I knew I shouldn't have done it, however I did it: GOMZ Leningrad

[Wulfthari]

In the end I couldn't resist to the temptation and I bought a '61 GOMZ Leningrad, in its case (actually the case of a 1958 Leningrad, but whatever), manual (of course in Russian) and in pristine (at least aestethically) conditions, for quite a lot of money.

It arrived today along with some other stuff, including a '59 Jupiter-9 with a lot of dust inside (I needed the 9 to complete the "system" along with the 12 and the 11), I loaded it with a roll of Fuji Superia and...

I started to have problems.

It seems that after three pics I needed to reload the spring and release the film with the shutter speed knob, then I had to repeat the procedure for every shot,in short 36 painful exposures (especially for my right thumb) and no idea of the results...I assume that the spring motor is too weak after many years or that today's rolls are too stiff.

HOWEVER the camera went with the reloadable film cassette inside, and I strongly suspect that the Leningrad to work needs it now even more than 50 years ago, so I would be needing a word of advice from the Leningrad owners: is there any particular commercial film that works well with this camera or do I have to assume that the one I bought needs some work?

Other strange observations: for some unknown reasons when I screw the J-9 the depth of field scale is always downward, not upward like with all the other lenses (besides its J-8 that it's slightly inclinated at the left, but a little thing)...is it normal?

Regarding the rangefinder, I assume that to adjust it horizontally I should unscrew the top cap, but vertically? Does the camera work like a Kiev? The rangefinder would be needing some adjustment, but I noticed that with some lenses (J-12 first, but also J-11) is basically spot on at any distance while with the J-8 and J-9 there's some work to do...is it normal or it's a problem of the lenses?

Thanks for the answers in advance..:bang:

 

[Dez]

Congrats on your Leningrad. It really is an extraordinary camera, the only Russkii I know of with parallax-correcting framelines.

It does not really need reloadable cassettes. Ordinary film works just fine.

How far did you wind the spring winding knob? About 9 full turns is about correct to wind up the spring, and then you are good for about 15 exposures. To rewind it, you unscrew the disc in the centre of the big back retaining knob with your fingertip- easier than it sounds.

Re the lens orientation: either the lens mount is the wrong way around or the back of one of your lenses is, or both. On my J9 the position of the screw threads vs the focus index is fixed. If that is the case with yours, I would suspect the camera's mount is upside down, and someone has adjusted the other lenses to compensate. The right question to ask here is how do the lenses end up when screwed into a LTM camera that you know is the right way around?

For RF adjustment, there are adjusting screws under a cap at the front and on the top. Sorry, it has been a while since I have worked on one of these, and I forget which is which.



This is a really remarkable camera: looks only a mother could love, but probably the best camera ever to come out of the Soviet Union.

Cheers,
Dez

 

[Wulfthari]

Hello Dez, I wound the spring motor fully and it advanced the first 5 exposures, then I had to rotate the shutter speed and rewind the motor, I don't know if rewinding it unload the film, in this case I assume I should just see several exposures on the first pics.

IMO the Leningrad is a very pretty camera and sturdly made, the rangefinder is as good as a Leica, unfortunately it seems that if not properly serviced it's hard to shoot.

Which kind of film did you use, out of curiosity? I would like to use the cassette, but I have no clue on how to use a reloadable film, never did before, I assume if you can use it all these advancement problems will magicallly disappear and I'll get the promised 29 exposures the seller said the camera can do.

Regarding the lenses, I tried them with the other soviet cameras I have (A Z4K and a Z6) and they all work fine, and as said before it's just the Jupiter 9 that comes out upside down, all the other lenses are screwed correctly.

The funny thing is that the Jupiter 9 on the Zorkis screws correctly, so i can't figure out what's wrong in the J-9/Leningrad marriage, perhaps the upper lip of the camera interferes with the large lens?

 

[David Hughes]

Hi,

Springs sometimes break and people "repair" them by using the longest piece of the two. So you may have a half length spring fitted because of this.

Having said that I'm afraid I'll leave you to sort it out somehow but I'll wish you luck.

Regards, David

 

[Wulfthari]

Nevertheless, the camera came with a dummy film and if you load it in the cassette at the left of the camera it works "normally"...I mean normally for a Leningrad.

 

[KoNickon]

I got one of these on a whim some years ago. The rangefinder is way out of whack and I can't figure out how to adjust it. Maybe I'll take another look at it. The Maizenberg book discusses it, I think. Unfortunately, Oleg Khalyavin doesn't work on them anymore, so I don't know who else out there has expertise with these.

 

[Wulfthari]

This is the closest thing to a CLA I found on the net regarding the Leningrad:

http://fotos.cconin.de/kameras/leningradrepair/index.htm

I think the upper cap cover the screw to adjust the rangefinder vertically and the other screw close to the window covers the other to adjust it horizontally, or the other way around, unfortunately I'm not home, I'm in England, so I don't have the tools to check it out personally.

Update: today I destroyed my second roll! The camera doesn't appear to have anything wrong, probably the first time there was some feeding problems (that means I incorrectly loaded the Leningrad), this time I was able to shoot all 36 exposures reloading the spring motor three times (more or less it advances 12 frames, when the shutter speed doesn't return to the position you set you know the spring needs to be rewound) BUT this time I didn't unscrew enough the lower knob and I tore down the film itself while I was rewinding!

It seems that I still have to learn one things or two about this quirky camera.

 

[Wulfthari]

Few observations about my Leningrad experience after two weeks of intense use and a pair of rolls destroyed.

1) My camera is perfect and it works as it should be besides the rangefinder that needs vertical or horizontal adjustment.

2) With this Leningrad is possible to obtain 36 exposures out of a 36 roll, it is true that on the negative the spacing is uneven but nothing like the scary stories I read on the net.

3) For some unknown reasons (I assume difference in the process) the Leningrad hates Fuji Superia: the spring can advance the roll just twice, WHILE with Kodak rolls this problem doesn't exist, once loaded the "motor" advances the film for about 12 or 13 exposures without any problem, stopping, or any rough behaviour. I tried with cheap Kodakcolor Plus, Kodak Gold 200, Ultramax and BW400CN, they all work fine. Perhaps Fuji roll are tighter, but however as long as you use Kodak you won't have to turn the knob anytime, when you see that the speed shutter dial doesn't return to the set time you know it's time to reload the spring, so all the stories about the Leningrad that can just shoot 10 exposures out of 36 are (at least in my case) myths.

4) Still, the camera is meant to be used with a reloadable cassette that came with my sample, I suspect that back in the 50s a lot of professionals used these cassettes and the Leningrad in this case would be needing just a single reload to shoot 36 exposures, how I still stress that it's not a problem, you can tighten the spring anytime.

5) If the spring is loaded, the film doesn't advance it and you can't shoot the roll is over.

6) Remember to loose COMPLETELY the screw on the button of the camera when you reload the film otherwise you risk to tear it apart!

7) The camera is a pleasure to shoot BESIDES in the long shutter times unless you have a tripod: the "recoil" can easily blur the picture. And yes, it sounds like a bolt on rifle.

8) The quality of the camera in pretty high and the rangefinder/viewfinder is one of the best I've ever seen on a rangefinder.

9) The Leningrad is very complex and if it doesn't work you're in trouble unless your tech knows what's doing.

In conclusion, I would recommend a Leningrad to anybody who can find one in perfect working conditions, it's a great camera, probably the best the Soviets ever produced. First, anyway, read the manual, it's very important! The Leningrad is not like any other cameras you had the chance to try, and reveals all its potential using the complete range of Jupiter lenses that were meant to be used with it (J-8,9,11 and 12).

 

[Zorkiiglaza]

Soviet film was often sold in short rolls of 36??
And the photographer had to load the cassettes.
A means of economy.
I have several rolls of such film in my collection

 

[Elmar Lang]

The Leningrad is an interesting camera, of a fully original, Soviet design.

Besides its technical problems (especially in the rangefinder's calibration) it's an excellent camera, with one of the best, bright viewfinders in its time.

Here's my 1958 Leningrad outfit (with 1959 J-8): from what I know, it was the present made to a prominent member of Italy's Communist Party. It still works fine and, after a simple operation, the focusing system is now perfectly aligned: http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=116868 .

Best wishes,

E.L.

 

[Wulfthari]

mmm...where did you get the case? I would be convenient for me now that I've the complete "system".

Since you're an expert...do you know how the Orion-15 performs on a Leningrad? It wasn't considered a "standard" lens, that I know.

 

[David Hughes]

Soviet film was often sold in short rolls of 36??
And the photographer had to load the cassettes.
A means of economy.
I have several rolls of such film in my collection

Hi,

Most film were, weren't they? I've pre-war Zeiss B&W in the collection and every other make under the sun over the last 60+ years of snapping away.

regards, David

 

[Elmar Lang]

mmm...where did you get the case? I would be convenient for me now that I've the complete "system".

Since you're an expert...do you know how the Orion-15 performs on a Leningrad? It wasn't considered a "standard" lens, that I know.

Hello,

my Leningrad came in that outfit case already, with the equipment shown in the pictures. I assume that its uncommonly luxurious appearance is due to the fact that -as said- it was a present made to a personality of Italy's Communist Party, from a Soviet delegation.

I've never had an Orion, although I've heard that it's a good performing lens.

Best wishes,

Enzo (E.L.)