (73 exemplars were produced this first year), you will certainly apreciate this one Smile


PostPosted: Fri Oct 16, 2020 3:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

BurstMox wrote:
jessebear wrote:


An MTO 500 is next on my list! I'm familiar with catadioptric telescopes so I'm looking forward to finding one of those.

I've only managed to snag one 'red p' lens so far. Most seem pretty pricey since they're usually one of the first runs.


Talking about first run and MTO 500, knowing that production of MTO 500 started in 1956 (73 exemplars were produced this first year), you will certainly apreciate this one Smile


That is beautiful! Looks to be in incredible shape too, given the age. I'd be scared to use that one.. seems like it belongs in a museum. I see early productions on eBay from time to time, but they're always priced pretty high. There's a 1959 model up for grabs now but it's too rich for my blood. There's a banged up 61 model for a decent price but I've tried repairing Maksutovs before and I don't want to go down that road again.

For the money I'd probably be better off finding an older C90 and using a focal reducer, but there's just something about these old Soviet lenses.. I'm using them mostly for astrophotography on a barn door tracker.


PostPosted: Fri Oct 16, 2020 11:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Blacking out beauty ring writings is not unheard of: they can produce unwanted reflections when using filters.
Ground serial however is a tell-tale sign of a stolen item.


PostPosted: Sun Oct 18, 2020 8:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote




I've tried to upload some pictures for reference just to illustrate what I was speaking about. I seem to have some trouble linking images from other hosts like Imgur so I've just uploaded them.

I'll wait for a note from the seller and see what happens. I am pleased with the lens but found several stripped out screws (M1.4, I believe) along the way during CLA. I'm just going to drill them out and re-tap for either 1.6 or 2.0 with some new stainless hardware.


PostPosted: Mon Oct 19, 2020 6:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I had a fringe idea:

What if the Vologda branded lenses are somehow classified as "antique" or something and exports are thus forbidden?


PostPosted: Tue Oct 20, 2020 9:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

kansalliskala wrote:
I had a fringe idea:

What if the Vologda branded lenses are somehow classified as "antique" or something and exports are thus forbidden?


This is a really good point. I looked into current laws and the lens isn't old enough to qualify as an antique prohibited from export, but it isn't an 'export' model either. Lots of eBay sellers are very clear about lenses being an export model, and most have Latin lettering instead of Cyrillic. I always go for the Cyrillic ones, I suppose more for the novelty than anything else.

I'm sure it's fine to export right now but I guess at the time in the Soviet Union they were fairly strict about export products versus domestic. I was reading a few pieces that suggested those policies made things tough for some camera retailers to compete internationally by limiting both the types and quantities of products eligible for export. Probably a lot to unpack there though.

I've asked the seller but he doesn't seem keen to respond. It'll stay a mystery. Thanks everyone!


PostPosted: Wed Oct 21, 2020 9:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

kansalliskala wrote:
I had a fringe idea:

What if the Vologda branded lenses are somehow classified as "antique" or something and exports are thus forbidden?


This was going to be my guess. I follow a few Russian craftsmen (of other disciplines) on Instagram and they are always citing export laws as reasons they cannot sell their goods abroad. Sometimes sharing anecdotal failed attempts.