External optical rangefinder "Smena", LOMO, formerly GOMZ, USSR.

Good condition.

Purpose and use

This is an auxiliary device for Soviet scale cameras (such as the early Smena, Moment, and Moskva models), which did not have a built-in rangefinder. It helps accurately measure the distance to the subject so the photographer can set the correct lens scale.

Device Features

Installation: The rangefinder is mounted in the cold shoe (accessory mount) on the top of the camera.

Operating Principle: The user looks through the eyepiece and rotates the scale wheel until the two images of the subject in the viewfinder align.

Scale: The wheel is marked with a distance scale in meters (minimum value: 1 meter). The obtained value must be manually transferred to the camera lens.

Casing: Metal device with a characteristic "hammered" finish in gray or black. On the front panel you can see the LOMO plant logo (a stylized prism with a lens) and the inscription “Smena”.