The LOMO Smena 8m is an entry-level camera from the 1970s Soviet Union, now mostly regarded as a toy camera. It is an extremely low-tech, fully manual, no-frills plastic box capable of shooting surprisingly decent photos on 35mm film. There is no focus aid - focus is set by guessing the distance to your subject and setting that distance on the lens. The frame counter is considered by many to be worthless.
The Bad
Taking pictures with an 8m is a true test of patience. Its shutter release is neither smooth nor easy to press, which is an invitation for motion blur that is only exaggerated by the camera's complete lack of heft. The manual shutter must be cocked before each shot using a lever on the side of the lens that will unfailingly get snagged on your finger when it comes back up, eliminating any chance you had of controlling your shutter speed.
The Good
A welcome surprise, however, is that this cheap piece of plastic actually features a coated glass lens. While the 40mm f/4 T-43 Triplet isn't a particularly fast lens, it gives nice contrast and saturation, and is certainly sharp enough to make good photos on 35mm film. In case that's not enough to perk your interest, this little plastic wonder also comes fitted with a leaf shutter and a PC sync socket, so this little toy camera can flash sync at any shutter speed!
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