| Serial Prefix | Years Produced | Approx. Volume | Buy? | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | (1-150k) | 1948-1954 | Low | ✅ Yes (Early brass barrel) | | NK (150k+) | 1954-1956 | Medium | ⚠️ Check for haze | | НO (All) | 1956-1960 | Very High | ✅ Yes (Best user lens) | | ЛЗ (All) | 1956-1957 | Very Low | ✅✅ Yes (Holy grail) | | ЗА (All) | 1961-1962 | Medium | ❌ Avoid (Poor build) |
The most accepted theory is that "N" stands for "Novy" (New) or references the KMZ workshop number. However, a darker theory ties it to "No Name" — lenses assembled from leftover parts after a factory reorganization in 1957. By the early 1960s, the Industar-22 was being phased out for the rigid Industar-50. industar 22 serial numbers