Help choosing my next FSU RF

[Max Power]

Hey all,
I'm looking for a bit of help here in choosing my next RF. Right now, I have a FED 5B, and I have a few complaints with it.
On the plus side, it is mechanically perfect; all speeds are bang on.
On the minus side, apart from the fact that it is dead ugly, it's big and bulky, it hasn't any strap lugs, the RF/VF is dim, and I detest the removable back.

I'm looking for a longer baseline with a brighter VF/RF, strap lugs and a hinged back. I know that the Zorki 6 has strap lugs and a hinged back, and the baseline is longer.
Is the VF/RF brighter?
Is it smaller than the FED 5?
Are there any 'standard' known problems?

I was actually thinking about a Kiev, but I have some outstanding LTM lenses (a J-12 and a J-9) and don't really want to change systems at this point.

Thanks for any input!

Kent

 

[Jon Goodman]

Hello, Kent.
Personally my pick would be the Zorki 4, first series...that being from 1956 up to about 1965 or so. Actually, I would prefer to limit it to those built in the 1950s, however I have seen some in the mid 1960s that were just fine. The viewfinder is generally very nice in these, they have a handy diopter adjustment, and if you find a good early one, the shutter will be quieter and very accurate. From some standpoints, the early Zorki 4 was as close as the Soviets ever came to duplicating the Leica, at least in my opinion. I don't care about the hinged back, particularly, but I understand that may be a personal thing. The other nice thing about the Zorki 4 is the perspective in the viewfinder is nearly 1:1, so it aids in framing/focusing. Also, I prefer to have the lower speeds as well as 1/1000. Good luck.
Jon

 

[je2a3]

Hey all,

I'm looking for a longer baseline with a brighter VF/RF, strap lugs and a hinged back. I know that the Zorki 6 has strap lugs and a hinged back, and the baseline is longer. Is the VF/RF brighter?

Yes, but magnification is the same.

Is it smaller than the FED 5?

Yes

Are there any 'standard' known problems?

I've never encountered this issue with my Z6s but some people have complained about the back latch accidentally getting loose leading to exposed film, it's an easy fix though.

If you don't mind bottom loading consider the Zorki 5, even more compact and will offer similar performance to the Zorki 6. Just keep in mind that these models don't have slow speeds.

Joseph

 

[rbiemer]

I love my Zorki 3M! It meets your requirements except for the hinged back. And I'm not sureabout the baseline. I haven't owned a Zorki 4 or 4K (yet..give me some time 😀 ) but those are appealing to me as well.
If the removable back is a deal breaker, then your FSU choices are fairly limited: Z5 is a bottom loader and the Z6 has the hinged back. I don't recall any others. My biggest peeve about some of the otherwise very nice cameras is the lack of strap-lugs. That is why my FED5 spends most of its time on the shelf. I have made a pinhole lens for my LTM cameras and the FED will be dedicated for that--pinhole lensed cameras almost require a tripod or other support so that changes how I carry/use the setup.
Rob

 

[darkkavenger]

You know you want a beautiful Kiev... 😉

 

[nzeeman]

maybe FED 2 . have strap lugs and "people with glasses"-friendly VF-RF

 

[hoot]

Finder dimness in (clean) FSU RFs is usually due to the fact that the (usually gold) RF patch needs to stand out against the rest of the VF, so the VF is deliberately colored darkish blue, resulting in dimness. This is why I opted for a Zorki-1, which has the RF patch in a different window than the viewfinder itself.

What this means in practice is that you have a lovely, brilliant RF patch in a 1:1 viewfinder with long baseline, *and* a VF for the 50mm FOV that is just as bright as looking through a clear pane of glass.

Switching from one window to the other is a knack, and if you're into street photography, you may find it more comfortable to prefocus your lens anyway, and only use the 50mm VF (or an accessory VF) to shoot. HCB did it that way and I think his photos are sharp enough. With time, this method will become second nature to you. We're much too spoiled with modern gadgets, anyway.

Oleg Khalyavin at okvintagecamera.com has some very reliable bodies (he CLAs them before shipping) for around $50 apiece, and they will take a beating. The simplicity of their construction is very Zen-like.

The only downside of FSU cameras in general is that you will always need an accessory finder for anything wider than 50mm. Since I love 40mm and 35mm, and dislike most accessory viewfinders because of added bulk and less pocketability, I reluctantly have to reach for more modern RF bodies for certain tasks, but my dream camera would be a Zorki-1 rebuilt so that the VF shows a 40mm FOV and some sort of primitive framelines.

This camera (and the Barnack Leicas on which it is based) is simply superior to anything that came afterwards, because its simplicity makes it practically failsafe, and its design is pure beauty. At the very least you can give it a try and then decide if you agree.

 

[kvanderlaag]

I'll put a personal pitch in for the Z6. Good camera, nice VF/RF (it's not as big and bright as the Z4, but if you demand a hinged back, the Z6 is the only way to go, and it's very adequate unless you wear glasses.) The hinged back and lever wind are godsends, even if some people complain about the long throw of the wind lever. My one issue with the Z6 is that my takeup spool has a very loose bit that the film fits into, so it rarely makes it around the spool on the first wind. I've loaded it (as I thought) correctly, and still gotten an entire roll shot on one frame on numerous occasions.

I find removable back cameras much easier to load than the Z6, but once you get past that, it's a joy to use.

 

[captainslack]

Go with the Z6. You'll love it. I got one a few weeks ago it's been one of the FSU experiences I've had.

 

[Doug]

Looking at your desired attributes brings up a suggestion... one with a different compromise... how about giving up on FSU origins and going with a Bessa-R or R2 (even a T). Hinged back, easy loading, bright viewfinder with several sets of framelines, takes your screw-mount lenses, not so ugly, relatively lightweight, has strap lugs, TTL metering even, and still pretty economical. Also, there's only a narrow channel of water that forms the border between this camera's country of origin and the FSU... close enough? 😉

 

[wlewisiii]

Unlike others, I'll happily encourage you to look seriously at the Kiev. If you want to stick with FSU cameras, the quality of the Kievs tends to be far beyond anything that was done with the the LTM cameras.

Now, a good J12 & J9 are real reasons to stay with LTM, but if you do I'd suggest a Canon screwmount body instead. It will cost a bit more, but the quality jump is enormous. A Canon IV or 7 can be found quite cheap with a bit of patience. But of all of the good quality LTM bodies, a Canon is the one you'll most easily find at a reasonable price as there were, comparativly, more of them made.

The Kiev is nearly as inexpensive as the other FSU cameras but can be a very marvellous camera to use. Before I got my Canon, a Kiev 5 was my daily user. But even the best FSU camera just can not be trusted in the same way that a western manufactured camera can be. And that is the single biggest thing that made me go from Contax/Kiev to Canon.

Good luck & good light, however you decide.

William

 

[Max Power]

Thanks everyone for your input,
Well, I sat down and weighed everything out, placing my priorities in order, 'cause the FSU RF I want simply doesn't exist 😀

I ended up placing my number one priority as being a large RF/VF, second place was strap-lugs and lastly was a hinged back.

This led me to a Zorki 4, so I've purchased one fitted with a J-8 from Alex.

Cheers,
Kent