Favorite FSU RF (?)

Wow, thanks for all the info !! I have been traveling and offline for a little.

I stupidly passed up the Kiev that got me to ask in the first place -- but there will be more, I am sure.

I have looked at a lot of your photo contributions, and I think that the FSU lenses are different for some reason; you get some really soft features when doing portraits. One website commented that he "contrast was low" and implied that it was the lack of coating allowing incidence light to haze things. That makes me think that the 80mm Jupiter is the way to go, as 80mm is the portrait size (actually, zoom is .. but .. )

I got friendly with Alfred Klomp, the wunder kid from Holland. He, if you don't know, was the first person to test the radioactivity of FSU cameras, lol. When he was in high school he did this test, and also his very popular camera site. But the bug has un-bit him-- I wish I had known earlier, I could have bought his Bessa L.

I am done w/ my school papers and I am ready to graduate finally so I can teach. My last study topic was "empathy," which, if you don't know, is a key component of photographing. Its how we get along; we have these neurons called mirror cells that help us communicate, and be empathic.

Here is my empathy paper if you are curious: http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=ddk32zv4_134d7psqf

Thanks again
 
Aggregated FSU comments on one page

Aggregated FSU comments on one page

Hi folks, its been a few months since I put out my request for info, since then I have finished my degree work, but I am still waiting for the piece paper itself.

The info in it is tremdously valuable and I will be putting it on my http://thinman.com site.

For the time being it is here if you want to reference it:

http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=ddk32zv4_206hjwvmg

I have not yet got an FSU, nor unpacked my darkroom from decades ago. But I did borrow back the digital camera I got my mother for christmas. I was looking through a book by Weegee, and then stepped out onto Broadway in NYC and took these picts:

http://thinman.com/february

I now realize the point w/ digital is to complete wow-out the colors and perspective. With B&W, you want to rely on effects that happen in the darkroom, and through the lens.

Thanks again, John
 
I have had a FED 2, a Zorki 4K (K?), and two Kiev 4 AM's. I stupidly sold the first one to Jan Normandale, so I recently bought a very nice one on ebay for $40.

My personal take:

The FED 2 worked fine, but was extremely difficult to see through the viewfinder.

The Zorki was kind of cheap looking but had a much better viewfinder and a film advance lever and worked fine. I would have kept it if I hadn't gotten a Kiev.

Ted
 
I really messed up. I had a chance at a beautiful zorki 6 on ebay, and local too but waited to late to bid. I am going to try for a kiev in an hour, and if I get that I will get a jupiter 8.

I have been spending my nights at times square; B&W high speed photography is NOT dead. The digital had odd effects, but as soon as I tried to take pictures deliberately, things fell apart quickly. I cannot wait to get into gear.

Here is last night's effort:
http://thinman.com/images/Forty_Deuce
 
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I find it almost impossible to pick a favourite, since all the FSUs have their charms and uses. If pushed I'd go for the Zorki 1 or 5....
 
I am a convert to the Fed 2 , but love my several Zorki S '' modified ''
...but would contentedly carry on collecting the wickedly imaginative '' Leica '' pretenders created around the delightfull , diminutive , pocketable Fed / Zorki 1 - which are , of course closest to the original 30s, 35mm experience
I also have a good , but cheap Zorki 6 , which is neat , and for all round useability , a new Fed 5 in black , isn't a bad idea - with an Industar I 61 LD thrown in as body cap !
moscowphoto even sell a 'Leca-ised '' Fed 5 at £60 - quick profit there i reckon !
But then , I am recognised wierd - in writing !!
 
I am a convert to the Fed 2 , but love my several Zorki S '' modified ''
...but would contentedly carry on collecting the wickedly imaginative '' Leica '' pretenders created around the delightfull , diminutive , pocketable Fed / Zorki 1 - which are , of course closest to the original 30s, 35mm experience
I also have a good , but cheap Zorki 6 , which is neat , and for all round useability , a new Fed 5 in black , isn't a bad idea - with an Industar I 61 LD thrown in as body cap !
moscowphoto even sell a 'Leca-ised '' Fed 5 at £60 - quick profit there i reckon !
But then , I am recognised wierd - in writing !!
 
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