Opportunity: Fed, Zorki or ?

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mike goldberg

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Hi all... Ah the lazy, hazy days of summer, with day after day of hot, dry weather in the mid-90's over here :-(

The Fed-1g brought to me by my son from Yerevan was sent to Oleg 3 months ago. He found parts from different cameras inside, did a thorough CLA, and the tab is $48- plus mailing. Further, Oleg suggests that if I want an FSU camera that is silky smooth and whisper quiet... I should look elsewhere.

In fact, Oleg and I may do a trade, so I'm wondering about another Fed or Zorki model. I already have a Kiev 4a, which I do not use much. Further, I have a $22- Fed-2c, which is great.

So, this is what I like, and I'm open to suggestion:

- silky smooth wind/advance
- low noise, very quiet shutter
- bright, accurate finder
- back of camera can be removed to put in film, OR there is a rear door that opens, like on the M2
- shutter speeds accurate
- clean inside and out... a camera that has had C-L-A.

Let's hear and thanks,
Mike
 
mike goldberg said:
Hi all... Ah the lazy, hazy days of summer, with day after day of hot, dry weather in the mid-90's over here :-(
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Welcome to the club. The record for this week here was 114 °F yesterday (that's 46 °C).

Because there are strict labour protection laws that regulate time off when the temperature is over 40, the government usually gives an "official" temperature that is under 40, but this week they were officially specifying 41 🙂

mike goldberg said:
- silky smooth wind/advance
- shutter speeds accurate
- clean inside and out... a camera that has had C-L-A.
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Most cameras by Oleg have that 😉

mike goldberg said:
- low noise, very quiet shutter
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OK. For ultimate quietness preferably you either want a Kiev or an early FED that has the shutter curtain edges sewn, not stamped like in all other FSU LTM cameras. In practice even with stamped metal edges cameras can be reasonably quiet; it's a function of the individual camera. The exception is the Leningrad, which is a bit noisy due to its spring motor.

mike goldberg said:
- bright, accurate finder
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That is difficult, because it's a matter of preference. By far the best and most accurate finder in Soviet LTM cameras is that of the Drug IMHO, which might not be available. The Leningrad finder is good, but the camera is probably too noisy. The finder of the Zorki-3 and Zorki-4 is very bright, but personally I don't find it to be that accurate. The finder of the FED-2 is accurate but dim and tunelly. The finder of the Zorki-5 and Zorki-6 is a good compromise IMHO, it's accurate and reasonably bright.

mike goldberg said:
- back of camera can be removed to put in film, OR there is a rear door that opens, like on the M2
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That really narrows it down. There is either the FED-2 (or later), or the Zorki-4 and -4K, or the Zorki-6, or the Drug (again). All of these have either swing backs or removable backs like on the Kiev; there are no Leica-style back doors except on hacked-up fake Leicas 😉

If I were you, if you're prepared to pay extra, I'd ask for a Drug (tentatively - Oleg most probably doesn't have one, he wrote to me a couple of weeks ago that he doesn't have spare parts anymore). If you don't mind bottom loaders, I'd go for a Zorki-3 for beauty reasons. Otherwise I'd go for a Zorki-6 which is the best for usability reasons IMHO, and reasonably cheap.

Philipp
 
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Mike, I'd like to put forth the Fed 3a for your consideration, simply because it's such a nice camera IMO. I have several Feds, 2s, 3s and 5s and while the 2 is a bit smaller and has a wider finder base, on the whole I prefer the 3a as a user. One thing I really like is that it has a Diopter adjustment built into the eye piece. On the earlier Fed 2, you use a small leaver underneath the rewind knob, which is not a big deal to adjust, quite fast in fact, but I like the Fed 3a arrangement better. Built in strap posts are a plus as well and I think it is a good looking piece of kit, well constructed and easy to use.

To be honest I can't say it is particularly quite, not that it is louder than any other Fed I mentioned, but I don't know anybody who buys FSU for a quite shutter. Having said that, I'm sure someone here will set me right on that point if I've wronged a favorite camera type.

rxmd, let me ask, can a sewn curtain quite the shutters of latter Feds and does it make a substantial difference? If so, where can you find them/ have them replaced?

Cheers Eli
 
A Fed 3 is a very nice camera, with lever winding and slow speeds. Changing speeds can be a little finicky though. It isn't a soft camera at all, but a CLA might do the trick. It is rather big, but handy and good to use. The viewfinder is quite small though.
 
Mike,
Just to give my four pennies worth,my choice would be Mir,although I do not have the problem of spectacles,which I can see may cause problems.The Mir just gives me all the things I looked for in a LTM camera,especially the larger v/f and the removable back for loading.Having found that I tend to prefer the Kiev,the Mir is the only LTM camera that I am keeping.

I have had 3 cameras via Oleg a Mir,Fed2 and a Zorki 1,and all were very smooth and quiet---he won't let you down.🙂

Brian.

PS Wet and windy here in UK,lucky if we reach 20/22.
 
I got my Zorki 1C from Oleg. Smooth and quiet. The horizontal alignment of the R/F was slightly off when it came, but I discovered that in the first roll and set it right.
 
Hi Eli,

eli griggs said:
rxmd, let me ask, can a sewn curtain quite the shutters of latter Feds and does it make a substantial difference? If so, where can you find them/ have them replaced?
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From what I know the earliest FEDs had shutter curtains with a sewn edge- I've seen them only recently on a FED-1 (not mine) in the 10.000 range of serial numbers and on a TSVVS. Apparently at some point the factory switched to cramped metal edges, which probably was both easier to manufacture and more durable. Subjectively I think the sewn ones were quieter, but I don't have a direct comparison; the difference probably doesn't exceed the range of normal sample variation between Soviet cameras. Maybe someone with a larger collection than mine can try this out. We also had a thread about this. If you want a very quiet FSU interchangeable lens rangefinder, get a Kiev and shoot at 1/25 🙂

I'm not sure if you can get the old-style curtains anymore at all. Maybe ask Oleg. But I wouldn't place too high hopes on it.

Philipp
 
rxmd said:
Hi Eli,


From what I know the earliest FEDs had shutter curtains with a sewn edge- I've seen them only recently on a FED-1 (not mine) in the 10.000 range of serial numbers and on a TSVVS. Apparently at some point the factory switched to cramped metal edges, which probably was both easier to manufacture and more durable. Subjectively I think the sewn ones were quieter, but I don't have a direct comparison; the difference probably doesn't exceed the range of normal sample variation between Soviet cameras. Maybe someone with a larger collection than mine can try this out. We also had a thread about this. If you want a very quiet FSU interchangeable lens rangefinder, get a Kiev and shoot at 1/25 🙂

I'm not sure if you can get the old-style curtains anymore at all. Maybe ask Oleg. But I wouldn't place too high hopes on it.

Philipp
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I have three FSUs with sewn curtains - Zorki 1, Zorki 2C and FED NKVD (and 2 Zenits but they're loud anyway!). There's more variation in sound due to other things than due to that. My Zorki 2C is no quieter than some of my other FSUs but my Zorki 1 is, as is the FED. Obviously I can't make a direct comparison, however, not having identical models with and without sewn ones.
 
I have two black '' leica '' tributes one of which stuck sometimes ... i decided that politically correct or not , that I lke them , so I bought 6 more , 3x Z1 3xZS all of which have been as new and a deelight to use ... [ but i have ASdee , so they ''ground '' me in chaos , so it's not a normal thing !! ]
The 2 dodgy cameras I send to Oleg, who confirmed that they are Fed 1gs , not bitsas , and they are now a dream camera - bottom loaders tend to be more light tight than those with removable backs.
I also bought a Fed 2 from Oleg , and it is my softest , quietest USSR camera -
But the Kiev 4m from OLeg is by far the quietest and smoothest - better that my Leica IIIc and f ...
 
mike goldberg said:
Thanks guys!
Oleg has offered me a Zorki-1 to be CLA'd.
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Okay, the back of the camera can't be removed to put in film, nor is there a rear door that opens, like on the M2, but My vote: Go for the Zorki.Zorki!! Everybody needs at least one One.
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And after four or five rolls of practice you'll forgive it's lack of a back door. :angel:
 
rxmd, wolves3012, thanks for the info, interesting stuff. I rather like my Feds as they are and I hope to put aside $ for a Leica ltm in the near future, so as you can gather, a quite shutter is not high on my list of camera priorities, but knowing what's what is always nice.

Mike, the Fed 3s on Olegs' site are the 3b. It is a nice camera, I have one I enjoy, but is quite different in appearance from the 3a. Whatever you get from Oleg will be nice I'm sure, I can't think of a single post that was negative about his work or gear. I just wish he'd put up a wide-angle ltm lens when I can afford one😉

Just out of curiosity, why is a quite shutter important to your photography. I use to shoot dancers and during a performance, a quite shutter was needed, but other than those rare occasions when photographing like events, I never saw a real need for near silent kit. About the only camera I've ever owned that I considered loud for normal use were Hasselblads and the sound of that mirror slap was a joy unto itself and of course, the mirror could be locked up when needed.

Eli
 
Hi!
I recently bought a Zorki 1 d (or e?), made in 1955.
It´s a lot quieter than I expected, but far noisier than the Kiev 4. (If this is the point, get the Kiev4 or 4a).
Anyway the Z1 holds easily and is small enough to stay in a shirt pocket (and there is where she stays all day long, ready to shoot).
I was in doubt about the separated RF and VF, but I got used to it very soon.
It´s a real user camera. The only I miss on it is the low speed range. To solve this (and if you really need low speeds and a brighter/bigger VF) choose (as I did today) the Zorki 4 or the 4k if you want it´s film advance lever.
The Z4 has another benefit: as I´m getting older and need eyeglasses, the diopter correction a heaven gift.
No doubt, for the asking price of those beauties you get a lot of a camera.
Also, lenses (russian) are cheap enough to get a full set without leaving an arm and a leg. If lenses were Leitz (or Zeiss) that´ll be another story.

Being a Contax/Kiev fan, the Zorki 1 surprised me much more than I ever thought of. Now I decided to get a Z4 as soon as possible.

Cheers
Ernesto
 
eli griggs said:
............Just out of curiosity, why is a quite shutter important to your photography. I use to shoot dancers and during a performance, a quite shutter was needed, but other than those rare occasions when photographing like events, I never saw a real need for near silent kit. About the only camera I've ever owned that I considered loud for normal use were Hasselblads and the sound of that mirror slap was a joy unto itself and of course, the mirror could be locked up when needed.

Eli
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Hi Eli,
I am a fan, superfan, of quiet shutters. Up to the point that for me a Rangefinder camera is above all a quiet shutter.

The advantage of a quiet shutter is for the street or/and conspicuous photographer. A month ago I was in a bus, less than one meter from a seated young woman while she was praying. With my quiet Kiev I was able to make some six images, without her noticing it. My Kiev was pending from my neck at her head level. Some times I do "sneak" pics, if necessary. Obviously if I wanted to catch her praying I had to sneak.

BTW, the round winding/cocking button of the Kiev and other cameras, make wonders too in camouflage. People around not only not heard the shutter, but didn't perceive me winding and cocking the camera.

Cheers,
Ruben
 
Eli, some weeks back Oleg sent me a J-12, and a J-3 from him should arrive any time now. Neither was on his site. All that he has, and all that he can find for you, is not put up on his site. You could tell him what you want, and it might turn up soon.
 
Hi all, and thanks for your input; I'm delighted with the buzz generated here. It's pretty well settled. Oleg has a box with 9 as yet unopened Zorki 4's. He's going to select a good one and do CLA.

So what's this all about? I've got an M2, Bessa R, Fed-2c, Kiev 4a and an Oly 35 RC. I've never had a Zorki. The Zorki-1 and the Fed-1 are 90+% the same camera. Further, a lot of years ago, my wife had a Zorki 4; her father sold it, and he gave her an Oly Pen [72 frames]. So, now were going to have a Zorki-4 as well ;-)

Thanks & cheers, mike
 
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