Elikon-35CM

The Elikon-35CM is an entry-level viewfinder camera, made in Belarus from 1990. It is unclear when production stopped.
Features
The camera is meant to run in AE mode, with the aperture pointer set to 'A'. In automatic mode, the shutter can run from 1/8s. to 1/500s. It is possible to set the aperture to one of four presets, from f/4 to f/11.
As it has not been possible to locate a user manual, it is unclear if the camera light meter will vary the speed setting, when the aperture pointer is turned away from 'A'. If the battery has been removed, the shutter defaults to 1/125s.
The flash engages, if the 'lightning' switch is used. The flash head lifts about 5mm. and the flash turns on. A ready lamp next to the viewfinder goes on, when the flash is charged.
Film loading, winding, exposure and rewinding is like on most other 35mm cameras.
There is no built in rangefinder or autofocus system. The viewfinder has lines, corresponding with the film field, and with extra parallax correction lines.
Older cameras are labelled with "Made in USSR" (in english writing) on the bottom plate, newer with "Made in Belarus".
Conclusion
It is difficult to find redeeming qualities in this camera.
It is clumsy and crude - the parts (mainly plastic) don't seem to fit too well together - it has fairly bad ergonomics, and all the weight seems to be in the flash side of the camera. Worst is the optics: it is clearly below the usual "Industar" quality.
Strangely enough, the bad lens seems to have given this camera some popularity with the lomography community. Surviving cameras are probably best off in the hands of these enthusiasts.

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