S
Scarpia
Guest
I'm trying to corner the market of FSU breadknives to resell as FSU camera repair tools. There must be a lot of these around in good shape as the FSU never had too much bread. 😀 😀 😛
Kurt M.
Kurt M.
Anyone else think the FED, Mirs and Zorkis are undervalued?
- Thread starter David Doler
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darkkavenger
Massimiliano Mortillaro
Eugene, I think that men surestimating their skills is a worldwide phenomenon 😉 😛
xayraa33
rangefinder user and fancier
At one time japanese Leica copies were very cheap to buy on the used camera market (mainly in N. America). Everyone traded them in , to get the latest SLR , it seems. A Tanack or a Leotax " traded in" ... reduced the price of a new Spotmatic or Miranda SLR.
ErnestoJL
Well-known
Yes, the are generally underpriced. Their original price was far lower than german or japanese counterparts. Today, anyone can get a Contax for USD 300 or more, but for a Kiev the price won´t be higher than the half, fortunately.
Worst of all, they are becoming collectible items and their prices will rise. That´s worst also thinking that as long as digital cameras sales continue to increase and film cameras become really cheap, those lovely cameras don´t get cheaper at the same ratio.
Ernesto
Worst of all, they are becoming collectible items and their prices will rise. That´s worst also thinking that as long as digital cameras sales continue to increase and film cameras become really cheap, those lovely cameras don´t get cheaper at the same ratio.
Ernesto
hugivza
Well-known
Thank G*d I am still recovering from my recent GAS attack! I am delighted with the Kiev 4 II, and having got the Zorki Id back today from a minor adjustment to the pressure plate, I have only the black FED 2 to wait for. Whereas the Kiev is not quite as smooth as my Contax, it works well, and perhaps I was lucky and got one made on Monday, or is it Friday? Are they value for money? Who knows as only time will tell, but they do represent a cheaper entry price into the RF experience, and have been more commercially successful than their progenitors, perhaps with a bit of help from a centralised economy!
nomade
Hobbyist
I just lvoe y feds, and they r working properly..
kmack
do your job, then let go
No they are not under valued.
My Kiev 4 breaks my heart everytime I use it.
The lens (j-8) is wonderful, rangefinder focus close enough, Speeds great, a pleasure to handle...
But... it will overlap frames, strip the film perforations, Lock up for no apparent reason. I can clear the lockup by simply pressing the shutter again and winding, but I lose a frame every time.
It's not worth enough for me to have it repaired. So it sits on the shelf until I forget what a pain it can be and get the urge to use it again. Then I take it down, Load some film into it, wonder why I don't use it more, it's so much fun. Then about 5 for 6 frames into the roll you hear the film tear....
I need a Kiev 2...
My Kiev 4 breaks my heart everytime I use it.
The lens (j-8) is wonderful, rangefinder focus close enough, Speeds great, a pleasure to handle...
But... it will overlap frames, strip the film perforations, Lock up for no apparent reason. I can clear the lockup by simply pressing the shutter again and winding, but I lose a frame every time.
It's not worth enough for me to have it repaired. So it sits on the shelf until I forget what a pain it can be and get the urge to use it again. Then I take it down, Load some film into it, wonder why I don't use it more, it's so much fun. Then about 5 for 6 frames into the roll you hear the film tear....
I need a Kiev 2...
hugivza
Well-known
Took the Zorki 1 with J-12 and the Kiev 4 with J-12 for an outing this arvo, complete with two baying beagles. Interesting comparisons - the Zorki seems to be about half the size of the Kiev, but has a much louder shutter noise; the Kiev is whisper quiet by comparison. Did not use the turret finder as I only have one and was not going to spend my time holding two dogs and swap the finder from one to the other, so guessed as usual. Should get the results by this weekend.
Bobbo
Well-known
brians said:
It crahsed to earth something around 5 years ago. I don't think you want a camera that lasts for 15 years and then crashes to earth in a fireball 😀 .
Start buying russian cameras up. It's only a matter of time before "artists" start buying them. remember the holga, a $5 plastic POS? You can pay almost $100 for them some places. Remember when poor college kids used Leica M2s and M3s because they were cheaper than a Nikon F2? About time that happened again... I'll trade any M2 or M4-2 with lens for $100 and a Kiev 4am 😀 .
Goodnight, y'all,
Bob Clark
zeos 386sx
Well-known
I don't know about the FSU cameras being over/under priced, but seeing pictures made with the Russian lenses certainly make me think that they are. Some of those lenses are very good!
FPjohn
Well-known
underestimated
underestimated
Hello:
Perhaps they are underestimated rather than undervalued. The fake Elmar on my fake 111 outperforms a genuine 50's vintage Elmar of mine.
yours
Frank
underestimated
Hello:
Perhaps they are underestimated rather than undervalued. The fake Elmar on my fake 111 outperforms a genuine 50's vintage Elmar of mine.
yours
Frank
Kim Coxon
Moderator
Hi,
For my 2c worth:
They may have been undervalued about a year ago but not any more. In a way, I hope the sellers are watching these threads. 6 months to a year ago, there were some nice cameras at reasonble prices with sensible shiping costs. There were also some rather rough looking specimens which were quite cheap and these were fun to play with as repaints, skins etc. There was also a bit of a lottery as to the quality and working condition of what you got. However, at those prices it didn't matter that much. You could always get another and it still wasn't to expensive. If you really wanted a good reliable one, you had to go to someone like Oleg who understood cameras and made sure they were working properly before they went out. As I am thinning some of mine, I had a look at what's on offer and there seems to have been a marked change. The beat up ones are now the price of good ones, the shipping has doubled and there seem to be very few good ones about. What there are, are now the same price as Oleg's without the confidence that it will work properly.
The shipping cost is a problem but the sellers will now have to get their act together. The GIII's started to go for silly prices as more people "discovered" evilbay. That bubble now seems to have burst although there are still some sellers who are over hopeful. I think one of the reasons for this is that many people realised there were other options which became much more cost effective. It is well recorded in threafds here and in my own experience that most of the gear especially the lenses need to be worked on. Just look at the threads on shimming and relubing lenses. If you are handy and can do the job, you don't mind when the lens is only a few dollars. However, with the current price including shipping this is no longer so true.
It has been fun because they were very good value for money. The equation has changed. They are very much budget cameras and to be good value they must have budget prices. They can no longer afford their lax attitude to overdescribing the condition either cosmeticaaly or mechanically.
Kim
For my 2c worth:
They may have been undervalued about a year ago but not any more. In a way, I hope the sellers are watching these threads. 6 months to a year ago, there were some nice cameras at reasonble prices with sensible shiping costs. There were also some rather rough looking specimens which were quite cheap and these were fun to play with as repaints, skins etc. There was also a bit of a lottery as to the quality and working condition of what you got. However, at those prices it didn't matter that much. You could always get another and it still wasn't to expensive. If you really wanted a good reliable one, you had to go to someone like Oleg who understood cameras and made sure they were working properly before they went out. As I am thinning some of mine, I had a look at what's on offer and there seems to have been a marked change. The beat up ones are now the price of good ones, the shipping has doubled and there seem to be very few good ones about. What there are, are now the same price as Oleg's without the confidence that it will work properly.
The shipping cost is a problem but the sellers will now have to get their act together. The GIII's started to go for silly prices as more people "discovered" evilbay. That bubble now seems to have burst although there are still some sellers who are over hopeful. I think one of the reasons for this is that many people realised there were other options which became much more cost effective. It is well recorded in threafds here and in my own experience that most of the gear especially the lenses need to be worked on. Just look at the threads on shimming and relubing lenses. If you are handy and can do the job, you don't mind when the lens is only a few dollars. However, with the current price including shipping this is no longer so true.
It has been fun because they were very good value for money. The equation has changed. They are very much budget cameras and to be good value they must have budget prices. They can no longer afford their lax attitude to overdescribing the condition either cosmeticaaly or mechanically.
Kim
wilt
Well-known
I like the lenses. Great value for the money. Shot this picture with the J8. Pity they don't focus properly wide open and close up.
Kim Coxon
Moderator
Hi Wilt,
That's my point. Very few are set up correctly, so people rely on the DOF to make up for it. This runs out at wide apertures and close up. For the prices that they are trying to charge now, they should be set up correctly.
Kim
That's my point. Very few are set up correctly, so people rely on the DOF to make up for it. This runs out at wide apertures and close up. For the prices that they are trying to charge now, they should be set up correctly.
Kim
wilt said:
einolu
Well-known
OT, I like your photoblog wilt!
I dont trust any russian ebay sellers anymore after I had a few bad experiences. The ones selling from the US are usually a bit better. I ended up paying a little more and getting my zorki 1 from Oleg, which was a great exeprience, I recomend his services.
I dont trust any russian ebay sellers anymore after I had a few bad experiences. The ones selling from the US are usually a bit better. I ended up paying a little more and getting my zorki 1 from Oleg, which was a great exeprience, I recomend his services.
reagan
hey, they're only Zorkis
Here, here Kim... you're exactly right. There's still some FEDs going for great prices, but just in the short time I've purchased FSUs, I've seen prices/shipping on many FSUs jump out of the "good buy" category. "If it breaks, toss it and get another one" isn't so much an option for what many are paying now. By the time you tie on shipping to price, the total cost of a lot of FSUs should get you something that works and works smoothly. Often it doesnt.
I've been blessed to have not gotten any lemons yet and love shootin' the Zorkis. But ohhhh, I've read the stories. :bang: Bottom line IMHO? Good value... sometimes.
