|
|
Post by kiev4a on Oct 3, 2005 16:52:23 GMT -5
There appear to be several Russian Camera collectors/users out there. Anybody want to comment on their favorites? My favorites are the FED 1 and Zorki 1 Leica II copies. They are compact and -- well -- look like Leica IIs! They seem particularly suited to the Jupiter 12 35mm lens with a accessory shoe finder. Despite the fact that just about everyone shoots digital now, I get stopped anytime I tak a FED or Zorki 1 to a public gathering. They seem to even catch the attention of young people who never have used a film camera. Zorki 1B w/flash sync. The only negative on the FED and Zorki 1s, and it applies to many old rangefinders is they have metal eyepieces around the viewfinder and/or rangefinder. I have to be very careful not to scratch the lenses of my plastic glasses. That makes it harder to frame a picture. Maybe that's why I like the accessory shoe mounted finders. |
|
franks
Contributing Member
Posts: 25
|
Post by franks on Oct 3, 2005 17:35:22 GMT -5
Hi Wayne, I'm new here and am going through these posts the first time. I have 2 Russian RF cameras, a Fed 2E type2, and a 1959 Kiev 4a. I used to own an '80's Kiev 4am and can perceive a great difference in build quality and smoothness, the old Kiev much being better. I'd have to say the Kiev 4a is my favourite Russian. I have 50mm f2 and 35mm f2.8 Jupiters for this camera. It is very close in feel to my Contax IIa camera.
|
|
|
|
Post by kiev4a on Oct 4, 2005 12:56:45 GMT -5
Frank: I have two Kiev 4as -- a '71 and a '77. The '71 is a better build. I probably would be happier with them if a friend hadn't given me a prewar Contax II with one of the first coated 1.5 Sonnars. It has spoiled me. I like the LTM cameras because they aren't nearly as complicated as the Contax/Kiev. The Contax shutter scares me to death -- from a repair standpoint.
|
|
|
|
Post by herron on Oct 4, 2005 14:32:52 GMT -5
Hello, Wayne! Although my main collecting has been around the Mamiya 35mm line, from its early rangefinders to its demise with the Z-series SLRs in the 80s, I also have quite a few other cameras, including some Russian FED, Zorki, Kiev, Mir and others! My favorites would also be the early FED and Zorki, up through about the Zorki 3c.  I used to shoot with them quite frequently, but have not used them for a while now...just got tired of cutting that film leader for every roll! If you're interested, a small part of my Russian collection is on my web site at mamiya35collectors.com/russian.htm |
|
|
|
Post by kiev4a on Oct 4, 2005 21:21:37 GMT -5
Ron: I think we exchanged messages a wile back when I was looking at your site for info on the Mamiya 1000 tl (GREAT SITE, btw). I ended up settling for a 1000 DTL -- in fact I have two now. Bottom loaders are sorta like stainless steel developing reels--some folks like 'em and the frustrate the hell out of others. I cut my teeth on a postwar Leotax bottom loader (wish I hadn't sold it for sixty bucks) and never have had much trouble -- with one exception: A friend gave me a nearly mint FED 1, one of the last of that model. I darn near went nuts trying to load the thing -- the film just wouldn't go all the way down into the correct path. Finally I cheated and used the thin plastic card trick to get the film seated. Then the FED worked flawlessly and produced excellent pictures. I concluded that the camera looked like new because the original owner had never been able to get it loaded. I should pull the body and identify the problem but it takes such good pictures I'm hesitant mess with it, so I just use the card trick. The FED and others are on my site home.att.net/~wayne.cornell/camera/cameras.html |
|
|
|
Post by herron on Oct 4, 2005 22:41:46 GMT -5
Wayne: I've seen and enjoyed your site. I like the old Zorki's and FED's...even bought one of those stainless pattern cutter templates to help cut the film leaders, so loading them would be less of a hassle. But it turns out cutting the leaders is a hassle too. LOL I suppose I will get them out again before too long...they feel too nice in your hand to let them just sit on a shelf! |
|
|
|
Post by heath on Oct 5, 2005 1:40:45 GMT -5
I have several Russian cameras. Only one is a 35mm rangefinder though. It is a Zorki-4 which I use a Jupiter-8 50/2 and a Jupiter-12 35/2.8. Very nice camera to use unless it chews up the roll like it did one the last roll I put through it.
My favourite Russian camera though is my Moskva-2, 6x9 folding rangefinder (copy of Zeiss Ikon Super Ikonta). I just love this camera.
I also have a Lubitel, and 4 Zenits.
Heath
|
|
|
|
Post by kamera on Oct 5, 2005 16:12:28 GMT -5
Hey You All, How do you read the Russian language instructional manual. I sure as heck cannot read the one for my one and only Russian camera, a Kiev 4M...   Ron Head Kalamazoo, MI |
|
|
|
Post by kiev4a on Oct 5, 2005 22:58:47 GMT -5
I don't read the manuals. About the extent of my Russian is Da, Nyet and Babushka. Of course I seldom read manuals for modern cameras written in English either, unless it is as a last resort. The only instruction important with FSU cameras is "Always wind the camera before changing shutter speed."
|
|
|
|
Post by herron on Oct 7, 2005 0:36:41 GMT -5
I've actually tried scanning them and trying to feed the text into some of the online translation services...but even when it works, the result is worse and harder to read in English than the original Russian...and is sometimes downright hilarious! ...and...I always thought Babushka was Polish. Da? |
|
|
|
Post by doubs43 on Oct 7, 2005 1:15:17 GMT -5
I'd have to say that I like my Moskva-4 folder best. It'll take 6x9 or 6x6 (with a mask) format and is quite nice. It's also sharp, something they're not particularly noted for.
Walker
|
|
kdwall
Contributing Member
"And what does THIS little button do...?"
Posts: 23
|
Post by kdwall on Oct 7, 2005 9:27:48 GMT -5
I enjoyed using a Fed I and a Zorki (I believe it's a Id), but my favorite among the Russian 35mm rangefinder cameras I've owned and used is a Mir. It's basically a name variant of the Zorki 4, but without slow speeds. I have the Industar-50 lens on it. Great camera, never had a problem with it and the pictures are wonderful, but the best part is the attention it gets when I go out shooting. It really stands out today, everybody wants to get a closer look at it because they've never seen anything like it before, and then they flip when they see the name. I love it!
KD
|
|
|
|
Post by doubs43 on Oct 7, 2005 13:56:09 GMT -5
my favorite among the Russian 35mm rangefinder cameras I've owned and used is a Mir. It's basically a name variant of the Zorki 4, but without slow speeds. I love it! KD KD, you may already be aware of this but I'll throw it out for others to read; While the top speed on the MIR's shutter speed dial is 1/500, if there is a small dot just past the 500 marking, it's for 1/1000th. The dot will be close to the dial and not easy to see so look closely. As you've said, the MIR is essentially the Zorki-4 without the slow speeds below 1/30th. Why they didn't mark the 1/1000 speed is unknown and yet another mystery of FSU cameras. Walker |
|
|
|
Post by Just Plain Curt on Oct 11, 2005 8:02:32 GMT -5
Like most here, I have a few Russian cameras of both SLR and RF variety. In SLR I prefer my TTL or EM and in RF I like my Kiev 4a , Mir, Zorki 4K and Fed 2.
|
|
|
|
Post by herron on Oct 17, 2005 23:23:44 GMT -5
I just picked up a Moskva-5 on that insidious online auction site...and if it's as good as it looks, and as good as everything I have read about them, it may give my Mamiya-6 a run for the money!  |
|
