Bought a Russian Tank for 1 euro.

bjornkeizers

bjornkeizers

Established
Local time
7:35 PM
Joined
Apr 29, 2012
Messages
186
Location
The Netherlands
View My Gallery
Hey gang,

Usually, we find the cameras that we like. Sometimes, the cameras find us 🙂 This is one of those times.

Last week, I completed an auction for a Petri 7SII rangefinder. I was the only bidder, so as luck would have it... I won the auction for 1 euro.

Now unfortunately, the seller had some issues with debt collectors, or so he says, rendering him unable to actually send me said Petri. I was a bit disappointed, but didn't really see an option to press the matter. He did offer to ship something else: namely a good condition Zenit 12XP.

I actually was interested in trying a Russian camera, with the 12XP high on that list. This is one of those cameras that is rightfully nicknamed tank for their size, weight and mechanical reliability. So, I agreed to receive it. And here it is!

8454816385_d494680bf6_c.jpg


It's working just fine and came with a 1.8 50mm lens. The meter seems to work but isn't all that informative, so I'll be Sunny Sixteen'ing it with the Tank for a while. The only real issue I have is: it's missing a lens cap 🙂 But other then that, I'm sure we'll have some fun together. These usually sell between 10 and 50 euros on Ebay it seems, so if nothing else... I'll have a cool paperweight for 1 euro.
 
Fun!

But bear in mind that actual tanks (not tank-like cameras) are extraordinarily unreliable. Ask any tank commander how often the damn' things break down.

Cheers,

R.
 
nice! Zenit 11 (same but without TTL metering) was my first SLR and I actually remember it fondly. Limited shutter speeds and the finder not brilliant, especially compared to my current Olympuses, but the overall ergonomy wasn't bad and it actually had a lovely shutter sound. I've used a Pentacon/Zeiss Jena 50mm/1.8 which looked exactly like the one on your camera, except for the name, a Pentacon 29mm/2.8, and two Russian lenses: a Mir 37mm/2.8 and a Tair 135mm/2.8. Both those had really impressive resolution and colour reproduction. The Tair was also very well built, smooth focusing action with just the right amount of resistance and a good built-in retractable hood. It also had a perfectly round aperture at all values. Unfortunately, the aperture wasn't automatic, there was a two-ring manual pre-set system. Certainly not for ultra fast shooting, but optically brilliant.
Memories... I should get an old M42 slr just to find one of those again 🙂
 
I saw a T34/85 for sale for around £5k a few years ago. Since then, supplies have dried up. I do regret not investing. I think they're pretty reliable compared to more complex machines. Admittedly the earlier T34s are much better looking, but there's not as much room for accessories.
 
A T-34 would no doubt have made the daily commute more entertaining, but I've heard the diesel mileage is quite lousy. As in gallons per mile, not miles per gallon 🙂
 
Thanks guys.

Yeah, 'actual' tanks have always fascinated me as well. If you know where to shop, there's usually some neat stuff to buy. A local airbase here in Enschede closed a few years ago. They pretty much sold everything including the kitchen sinks. You could buy everything from old fuel trucks, the runway lights, the shooting range and even the old F16 storage bunkers are for sale. One of the bunkers even houses a cheese factory!

These cost a bit more then 5K though, but imagine the parties you'd have in your very own bunker.

7989145570_61cc5cee52_b.jpg


EDIT: come to think of it, visiting the airbase again and photographing it with the Russian Zenit would be quite the irony.
 
Agreed about the meter - it's really annoying, and frankly I don't trust it.
For the uninitiated, it's two LEDs - if the top one lights, you are overexposing, the bootom one under, and they flash up and down when the exposure is correct.

Apart from that, I really like mine - much nicer to use than I expected, the Helios I have on it is a pretty decent lens (not that I expect your Meyer-Gorlitz to be duff), and the build quality actually seems fine. Despite the boat anchor reputation, it also weighs less than my Nikkormat EL. The viewfinder could be better - I think it's 70%, so you need to cram the frame - but I've used much worse.

Adrian
 
Yes, I seem to remember a time when the Zenits were the same size and weight as other SLR's. Trouble is, with Russian stuff almost everyone seems to get into the half-empty mode but with others they are in half-full mode and willing to get them repaired etc. These days I see them as old, second-hand cameras just like any other and - if treated the same - would be a lot better. But there's no way people will spend money on them and then they get sold on and despised.

Regards, David
 
Hmm interesting. From what I've seen, Russian cameras actually seem to be enjoying a reasonable bit of popularity. Just looking at Lomography alone, I'm seeing quite a few Russian cameras on their site, serviced and with prices to match. So apparently, there certainly is a market for a well-maintained Russian camera.

I personally wouldn't treat a camera any better or worse depending on its origin.

But, I do see your point. That's probably also because Russian stuff has a reputation of being crude but generally reliable and/or easy to fix. Take the Kalashnikov rifle, the Russian Lada cars, Russian aircraft... all not very sophisticated or glamorous, but they get the job done.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom