This camera was the first soviet panorama camera to be put into full production. It uses a curved film plane and a sweeping lens to minimize distortion. These cameras used a special film cassette with the film moving from one cassette to the other. This makes rewinding unnecessary. If as is often the case, one or both of the cassettes is missing the camera is not usable. There is no source of cassettes and to get them you would have to buy another camera (source: www.rafcamera.com).

Produced: 1958-1968
Name: „ФТ-2“
Producer: KMZ
Frame size: 24x110mm.
Lens: Industar-50  3.5/50.
Shutter: 1/100, 1/200, 1/400s.

Quantity: 16.662 units.

Can be found under very rare export names: "Spiratone", "Panorama" (USA market), "Spaceview", "Spaceview-2" (France market) [2].
                                                                     

Although beeing less common than many other soviet cameras, FT-2 can be found in many versions indeed. The very first batch of particular camera (appr. 200 units) coming with FT-2 and Industar I-50 engravings on the frontplate (see camera opposite). The last known camera has #5800212 (Ulrich Witte collection). Notched design of the shutter handle. Break adjustment ring on the camera bottom.

Sample of early FT-2 camera.

The first known regular FT-2 camera has serial numer #5800239 (Viktor Suglob collection). These cameras are identical to first batch items, but without engravings on the frontplate already. Name markings in Cyrillic characters are stamped in the black metal plaque on the top plate of the camera (see camera opposite). Still notched design of the shutter handle. No otherwise different.  

Sample of early regular FT-2 camera.

Camera identical to other early samples of FT-2 camera, but with changed design of the shutter handle already. No otherwise different.

FT-2  #5800469.

Another interesting sample to represent all the disorder of the soviet system indeed. The first batch of FT-2 cameras came with 7-digit serial numbers (see cameras above). The second visually identical, the same year batch came with 8-digit numbers already (see camera #58009145) ...

FT-2 #58009145.

Late FT-2 version with export markings. No more break adjustment ring on the camera bottom. 6-digits numbering starting from 1959 already ...

FT-2 (export)  #620770.

The latest versions of particular camera come with changed design of shutter handle, which becomes binary now. 5-digits serial numbers already. Can be found with Cyrillic or export markings. The latest so far known camera has #67965 (A.Zilbert coll.).

FT-2 (latest)  #67535.