Sputnik lens swap

[E R Swanson <ers@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I just received the roll of E6 back I used to test a Sputnik into which
installed a array of Lubitel 2 lenses to fix one bad side. The original
camera had no optical coating on the outer lens element and the photos
were considerably different in terms of contrast and color. The Lubitel 2
obviously had coated lenses so I pulled the entire array of 3 elements and
traded them (and reinstalled them in the Lubitel, which I'll keep for
shutter parts). The results are excellent-- it's now certainly a good user
camera. Initially I was worried about the focus, but I recollimated the
lenses and focus is good at all ranges. The Spud essentially looked new
when a friend brought it back from a Moscow camera store ($40 in US
currency) so the $60 I had to spend on a Lubitel 2 was worth the expense.
I suspect a front lens had been damaged and someone just stuck on an older
Lubitel outer lens to be able to sell the camera.

I'd seen another camera where someone had replaced only one of the three
lenses in the triplet-- it doesn't work. You need to replace all three
elements if you want a chance of it functioning optically. 

BTW the trick to not losing the little screws (3) that connect the front
threaded element to the focusing gear is not to take them all the way out.
All you need to do is back them up enough to get the outer gear off the
lens.

Also, with the 1 1/16 to Series V slip fit filter holders on the Spud it
can easily use any Series V filter or lens shade.

Elliott