peter_n
Veteran
Very nice. I too am impressed with my J-8 and for the $$ the quality of the optics is quite astounding. I think the prices are slowly trending up though.
Hello, I'm new here!!!
- Thread starter silverliner
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stephen_lumsden
Well-known
Welcome Silverliner
Its true what the guys say about GAS attacks. But if you must I would recommend Fedka.com, who are a bit pricier than most FSU retailers but the quality is good. Got a J-12 and J-9 there, which were in good condition. But the GAS goes on.. Looking at a Orion-15 option and a J-11, next. I am not so sure if I would ever fork out so much for a Leica though ( just got a Mat and a Rolleiflex is tempting though...) , the Kiev is good enough at the mo, and well if you lose it, you can always buy another. Stick to FSU and I suppose you will never have to dig too deep, finance wise.
rgds
Stephen
Its true what the guys say about GAS attacks. But if you must I would recommend Fedka.com, who are a bit pricier than most FSU retailers but the quality is good. Got a J-12 and J-9 there, which were in good condition. But the GAS goes on.. Looking at a Orion-15 option and a J-11, next. I am not so sure if I would ever fork out so much for a Leica though ( just got a Mat and a Rolleiflex is tempting though...) , the Kiev is good enough at the mo, and well if you lose it, you can always buy another. Stick to FSU and I suppose you will never have to dig too deep, finance wise.
rgds
Stephen
popitz
The Rangefinder Junkie
hi everyone,
i'm also new here (just joined yesterday). i got into russkie rangefinders last year when i was looking for cheap lenses for my Canon EOS 300D. how did that happen? well i read an article on a computer magazine about a cheap soviet lens fitted to a 300D with an M42 adapter and how the author was pleasantly surprised with the quality (it was a jupiter 9, i think). so i researched a bit and got myself a Zenitar MC16mm fisheye. sharpness was ok and the contrast was surprisingly good. this got me more interested in soviet-made optics and cameras, which lead me to the history of the Kiev rangefinders. i just felt myself drawn to the Kiev II after that. so i searched on ebay and got one for around $80 (a bit high considering you can get a Kiev 4a for less than half). but then it's a 1951 Kiev II, and that alone (at least for me) was worth it. it came in a strange package wrapped in brown paper tied with hemp rope. after unwrapping the package, the strong distinctly old smell of the camera transported me back to my childhood playing with my father's pentax. i tried out the camera and it actually works! this led to another Kiev II purchase and a 1961 Kiev 4a. now, i'm waiting for a Jupiter 12 to arrive and looking out for a Zorki-4. are these early symptoms of FSU RF disease?
anyway, i'm already learning a lot from the forum. hope i can join in the discussions as much as i can.
i'm also new here (just joined yesterday). i got into russkie rangefinders last year when i was looking for cheap lenses for my Canon EOS 300D. how did that happen? well i read an article on a computer magazine about a cheap soviet lens fitted to a 300D with an M42 adapter and how the author was pleasantly surprised with the quality (it was a jupiter 9, i think). so i researched a bit and got myself a Zenitar MC16mm fisheye. sharpness was ok and the contrast was surprisingly good. this got me more interested in soviet-made optics and cameras, which lead me to the history of the Kiev rangefinders. i just felt myself drawn to the Kiev II after that. so i searched on ebay and got one for around $80 (a bit high considering you can get a Kiev 4a for less than half). but then it's a 1951 Kiev II, and that alone (at least for me) was worth it. it came in a strange package wrapped in brown paper tied with hemp rope. after unwrapping the package, the strong distinctly old smell of the camera transported me back to my childhood playing with my father's pentax. i tried out the camera and it actually works! this led to another Kiev II purchase and a 1961 Kiev 4a. now, i'm waiting for a Jupiter 12 to arrive and looking out for a Zorki-4. are these early symptoms of FSU RF disease?
anyway, i'm already learning a lot from the forum. hope i can join in the discussions as much as i can.
R
Richard Black
Guest
Popitz,
You have been infected. Welcome to the rangefinder fanatics. You will fit right in. I too have learned a lot from these guys as well as encouraged my addiction. You won't stop at the Zorkii, there are Mirs, Leicas, Yashicas, Canons, and Nikons. As well as Konicas, Minoltas, oops GAS, gear acquisition syndrome, is showing. Welcome, it is already too late.
You have been infected. Welcome to the rangefinder fanatics. You will fit right in. I too have learned a lot from these guys as well as encouraged my addiction. You won't stop at the Zorkii, there are Mirs, Leicas, Yashicas, Canons, and Nikons. As well as Konicas, Minoltas, oops GAS, gear acquisition syndrome, is showing. Welcome, it is already too late.
peter_n
Veteran
Welcome to the forum popitz! 🙂 Sounds like you're well on the slippery slope! 😀
silverliner
Member
Popitz,
Now I own three Kievs, 4a, 4AM and 4M . I think I like the 4M the most. Also a black J-9 which is, to my surprise, has different lens coating from the silver body. This one has only single coat!! And it appears as very light brown on glass surface. The focusing ring was rather stiff, so I cleaned it and relubed it. Recalibration of the focus was really pain in the !!! Now it is fully functional. Have not yet taking any photo. My Zorki 4-K has been repaired and now working nicely. I am waiting for a J-12 LTM for my Fed 3. My J-12 Kiev mount is not up to my expectation!!
Now I own three Kievs, 4a, 4AM and 4M . I think I like the 4M the most. Also a black J-9 which is, to my surprise, has different lens coating from the silver body. This one has only single coat!! And it appears as very light brown on glass surface. The focusing ring was rather stiff, so I cleaned it and relubed it. Recalibration of the focus was really pain in the !!! Now it is fully functional. Have not yet taking any photo. My Zorki 4-K has been repaired and now working nicely. I am waiting for a J-12 LTM for my Fed 3. My J-12 Kiev mount is not up to my expectation!!
pangkievrange
Established
silverliner said:
Black jupiter 12 tends to be in a very good shape. You need to collimate jupiter 12 to a specific camera body. The lens is very sensitive to the distance between flange and filme plane. The silver type (one in 3 silvers I own) tends to work (collimate) with kiev bodies made in 50's. The other silvers had to be adjusted. The color reflection is all over the place for jupiter 9 (for kiev) that I own 4 of.
pangkievrange
silverliner
Member
Thanks, pangkievrange.
pangkievrange
Established
silverliner said:
I used the 2-camera method to collimate a lens to a camera body. You need to buy glass and glass cutter from home depot, black marker (permenant), a strong halogen table light and a camera with 200mm lens (35mm or MF (I used 300mm lens)). After you draw a nice cross diagonally with a ruler on the glass and you will see the thickness of drawing on the glass after it dries. You need to take into account of the thickness by placing the marked corner area on the rails. Both lenses are set at infinity. In order to ensure that the view lens and body are good, just aim the lens at cloud in the sky to see the infinity is indeed at infinity. A little practice to master this whole technique.
pangkievrange
silverliner
Member
Dear Pangkievrange,
The collimation method you just described is very interesting. But as a layman like me I still don't quite understand the way to do it. Could you just please bring up more detail about the principle (I have searched google for this topic) and post some pic to illustrate how to do it? Thanks alot in advance.
Regards,
The collimation method you just described is very interesting. But as a layman like me I still don't quite understand the way to do it. Could you just please bring up more detail about the principle (I have searched google for this topic) and post some pic to illustrate how to do it? Thanks alot in advance.
Regards,
pangkievrange
Established
Silverliner,
I found the site for you. http://host.fptoday.com/melek/zeiss/repair/collimate/collimate.html
Don't use any transparency film. Hold glass tight with semi-transparent scotch tape. The tape (one tape for each side) will pulled horizontally tight onto the edge of camera body, even onto the front portion of the camera body. The glass will be only on the inner rails. You need to take into account of the thickness of the marked cross by placing the marked portion onto the rails. Make the cross with a ruler. Draw the lines with only one pass or only 2 passes. Pay attention to the heat generated by the lamp and don't let it on for too long. You also need to make 2 small pads for a bracket and hold them in place with tapes. With the pads, you can put kiev on the bracket with the back off. I will post some images.
pangkievrange
I found the site for you. http://host.fptoday.com/melek/zeiss/repair/collimate/collimate.html
Don't use any transparency film. Hold glass tight with semi-transparent scotch tape. The tape (one tape for each side) will pulled horizontally tight onto the edge of camera body, even onto the front portion of the camera body. The glass will be only on the inner rails. You need to take into account of the thickness of the marked cross by placing the marked portion onto the rails. Make the cross with a ruler. Draw the lines with only one pass or only 2 passes. Pay attention to the heat generated by the lamp and don't let it on for too long. You also need to make 2 small pads for a bracket and hold them in place with tapes. With the pads, you can put kiev on the bracket with the back off. I will post some images.
pangkievrange
oljim
Registered Hack
Richard Black said:
I'm new here too! Well, I've lurked for a while, but only started posting recently.
GAS? Yeah, I got it bad!
I stopped collecting gear about 12 months ago. I decided that more than enough was enough! Since then I've acquired 2 Spotmatics, a Contax III, 2 Kievs, a Braun Paxette, a Minolta srt101, a Canon Demi EE-17 and the list goes on... and as the list goes on, more goes on the list! For example, I can't own two Kievs without owning one Jupiter 12, right? That would be heresy! And as I am carried off to my ultimate demise, with my last breath on this earth I will probably gasp something like, "see if you can find me a 35mm finderrrrrr..."
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tenebrae
Leicaddict
New member
New member
Hi guys!
I'm another new member. I discovered this forum a few months ago when I was googling on "FED 4". As a matter of fact, I've had one since I was 12! It was my second camera ever (the first one being a Yashica 72E) and I've recently taken up using it again. Got fed up with my digital camera. It's too small and light, and its appetite for batteries is staggering.
I''m patiently awaiting a Kiev 4A I recently bought on eBay, but I read in another thread that I may have to be VERY patient... *sigh*
New member
Hi guys!
I'm another new member. I discovered this forum a few months ago when I was googling on "FED 4". As a matter of fact, I've had one since I was 12! It was my second camera ever (the first one being a Yashica 72E) and I've recently taken up using it again. Got fed up with my digital camera. It's too small and light, and its appetite for batteries is staggering.
I''m patiently awaiting a Kiev 4A I recently bought on eBay, but I read in another thread that I may have to be VERY patient... *sigh*
reagan
hey, they're only Zorkis
Welcome aboard oljim and tenebrae! Yep, I actually stumbled on FSUs a few months ago while researching which digital to buy. 😱 Still not sure about the logic in that. All I know is, my FSU herd is growing and I haven't bought a digital yet. 😎
RFF is a safe haven for those of us caught up in the throws Russian Rangefinderitus so strap in ... and enjoy!!
RFF is a safe haven for those of us caught up in the throws Russian Rangefinderitus so strap in ... and enjoy!!
John Robertson
Well-known
darkkavenger said:
