graywolf
Well-known
OK, about a week ago I grabbed one from eBay. It ought to be somewhere over the Atlantic about now. Supposed to be CLA'ed, clean lens, film counter and self-timer working, checked out with film, etc.
Providing the seller is as honest as his feedback indicates, and Homeland Security does not decide it is a terrorist weapon I should have it in a week or two.
Kind of exciting, as the Iskra was my second choice camera, after the Super Baldax and before the Super Ikonta III, based mostly on photos posted here on RFF.
Providing the seller is as honest as his feedback indicates, and Homeland Security does not decide it is a terrorist weapon I should have it in a week or two.
Kind of exciting, as the Iskra was my second choice camera, after the Super Baldax and before the Super Ikonta III, based mostly on photos posted here on RFF.
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jan normandale
Film is the other way
all the shots I've ever seen from an Iskra were very sharp. Much more so than the German folders I have. Good luck!
bensyverson
Well-known
The Iskra is a compelling package... A great rangefinder with long baselength, sporting a truly superlative lens. Yet it folds up into a smaller and more durable package than the Mamiya 6, making it easy to toss in a bag or coat pocket.
The only downside is an ergonomic, not technical one: the coupled aperture and shutter speed. On a manual camera, these controls should be separate, so you can adjust them quickly. I have never set an aperture and shutter and then thought "hey, I want the same EV but more DOF," or "same EV but faster shutter." If I'm really thinking about it that much, I'll adjust the value in my head before setting the camera.
That quibble aside, this is one of the most powerful and unsung cameras in rangefinderdom. It's pretty funny to watch a Leica sell for thousands, when this $150 Russian folder has a more accurate rangefinder, is more compact, and produces a far superior negative.
The only downside is an ergonomic, not technical one: the coupled aperture and shutter speed. On a manual camera, these controls should be separate, so you can adjust them quickly. I have never set an aperture and shutter and then thought "hey, I want the same EV but more DOF," or "same EV but faster shutter." If I'm really thinking about it that much, I'll adjust the value in my head before setting the camera.
That quibble aside, this is one of the most powerful and unsung cameras in rangefinderdom. It's pretty funny to watch a Leica sell for thousands, when this $150 Russian folder has a more accurate rangefinder, is more compact, and produces a far superior negative.
lawnpotter
Well-known
I would consider this but
I would consider this but
what will you do if it breaks? Who will repair it? According to certo 6 website, he cant fix them. I am not trying to rain on your parade cause I want one too, but I am concidering an isolette 2 or 3 cause I can send it to Certo 6 to repair if need be. On his website, he doesnt speak too highly of the build quality of the Iskra although the lens is supposed to be great. I am still very tempted. Does any one know who can repair an Iskra in North America?
I would consider this but
what will you do if it breaks? Who will repair it? According to certo 6 website, he cant fix them. I am not trying to rain on your parade cause I want one too, but I am concidering an isolette 2 or 3 cause I can send it to Certo 6 to repair if need be. On his website, he doesnt speak too highly of the build quality of the Iskra although the lens is supposed to be great. I am still very tempted. Does any one know who can repair an Iskra in North America?
P C Headland
Well-known
The Iskras also have one of the best viewfinders of the old folders.
As for fixing them, the only thing difficult to fix is the film counter mechanism - same problem exists with the Agfa Super Isolette. The common "fix" is to disable the film counter & shutter blocking mechanism, and install a red window. The rest of the camera is good enough to warrant this butchery.
Having cast my un-educated eyes over the mechanism, I'm sure a skilled watchmaker could probably fix it, given sufficient financial incentive. I'm not sure it'd be worth it if you wanted a user, rather than a collection piece.
However, in spite of all the worries expressed expressed in various forums, both my Iskras have functioning film counters. If you operate them with a modicum of care, the mechanism should last pretty well (probably as well as many more modern cameras).
As for fixing them, the only thing difficult to fix is the film counter mechanism - same problem exists with the Agfa Super Isolette. The common "fix" is to disable the film counter & shutter blocking mechanism, and install a red window. The rest of the camera is good enough to warrant this butchery.
Having cast my un-educated eyes over the mechanism, I'm sure a skilled watchmaker could probably fix it, given sufficient financial incentive. I'm not sure it'd be worth it if you wanted a user, rather than a collection piece.
However, in spite of all the worries expressed expressed in various forums, both my Iskras have functioning film counters. If you operate them with a modicum of care, the mechanism should last pretty well (probably as well as many more modern cameras).
graywolf
Well-known
Same as I always do, fix it. If I can not fix it, I have two choices. The same two anyone has who is using and old item for which parts are no longer available.
1. Toss it out and get another camera. That is feasible with a camera that sell for less than a couple of hundred bucks.
2. Send to to a camera repair person who has a machine shop, and can make one off parts. Actually any camera repair shop that does not have that capability is not a camera repair shop, just some place where they can replace parts. Any real repair they have to send out to a real shop. The only thing such shops have over me is a source of parts, however as often as they send even a modern camera back with "Unrepairable, No Parts" stamped on the invoice, I am not sure they are as competent as I am.
I consider myself a camera "unfixer", that is I often unfix the things someone else has "fixed"*. I hope the camera I have bought has not been "fixed".
You do realize you have exactly the same choices if you buy a Kodak Medalist?
*To give you and example, when I bought my Crown Graphic it did not focus for crap. The dealer I bought it from sent it to his expert Graphic repair person, and it came back even worse. So I inspected it myself. The ground glass was in backward. The fresnel was on the wrong side of the ground glass. The infinity stops were set hard against the back of the camera, they are supposed to be set an 1/8" beyond infinity. He had changed the focus scale to one for a 127mm lens when the camera had a 135mm lens. He broke off the adjuster screw in the rangefinder that lined the images up with each other. In other words, every single thing that could be done wrong was done wrong. I guess that was why he was and expert, he really knew how to "fix" someone's camera.
I set everything to rights, and replaced the rangefinder with a military surplus, new, old stock one in that wonderful military long term packaging. You know where they figure they might need that part in a couple of hundred years and want to make sure it will be in perfect shape when the package is opened?
Then I found out the shutter had been "fixed", so I finally found a nice clean lens and shutter on eBay. That took two years, I am cheap, and the one I finally found was about 5 miles from here.
The results are that I have a camera that genuinely works as well as it did when it was brand new in 1952.
My only regret is that I do not have the funds to set up a tiny machine shop of my own. It is not even all that expensive, costs about the same as a pro digital SLR and lens.
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lawnpotter
Well-known
Tom
Tom
I wish I had your skills, I can barely tie my shoe laces together. I will however call my camera repair shop to see if they can fix an Iskra.
Tom
I wish I had your skills, I can barely tie my shoe laces together. I will however call my camera repair shop to see if they can fix an Iskra.
Bill58
Native Texan
I've never had him do any work for me, but the comments here on RFF about Certo 6's work have been very mixed. Fallis_photo (sp?), a member here, might be a much better choice for repairs.
oftheherd
Veteran
Actually you are lucky. I normally do tie my shoe laces together, and wonder why I tripped.
oftheherd
Veteran
Good idea, but the last I heard he wasn't responding to RFF PMs. Has that changed?
Ken Smith
Why yes Ma'am - it folds
You might wanna look elsewhere instead of Fallisphoto. I sent Charles my Bessa II for CLA last year. He received the camera on Mar 4 2010. He still has it and has yet to finish it. I may be sending him an anniversary card soon. He also has another forum member's camera which he received in April of last year and has yet to finish.
Very PO'ed
Brian Legge
Veteran
If anyone has a broken Iskra they want to dispose of, I'll take it off your hands.
There are plenty of us bottom feeders around always looking for projects.
There are plenty of us bottom feeders around always looking for projects.
Bill58
Native Texan
Oops! I better stay oughta' recommending people I haven't used.
Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
They are a nice camera but ergonomically challenged IMO. The lens is really special though ... very sharp and not particularly flare prone for an oldie!
graywolf
Well-known
In what was is the Iskra ergonomically challenged?
Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
As previously mentioned that linked aperture and shutter setup is a bit fiddly though not impossible. The fingertip machined bump for the focusing all but disappears down into the camera at one extremity and as a Iskras can be tight focusers it's a pain at times. When I got mine the focusing was very tight and needed attention.
The camera is so good though that these things are unimportant and I've always liked cameras with a few quirks as long as they deliver image wise.
The Iskra is one of the great Russian cameras IMO.
graywolf
Well-known
Hummm...?
The EV lock is a matter of personal preference. I like them.
The focus bump may be a design fault. OK, I will go for an ergonomic problem on that, at least until my camera arrives and I get to see exactly what you mean.
The tight focusing sounds like you are talking about dried out lubricants, that is an indication the camera needs servicing.
Of course you Aussies don't actually speak English (smile), so I may have misunderstood you.
The EV lock is a matter of personal preference. I like them.
The focus bump may be a design fault. OK, I will go for an ergonomic problem on that, at least until my camera arrives and I get to see exactly what you mean.
The tight focusing sounds like you are talking about dried out lubricants, that is an indication the camera needs servicing.
Of course you Aussies don't actually speak English (smile), so I may have misunderstood you.
Ken Smith
Why yes Ma'am - it folds
I have asked for it back in whatever current condition it is in via his 2 e-mail addresses and through the deviantart website. No replies. He also doesn't have a listed phone number - tried that route. My patience has expired.
Ken
Zorkiiglaza
Established
The focusing lever is only a pain if one wants to focus to less than 1.5m. I don't see that as a problem unless you are taking portraits. As someone said the focus is only stiff if the lubricant is dried out. If the camera comes CLA'D it should be a pleasure to use.
REMEMBER ! to set the lens focus on infinity before closing the camera. You can dry fire the camera by cocking the lens and if the shutter doesn't release--(I have 4 of these cameras: some will fire others not when there is no film in them) use the shutter release located at 7 o'clock while facing the lens. If your finger is too big use a paper clip or a pencil.
Good Luck!
REMEMBER ! to set the lens focus on infinity before closing the camera. You can dry fire the camera by cocking the lens and if the shutter doesn't release--(I have 4 of these cameras: some will fire others not when there is no film in them) use the shutter release located at 7 o'clock while facing the lens. If your finger is too big use a paper clip or a pencil.
Good Luck!
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graywolf
Well-known
Well, the camera came today.
Described as: CLEANED, LUBRICATED, ADJUSTED, TESTED WITH FILM
Apparently CLA does not include the focusing helical. Nor does it include basic clean up of the camera. The camera is very grubby, and the focus is very stiff. I can say the viewfinder/rf is clean and clear. I have not tested anything else, as I need to calm down before I do anything else.
I expected a camera, maybe not as pretty as some, but 100% functioning as it should for my $187 with shipping. Am I expecting too much?
eBay is driving me nuts, I see mint-, I figure exc to exc+, but I get JUNK. Are there no honest sellers on eBay anymore? How do they wind up with a 99.4% positive rating?
What do I do? I send the camera back and I am out $50 shipping and have nothing to show for it. What kind of experience are you guys having on eBay this past year or so?
Described as: CLEANED, LUBRICATED, ADJUSTED, TESTED WITH FILM
Apparently CLA does not include the focusing helical. Nor does it include basic clean up of the camera. The camera is very grubby, and the focus is very stiff. I can say the viewfinder/rf is clean and clear. I have not tested anything else, as I need to calm down before I do anything else.
I expected a camera, maybe not as pretty as some, but 100% functioning as it should for my $187 with shipping. Am I expecting too much?
eBay is driving me nuts, I see mint-, I figure exc to exc+, but I get JUNK. Are there no honest sellers on eBay anymore? How do they wind up with a 99.4% positive rating?
What do I do? I send the camera back and I am out $50 shipping and have nothing to show for it. What kind of experience are you guys having on eBay this past year or so?