Help me pick out a Russian folder

T

That Guy

Guest
I've been wanting to get a folding camera for a while now. I was thinking of getting a Voigtlander Bessa I or II for a while, but collectors have really driven the prices up the last couple months. So I've been looking at the Moskva-5 for a bit now. But I'd like to get something with an accessory shoe so I can mount a light meter in the future. I had a look at the Iskra's as well. I don't think I like the idea of having a useless, dead light meter on the camera, though.

So what do you have? What would you suggest? And how are you metering and guessing focus?
 
Only the iskra-2 has a light meter, afaik. At least, that's what fedka says. And the iskra-1 he also sells cheaper + in better condition. However, the moskva's are even cheaper and they are 6x9.

If you go for the iskra-1, you better hurry up - i'm thinking about it myself:D
Both of them have rangefinders, so there's no guessing-focus involved.
 
I have an Iskra (1 - sans light meter). Ecellent camera with a glorious lens. I have never seen an Iskra2 with a working light meter, so you'd be buying extra wieght that doesn't help. It's a coupled rangefinder with an even longer baseline than the Super Isolette it's a clone of for better accuracy. If you can get an Iskra from Fedka, grab it and run.

As far as working with it, I just use Sunny-16 with all my folders and it usually works. It's a coupled rangefinder - bright and clear if a bit small at times, so no guessing involved.

I wrote a review at Fedka:
"In looking for a medium format folding camera, everything I was able to find on the Net indicated that the Iskra was an underated gem. That is putting it mildly. This camera is lighter and more compact than my 35mm SLRs yet has the advantage of the wonderfully larger 6x6cm negatives. Combined with a lens that has become by far my favorite and you have a camera that I carry with me daily. Everytime I go out the door, it's in my hand. There is a rumor in one online review that KMZ used the last of the Zeiss glass liberated at the end of WWII to make this lens. I don't know if it's true, but I find it easy to beleive because it is an excellent quality Tessar lens that is unlike anything else I've ever worked with.

The only negatives are that 1) the film transport mechanism can be fragile. Use it gently. 2) The 30x.5mm series V filters are not easily found and 3) it uses the traditional knob winder rather than a lever. Only the fragility is a real problem and that is cared for by recognising that it is a complex and elderly piece of engineering. Take care of it and it will take excellent care of your photographic needs."

Hope this helps,

William
 
I would also recommend the Iskra over the Moskva - I have both, and while the Moskva is a nice antique camera, as user the Iskra is much, much better - not only because of the much better lens, but also because of the bright, large, coupled rangefinder.
 
I have been using an Ikonta B as my main travelling camera for several years now. I like it very much because it is light weight, compact, low tech(always works without batteries, has a great coated tessar lens,fits in my jacket pocket, and has a decent sized negative. This camera has a rangefinder, but I rarely use it. I find it easy to estimate distances in terms how many times the object is away in terms of units of my body height. For example an object 12 feet away is 2 mes in distance. I sometimes use the rangefinder to confirm my estimate. I also use the hyperfocal scale regularly.
I use an old recomar plate camera, with kalart rangefinder, converted to a roll film back when I want a 6X9cm format. It is a little heavier than the Ikonta but has larger negative area. I use a gossen super pilot light meter with both camera since my luna pro died. f you do a lot of shooting with the same film it becomes fairly easy to guesstimate the correct camera settings for decent exposure. I use the light meter more consistently with transparency film. I prefer to use a light meter not mounted on the camera. I recently purchased a moskva 5 but haven't received it yet. After I have used it I'll post a thread comparing it to my Ikonta.
 
Hello,
is not easy to buy a Iskra 1 or 2 in good condition. Any Iskra included a ruby window in camera back that determinated the
winder and counter are broken= hands off .
Any Iskra 2 cameras included a out of order selenium lightmeter.
The expansive price of the Iskra 2 is in a rare quantity about over 2000 cameras to find only.

The Iskra Industar lens a Tessar typ is one of the best in the world.

Is much easyer to find a Moskwa rangefinder camera in good mechanical and cosmetical condition, with a Industar
4,5/110mm. Is an Tessar type too, but the resolution not compare to the Iskra lens.
But a Moskwa 4 camera is a extremly hard photographic worker, and
the lens resolution is higher like for the Moskwa 5= 3,5 apperture lens.
Please remember the Moskwa 4 included a precise prism rangefinder
(don't mirror) like the Zeiss Super-Ikonta, and technical details too.
The Moskwa 5 camera included soviet progress in camera body and lens apperture don't simmilare like the Zeiss Super-Ikonta.
 
I just acquired a new old stock Seagull 203-1 (the newer version with hot shoe) I have not try it yet. All the camera control seems O.K. Look at the photo samples from this camera in Photosig.com, they are very nice. The lens appears to render natural nice bokeh despite 5 blade structure. It's very light and very compact when fold so I think I can put it in my everyday carrying bag. It also let you choose either the 6*6 or 6*4.5 (16 pic) format without using any external adapter.
 
I have, amongst others, a Moskva 5, Iskra I and Iskra II.

Definitely go for the Iskra if you have the choice, it is a much nicer camera to use. It has one of the best viewfinders on a folder, great lens, and much much easier to handhold than the Moskva. BTW, the Iskra uses 33mm x 0.5 screw in filters, but some slip on 37mm filters fit too.

Just be patient and you'll find a good one. They seem to come in waves on the auction site. Apart from Fedka and OKVintage, you could try www.sovietcamera.com.ua (I've never bought from them, but the guy was honest enough to say he felt that an Iskra II they had wasn't good enough for what I wanted).

Paul
 
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