Lubitel 166U

The Lubitel 166U (Universal) is a twin lens reflex camera. It was produced from 1983 to 1996. It is the successor of the Lubitel 166B and the last model of the Lubitel family.

The lens of the Lubitel 166U cannot be interchanged. The focal length of the lens is 75 mm and the maximum aperture is f/4.5. The name from the maker for the lens is “Triplet-22”. You have to focus the lens by hand. The medium format camera does not have an autofocus function.

The exposure must be measured externally. The medium format camera does not have a built-in exposure meter. The aperture and shutter speed can be individually configured.

Bulb mode is available for long exposures. With the Bulb setting, it stays open as long as the photographer holds the shutter button down. An external flash can be used via the PC flash socket.

Films for the Lubitel 166U

The Lubitel 166U uses 120 film. There are still some manufacturers who produce new films for the camera. One way to get color images is the Lomography Color Negative 100 120* and the Kodak TRI-X 400* for black-and-white photos.

The negatives are created in 6×6 format. With this picture format, there is already a film change after twelve shots necessary. The photographer must manually wind to the next image.

One of the outstanding features of this camera is the ability to mount it on a tripod, which increases stability and offers the possibility of using longer exposure times. The camera also has a thread for a cable release, which allows the user to release the image without touching the camera, which is particularly useful for avoiding camera shake. In addition, there is also a self-timer that allows the photographer to take selfies or group photos without the need for a third person.

The Lubitel 166U is also a purely mechanical camera, which means that it does not need batteries or electricity to take pictures.