How serious you use your FSU RF cameras?

[longw]

Hi,

I have gone through lots of photos of some of you taken by your FSU cameras. Those are really good works!

I wanted to take my photos like that, so now I have FED 1, FED 2, and Zorki 4. But sadly they all have some minor faults. I am going to send one to Oleg soon.

I understand those cameras are really old, but still I expect they are strong enough because I want a working camera not a decoration staff on my shelf.

So, how much you guys trust your FSU cameras. Do you alwasy consider them as your first choice when you want to take a photo?

tao

 

[Valkir1987]

It depends, when I take pictures for my own I like to use a FSU rangefinder, especially the Zorki 4 or the Zorki/Fed 1. Since I enjoy using them and the results are encouraging. But when someone ask me to take pictures (some of my friends play in bands and they ask me to take pictures sometimes) I take my Praktica B200 and a fast speed film. But when I can use a Fsu rangefinder and the camera is in the right condition I wouldn't hesitate to use it.
On a day out or a holiday I prefer to use the Zenit E or one of the rangefinders.
I have a Fed 1f with the Leica button which is my favorite now.
Its the joy of using them, simple 🙂

 

[brachal]

I trust my Fed3 and Kiev2a 100%, both have recently been CLA'd. I trust my Fed2 about 85%, occasionally it produces something "interesting." I have a Kiev4a that's always a gamble to use.

Truthfully, I reach for my Bessa R most often. It's easier to load, has its own meter, and the viewfinder/rangefinger is hugely superior to anything in a FSU body. But there's a certain joy to be had using the old FSU's, and I use one of them when I'm in the mood -- maybe 25% of the time.

I almost always use FSU lenses on the Bessa; the only non-FSU lenses I have are wide-angle, where the FSU choices are somewhat limited.

 

[350D_user]

The Kiev 4, now I know it can leak light, I'm learning to trust it.

 

[ruben]

.........I wanted to take my photos like that, so now I have FED 1, FED 2, and Zorki 4. But sadly they all have some minor faults. I am going to send one to Oleg soon.
.........
tao

Hi Tao,

The real price of any old camera is the price of the camera plus full overhaul. This is not for the cameras being from FSU, but for being old. It applyies to Japanese cameras as well, belonging to a similar price range.

Besides Soviet cameras I do have bought through eBay near a dozen Japanese cameras manufactured before the 80's and all except for one or two have from minor to major defects. Getting a camera 30 years old in full working order, is quite rare.

Some of us learn to fix our red oldies ourselves, with a few of us having achieved a very high control of the matter. I, myself, belong to the first cathegory. It demmands a lot of time.

Had I known this from the begining I would buy many less cameras and send them to the best fixer available, considering that the price of the camera is not just the eBay price.

Now, of course you may hear from some champions that paid ten dollars for that perfect camera in their neighbourhood. Grandma stories.

As for your question concerning how serious we are, in my personal case I am as serious as love goes. I am not a pro, so I can enjoy at will.

Cheers,
Ruben

 

[TVphotog]

I carry a mixed bag all the time. The bag usually contains the following. Nikon F3 with MD4 motor drive. 24mm 2.8, 50 1.4 and 80-200 2.8 all in nikon mount. This camera has been my workhorse since the early 90s. It was my first serious camera and I almost always carry it. I also pack a minolta Dimage A1 5 meg digital camera. The bag lately has also had a Z4 and a Z6 in it. Once they are up and working the bag will once again contain a Kiev 2 or 4. I carry so much because each camera has different characteristics that I like. I shot at a local car show last weekend. I shot mainly with the Z4 and the Z6. It was a rockabilly/50s type show and so I thought it was only fitting to shoot with the Z4 and Z6. The pics, which haven't been developed yet, should have that 'lost in time' look I like from the FSU stuff. At night when the bands started to play... Mainly the Flame Trick Subs (a physco-billy/punk band) the nikon F3 with the 80-200 and the 24 mm came out. I used the nikon in that situation due to the motordrive and the lightmeter. I was pushing the film and it was easier to just set the camera and go.
I think that most of the replies that you will see are going to tell you one thing. Use your camera and get used to it. That way you will know which one will give you just want you are looking for in the finished pic.

 

[jbf]

I trust mine completely! Coupled with my handheld meter I know my shot are going to come out 99% of the time.

Only times i have the issue with any of them is when i first started using it.

It took me a few rolls of film to realize that the viewfinder cuts off a slight bit of the frame at the top.

From then on I always raised my camera a slight more and took one step back.

Once i compose a shot and am ready to take a photo... i almost always take one step back just to make sure i get everything in the frame. You can always crop later. 🙂

 

[Duncan Ross]

I'm with jbf; I absolutely trust my Kiev and when on holiday don't bring any other cameras. Then again I am perfectly happy with disposable cameras too so I'm perhaps not the best example!

 

[reagan]

So, how much you guys trust your FSU cameras? Do you alwasy consider them as your first choice when you want to take a photo?

What? You mean we're actually supposed to use these things? What if they get dirty? 😱 😉 *joke* 😎

I use the cameras listed in my sig w/o hesitation - Zorkis n' Barnacks. Are they flawless and perfect? No. (But not near as flawed and imperfect as their owner.) Do they ever screw up a shot I really wanted to come out? Yes. (But not as many as I do.) They each have their own unique little quirks and glitches. I have an Olympus digi.wonder, a Canon SLR and a few other little nuggets around that get veeeery little flight time. When I go to shoot, 95% of the time, I'll grab one from the sig list - whichever Leica or Zorki I want to play with that day.

 

[Igor.Burshteyn]

RFs are complicated beasts. Too many things to go wrong. RF adjustment, lens-to-flange distance, lens collimation... just a few to mention. I trust in my kiev4/jupiter9 combination. Absolutely. It just happened to work well together - because I did nothing for it to happen. We almost never CLA our fsu cameras - their perception is "cheap", and skilled repairman work is "expensive". That's a catch. If you have leica that misbehaves it goes to the repairman for CLA. If kiev exhibits problems, it goes to the trash. So you are right - send camera to the Oleg, and inform us afterwards whether you trust your new old camera.
P.S. That J9 has something to it - I pretty much prefer its look over other, much more expensive lenses.

 

[robbiechad]

I have just sent my kiev4a to Oleg for overhaul, and also I have just received a new |Helios 103 for it from Fedka, am looking forward to marrying them together to see what results I get.

 

[payasam]

When I do work which is important -- paid or un-repeatable -- I always have a back-up. My main camera could be a RF or an SLR. Japanese, German and FSU have so far been equally reliable.

 

[fidget]

I've got round to using my FEDs (2,3a,3b) and Zorkis (4,5,6) for film other than my normal D400/D100, which is loaded in my R2. I'll have any two FSUs on the go loaded with a fast film and one possibly with colour slide or moody APX400S.
But, I have given up on my Kiev 4s. The frame spacing is too close for slides and the occasional overlap is really irritating, even though it's my own fault for not winding on carefully enough. It's a shame because the lenses are fabulous.

I do confess to having a couple of FEDs which are in need of further tinkering before they can be trusted (uneven exposure at fastest speed or missed frames).
Dave....

 

[oscroft]

I'm never doing anything critical or professional - photography for me is just 100% fun. So I take out whatever I fancy using - some days I'll take a couple of different FEDs, sometimes just a Zorki-6, sometimes something from my Leica/Bessa/OM gear, and many times just an Olympus XA in my pocket.

I do travel a lot (between the UK and Thailand - I'm in Thailand now), and this time I have Leica M6/Bessa R4A with me. But next time I think I might bring my OM1 plus one of my FEDs (or maybe the little Ricoh 500G) and leave them here - I really should leave a selection of gear here too.

So yes, I treat my FSU gear just the same as my more expensive gear, and I enjoy using it probably just as much.

 

[iñaki]

I like using my FSU cameras (ISKRA and "Oleged" zorki 3m), but my first choice is the Bessa R.

 

[shadowfox]

Not as my first camera, but my Kiev 4 is so smooth, I like shooting with it.

 

[longw]

Hi,

Thanks everybody for your input!

After reading all your posts, I think your guys are either skillful or lucky. That is the reason why you trust your old cameras. 🙂

Just like Igor said, these RFs are really complicated beasts, especially to me. However, I can't give up since first time I saw them and held them at hand.

Hunting a good one, keeping or making it into good condition, finally getting a fantastica photo from it. This may be how the real joy is.

The real price of any old camera is the price of the camera plus full overhaul. This is not for the cameras being from FSU, but for being old. It applyies to Japanese cameras as well, belonging to a similar price range.

to Ruben,

I realized it by now. The value of vintage cameras is composed of their price and the possible service/repair fee. In the beginning when I read the other thread written by napchop, I thought it is more expensive than real price. But now I have calculated mine. It fits the price there. And if I choose now, I prefer to pay more to get a
CLAed/serviced item.

While this morning on the way to office I sent the camera and lenses to Oleg. I will let you know how it is going.

I also plan to have other lenses after tasting 50mm prime lens. It depends on how I get along with these beasts/beauties.

Thanks,
tao

 

[longw]

I
Only times i have the issue with any of them is when i first started using it.

It took me a few rolls of film to realize that the viewfinder cuts off a slight bit of the frame at the top.

From then on I always raised my camera a slight more and took one step back.

Once i compose a shot and am ready to take a photo... i almost always take one step back just to make sure i get everything in the frame. You can always crop later. 🙂

Hi jbf,

Have you tried any external viewfinder. Does it help? I just bought a voigtlander kontur. My all FSUs don't have lenses for the moment. Trying it with my vito B for the moment. The first roll is not finished yet. Can't really tell how it is.