broken Iskra - beware of eBay seller

[Apostata]

Hey there,

So, it's been a long, long road. Last summer ('08) I purchased an Iskra from an eBay seller. It simply wouldn't work, no matter that it can be a tricky camera to get used to (play-by-play here). I notified the seller ("grizzly33bear") and he said he would fix it. I mailed it back to him (in Ukraine). Weeks later I get it back, and it still doesn't work. Exact same problem. I took it to a local camera repair shop in Toronto (which took ages, but that's another story), only to find out that not only was it broken but it requires parts that (for obvious reasons) are not available any more.

So, I'm stuck with an Iskra that doesn't work. I now have to choose between using it as a paperweight or finding another one for parts. But the truth is that this totally sucks and has (at least temporarily) killed my faith in purchasing FSU items on eBay (and in general). Of course, by the time "grizzly33bear" shipped the camera back, it was too late for me to give him a bad rating. He's happily still selling Iskras on eBay as I write this.

I know "you takes your chances" on eBay as well as with FSU cameras, so it's not like I wasn't cautioned. I just have nowhere else to express this and figured I would share it here as well as warn people about dealing with this seller.

 

[bmattock]

The FSU cameras come with an FSU warranty. If they break in half, you get to keep both halves.

 

[John Lawrence]

Sorry to hear about this. It's been a while since I purchased anything from this seller, but I never had any problems with him (her or both?). Post from Ukraine was painfully slow on one item I ordered, but they did keep me informed and tried to expedite it.

It might be a long shot, but would it be worth contacting the seller again to see if they would be willing to refund, perhaps drawing their attention to this thread?

 

[eli griggs]

If the seller is offering other Iskras, ask for an exchange and hope the replacement is in better shape.

 

[Keith]

I had the same problem from the same seller ... I received an Iskra that didn't work but the camera was replaced with no problems.

The whole process did take a while thanks to the atrocious postal system but the one that was supplied as a replacement has been perfect over the two years I've had it.

 

[timmyd18]

i've had good luck with this seller in the past. I think I bought a Jupiter 11 from them. I'm sorry that you had a bad experience, but I don't think it is fair to say they're a bad seller

 

[thomasw_]

i've had good luck with this seller in the past. I think I bought a Jupiter 11 from them. I'm sorry that you had a bad experience, but I don't think it is fair to say they're a bad seller

The OP didn't call him a 'bad seller' but rather to 'warn people about dealing with this seller.' I think a warning is not only fair, but the right thing to do. But I will say this: a seller who sends a broken camera, then replaces it with yet another broken camera is not a very diligent seller. Hence the warning is a kind thing for the rest of us. If the seller reads this thread and wishes to work on improving his reputation, he should know what to do.

 

[Keith]

From memory this particular eBay seller is a woman ... or at least I was getting emails from a woman from memory.

When I contacted them to tell them my Iskra was faulty they were quite adamant to make sure I understood that the camera would not function without film in it. Apparently a few are returned that actually have nothing wrong with them at all and she wanted to be sure that this was not the case. Once she was convinced that the camera actually had a problem by my descrption of it's behaviour she was all coorporation and a new camera was despatched as soon as I sent the original back. It all took a while of course thanks to the post delays but I found gizzlybear to be very good to deal with and I'm completely happy with the camera I now have.

A good working Iskra is an absolute delight to use and own so I say to the OP stick with it and let them know the situation and fill us in as the solution (hopefully) develops! 🙂

 

[wlewisiii]

I am in full agreement with Keith. I bought mine from a different vendor, but the reality of this particular camera is different. If it really is broken, work with them.

William

 

[Kozhe]

I bought a Kiev4a from this seller and had no problems, althogh the description could have been better. It came with a broken corner in the rewind knob which should have been noted on the listing. The camera works great anyway.

 

[ruben]

............So, I'm stuck with an Iskra that doesn't work. I now have to choose between using it as a paperweight or finding another one for parts. But the truth is that this totally sucks and has (at least temporarily) killed my faith in purchasing FSU items on eBay (and in general). ...................

Hi Apostata,

Let me be positive.

I do have some knowledge about the Isrkras, excluding the internal shutter mechamism.

I have given a glance to your quoted thread, and it seems the problem as you perceive it is that the camera doesn't activate the shutter. If I am wrong, kindly correct me.

But if I am right, I will need a big BIG sized sharp picture of the same pose as you posed the attached pic from your thread.

Now, in case your Iskra is faulty without hope, you have there a lot of great and potentially very convenient spare parts, that I would not disdain at all.

A new working Iskra, in case you can still breath, from a high class can high price US seller, will work but will also show small imperfections for which your present Iskra may be of great use. It happened to me as well, and the issue was that the thread for hood was not usable. Was it the fault of the seller not to inspect this detail. I forgive him.

Be it said clearly and loudly, that upon a thread I posted about old Canon Qls with stucked iris, some folks emerged with the original argument that most old cameras never work - I do not accept this type of argument at all, as it only reflects the selling interests of their posters.

I myself own four Iskras. One doesn't work and its internal shutter is absoulutely broken and disected into parts. A second I am not sure.

But from the three, I have the capability to mount 220 film, have either
6x6 or 6x45 format, exchange red holed backs with non-holed backs, etc.

As a buyer of measurable amounts of FSU gear, I do symphatize with your anger when your first purchase is a non working camera. By chance, my first Iskra came extremely dirty, as if it was stored in a stable, (and so what, couldn't the seller clean it a bit ?) and its focusing ring was extremely hard to move, if at all. By then I had no tech knowledge of the camera at all.

So I went mad, but wrote a polite message to the seller, and he had the nerve to answer me that for "these old" cameras these issues are usual.

I have never purchased from Grizzley Bear, a woman whose personal name is Zhania, but I have been close several times, and in other forum she is held as a generally good seller. I do assume her acceptance to fix your camera came out from good will, and I do know she does have repairing services at her disposal. I guess that if she didn't repair your camera properly it was due to the repair demmanding sacrificing another camera.

Now it is also possible that she didn't act properly in your case, but to my overall knowledge she is not a junk seller, nor a crook.

There are crook sellers at eBay, like every where and at every trade, like another US woman selling black Yashica Electros "black beauty !!!", and I don't think the chances to get trashy gear are related to place of birth but rather to the age of the specific piece and its resistance along time.

Iskras have not passed the test of time in great shape, but they are usable. You just didn't know a risk was involved. You didn't went wrong with the seller - I myself with all my experience could have been now in your shoes as well.

So let's recapitulate

aa) In my humble opinion the Iskras are not tank built, and it is to be expected they require carefull use, and here and there a non working model may arrive. A non working model is a relative evaluation. How would you qualify an Iskra whose shutter is working but it has a hole in its bellows. Or a light leak ?

a) I am not sure your camera is unfixable and the opinion of your technician about the parts he needs is of no great impact to me.

b) Kindly send me the requiredphoto, and if possible try to light the deep black background as well (the side below the shutter button). The picture should be sharp from the lens to the camera inner background.

c) In case the camera will show as definitively broken, you do have good chances to sell parts of the camera which may interest several folks here.

d) There are very decent FSU gear sellers as every where. Crooks as everywhere. But as a general rule, FSU gear require from the user some acceptance he/she will have to use the screwdriver at home for best results.

e) Every old gear from every country is low priced precisely because is prompt to pitfall. If you, like me, find an old camera in true pristine conditions, including cosmetics, its price will jump several times. Five times at least.

f) Finally let's not forget, that from time to time, although rarely, we also buy absolutely new and costly gear and it shows slight or big deffects too. Right ZI owners ? Right M8 owners ? (I am just selecting from my bad memory). And in those rare cases you also have to pass a via dolorosa path untill your issue is solved

Cheers,
Ruben

 

[Richbuckle]

I bought an old clock (quite expensive) from this seller and various M42 adapters etc. I also got an Industar 61 L/D that was as new (including the wax gumming it up). At all times communications were good and everything from the seller worked fine and was as described. I'm sure you had a bad experience; but I have had memorably good experiences with this seller. On the whole I think they're good, even if postage from the Ukraine can be slow and frustrating. Everything's always well packaged and prices are reasonable.

 

[Apostata]

Hello all.

I only received notification of one reply...little did I know there would be 15 (!). Thank you so much for your feedback, arguments (for/against), and especially to Ruben for the detailed and well-measured response. I have to give this some thought (as to contact Zhania or not) - the fact that the "repaired" Iskra which was returned was in the same state (non-working) as when I first received it is the reason why I used the word "beware" in the title of this post.

Normally I'm quite diplomatic and will always give people the benefit of the doubt (going so far as to excuse imperfections...such is life). In this case - and yes, the shipping time (by no fault Zhania's) was terrible - I felt justified. That said, reading your well-considered responses, I may try to reach her though it's nearly seven months after-the-fact.

Again, thank you all. I wish I'd seen these replies sooner.

 

[Spider67]

Yes try to contact her as there is another voter for her! She's agreat person to deal with as is blaytnikov. I fully understand your anger when you got send back a still not functioning camera.
Best Regards
Des

 

[ruben]

Hello all.

...., I may try to reach her though it's nearly seven months after-the-fact.

Again, thank you all. I wish I'd seen these replies sooner.

Hi Apostata,

Concerning the photo I requested, it is due to a specific suspiction I have, in fact I have two. So in order to cut is short I have photoshoped your photo with a red circle, showing the shutter release lever of the lens compound.

Whenever an Iskra is fired by pushing the shutter button on at the top casting, you are activating a series of levers leading to the one I encircled in red.

What I want to know is if your shutter, not the levers, does work.

You can check it by manually cocking the sutter, and then moving the encircled lever downwards, with your nail, or screwdriver, or whatever, as shown in my red draw.

There is not need to say you must do it gently.

If your shutter does work, then I will desperatedly need the photo I requested to further localte the problem.

Cheers,
Ruben

Would you agree to do

 

[summar]

I won a Moskva 5 from grizzly33bear on the auction site. It arrived in fine working shape -- none of the usual problems (leaky bellows, misaligned rangefinder &c). I asked some questions from the seller and got prompt helpful replies.

 

[Apostata]

Concerning the photo I requested, it is due to a specific suspiction I have, in fact I have two. So in order to cut is short I have photoshoped your photo with a red circle, showing the shutter release lever of the lens compound.

Whenever an Iskra is fired by pushing the shutter button on at the top casting, you are activating a series of levers leading to the one I encircled in red.

What I want to know is if your shutter, not the levers, does work.

Hi ruben,

I can fire the shutter manually by triggering the lever at the base of the lens, but the lever-linkage to the upper area of the camera is what is not working.

If your shutter does work, then I will desperatedly need the photo I requested to further localte the problem.

Here's the issue - I don't have a camera with a lens that allows me to get close enough to provide the sort of detail you are requesting. However, thank you for your continued interest.

I will contact Zhania and see how it goes...

 

[ruben]

Hi Apostata,

Given that the shutter works, my theory about your problem, based on a similar issue I had, is that the black lever immediately pushing the chromish handle of the shutter, doesn't moove enough in order to produce a full firing like the one you obtain with your fingers.

So before we continue, open your Iskra, cock the shutter and try to push the shutter release button of the camera while you are facing the camera lens and surveiling what happens.

In case you identify the problem as I describe it - kindly wait and let me know.

Cheers,
Ruben