Advice on Zorki 1 finder

[payasam]

Any day now, I should get a Zorki 1, one which Oleg K. selected as a good companion for my IIIc and its lenses. On those rare occasions when I need to use both cameras together, I propose to have the VIOOH on the IIIc and use the Zorki only with the Summitar or the Industar 61 L/D. Thus I need to know more than I do about the accuracy of the Zorki's finder.

 

[Skinny McGee]

My zorki 1 is very accurate.. I really enjoy using it.. It has a 50mm I22 on it. I use it along with my Leicas... I am not affraid to be alittle moreloose with it you know.. I think I payed $45 instead of $1000 so you can be alittle more liberal with it.

 

[xayraa33]

The Zorki 1 vf will be almost as accurate as what is on the Leica IIIc.
I have both cameras, and they are certainly not the best in this catagory, if the built in vf framing accuracy is what you are looking for.

 

[payasam]

Skinny, xayraa33 is correct in saying that finders of the IIIc and Zorki kind are hardly the best. They are inaccurate at near distances because of parallax, eye position can make a difference, and of course edges are indistinct because there are no frame lines. Also, a typical finder will be set to show the correct field of view at a certain distance, generally in the middle or near range. My inclination here is to think that the "drop dead" distance will be something like 3 metres or perhaps 2. I expect I'll get the hang of the thing after ruining a roll or three, but history tells us that the lazy always prefer to pick others' brains. Thank you both.

Er, Skinny, you sure about the "superagulon"?

 

[Valkir1987]

The rangefinder of the Leica III is a little more accurate than te one of the Zorki. This is depending on the construction of the rangefinder, the image in the rangefinder of Leica is a little enlarged.
You won't notice difference in the image of the viewfinder, although the one of the Zorki is a little smaller. The universall turret finder is a good option if you have other Leica thread lenses. (its parralax correction is very usefull for short distances) I even used it with the standard lense. You will enjoy both cameras after all. 🙂

 

[payasam]

Valkir, if the Zorki is a clone of the Leica II, the range-finder's base is probably the same and the greater accuracy of which you speak must be explained by the variable telescope. I am concerned more with viewfinder accuracy since, as I have said, when I use both cameras together I shall keep the VIOOH finder on the IIIc. If I use the Zorki alone, the VIOOH will be available. Since I have an accurate, parallax correcting multi-finder already, there seems to be little sense in getting another. Besides, I understand that the quality of the FSU turret finders is variable; and because they were made originally for the Kiev (Contax), it is possible that their marked parallax settings will not be so accurate on a Zorki or a Leica.