FYI: The Zorki and Fed Book

[Zorkiiglaza]

Has anyone seen this book by Leonard Gaunt published by Focal Press in 1976?
I obtained a copy of it some 10 years ago after having a xerox copy for years.
It details the Zorki 4 and 4K , the FED 4L , as well as the Orion 15, Jupiter 8, 12, 9, 11, the Lenigrad 4 light meter and the universal viewfinder. It is a somewhat dated book of 120 pages and had general information of photography and the use of rangefinder cameras.

This is one of the Focal Camera Books as opposed to the Focal Camera Guides

ISBN 0 240 50940 4
First Edition 1976

I traded an Agat 18 for my copy 😎

 

[Richard Black]

Sorry, but I can't say that I have heard of it or seen any reference but yours to it. I don't think I've seen it on the Kiev Report or the Best Stuff Russian Forums either.

 

[Zorkiiglaza]

WOW! I didn't realize that it is that expensive. There are also numerous articles on specific Soviet made cameras that were published in the UK press back in the 1970's. Back when I got some of them they were very difficult to obtain. No Pay-pal to use and the internet was in its infancy. Ahhh pre SPAM Days!
Oldtimer Cameras has an online address for ordering copies of camera articles and reports at http://www.oldtimercameras.com/

There was at that time a firm that imported cameras from the USSR and adjusted them before reselling them.

Another item featured in the book is the Zenit UPA enlarger. Which is nice and compact and dissasembles and fits in a case the size of an old attache case.

 

[cacs88]

I have no idea that book is so expensive! I got a copy some years ago from a camera store and I kick myself every time I see it for having paid too much for it. (The book had a 4.95 sticker in front but I didn't realize until I got home that the store had charged me $19.95, the store's price which was stickered in the back.)

Now that I see others are selling it for $30 to $50, I'll read it with more reverence.

 

[Zorkiiglaza]

I believe it was Roger Hicks who pointed me to these publications.
The importer was Technical and Optical Equipment (London) Ltd.
It was established in 1961 and imported SLR and rangefinder equipment and microscopes and other technical, optical equipment. Supposedly they grew so fast they had to move 3 times because they ran out of space. There building was called Zenit House.
Ron Spillman wrote a book for them titled Discover Rewarding Photography: The Manual of Russian Equipment (1971)
Spillman also wrote a short article in Amateur Photography "The Neo Classics" -...are Russian copies of Western classic cameras as good as those they attempt to ape?"

 

[John Robertson]

I think TOE was the main reason that Russian photo equipment sold so well in the UK. I worked part-time in a camera shop in Perth Scotland, and TOE were one of the best importers to deal with. I also visited them a couple of times in 1975 when I worked in London, at that time they were near Arsenal Football Ground. I took my Fed 2 and Zenith 3m in for a service and I got them back like new in THREE days at a very reasonable price.
I still have the Fed2 and the ZenithUPA5 enlarger. The enlarger is excellent, but watch out for the foam lining in the case/base. After 10+ years it turns into a sticky goo. I replaced mine just before that happened!!! I had both books, the Focal guide was excellent, stupidly I lent them to the Camera Club and they have gotten lost. :bang:

 

[Stanleyw]

Thanks for the information. I've just ordered a copy

Stan Wooding