Macro options for FED or Zorki?

[Coldkennels]

Honestly I would just completely steer clear of the FED 1 altogether. If you're set on a Soviet rangefinder, the FED 3 and Zorki 4 are far better cameras

I would hard disagree with this. The Zorki 4 and 4K is the single most problematic camera of the whole FED/Zorki line - I've seen so many of them with jammed shutters. Something in the way the slow speed mechanism was introduced makes them a lot more unreliable than the other reasonably priced models with a slow speed train (the FEDs 3 through 5). I've heard the slow speed train in the Zorki 3 models are even more problematic, but those are usually much more expensive anyway.

If someone wants a Soviet rangefinder with a combined VF/RF, I always point them at the FED 2, Zorki 5, and Zorki 6. Those things are basically bulletproof.

If you want to do a bit better than the FED-1, there are several cameras that you can purchase an accessory for called an Auto-Up which clamps to the front of the normal taking lens (usually a 5cm/50mm) and covers the viewfinder and rangefinder windows with a prism to change the field of view for close-up photos.

These are a lot easier to use than a NOOKY-HEESUN on the Leica.

I forgot to mention these. The Auto Up can actually be used on a lot of LTM cameras - they're specific to the lens, not the body. I use mine on a Leica IIIg from time-to-time, but they fit anything of similar size (Canons, Leicas, Niccas, Leotaxes, FEDs and Zorkis). You do need a larger Auto Up for bigger bodies like the Canon 7, though.

Anyway, they're much faster/easier to mount than a NOOKY, I'll give you that. But they're nothing like as easy to use.

The NOOKY has a moving cropping frame in front of the Leica's viewfinder, reducing the view from above and the side as the NOOKY is focused, meaning the framing is pretty much bang-on at all distances. On the other hand, the Auto-Up relies on a combination of a little nub, guesswork, hopes and dreams:

Here's what that looks like through the IIIg's finder:


At least with a IIIg, you have a wider view and some framelines that kinda-sorta help you frame. On everything else, it's basically guesswork. As a result, the Auto-Up is very much a "close focus of last resort" option for me rather than a reliable tool.

 

[santino]

I‘m not sure, the Zorki 4 is probably the best bang for the buck. The slow speed mechanism definitely adds complications to the concept of the shutter but strangely, the mass produced Zorki 4s seem to be pretty reliable.

 

[Cascadilla]

I would hard disagree with this. The Zorki 4 and 4K is the single most problematic camera of the whole FED/Zorki line - I've seen so many of them with jammed shutters. Something in the way the slow speed mechanism was introduced makes them a lot more unreliable than the other reasonably priced models with a slow speed train (the FEDs 3 through 5). I've heard the slow speed train in the Zorki 3 models are even more problematic, but those are usually much more expensive anyway.

If someone wants a Soviet rangefinder with a combined VF/RF, I always point them at the FED 2, Zorki 5, and Zorki 6. Those things are basically bulletproof.



I forgot to mention these. The Auto Up can actually be used on a lot of LTM cameras - they're specific to the lens, not the body. I use mine on a Leica IIIg from time-to-time, but they fit anything of similar size (Canons, Leicas, Niccas, Leotaxes, FEDs and Zorkis). You do need a larger Auto Up for bigger bodies like the Canon 7, though.

Anyway, they're much faster/easier to mount than a NOOKY, I'll give you that. But they're nothing like as easy to use.

The NOOKY has a moving cropping frame in front of the Leica's viewfinder, reducing the view from above and the side as the NOOKY is focused, meaning the framing is pretty much bang-on at all distances. On the other hand, the Auto-Up relies on a combination of a little nub, guesswork, hopes and dreams:
View attachment 4882538
Here's what that looks like through the IIIg's finder:
View attachment 4882539

At least with a IIIg, you have a wider view and some framelines that kinda-sorta help you frame. On everything else, it's basically guesswork. As a result, the Auto-Up is very much a "close focus of last resort" option for me rather than a reliable tool.

I have both a Contatest for Zeiss Contax IIa/IIIa cameras and the Nikon version of this for my Nikon SP and 5 cm f/1.4 which are similar to the Auto Up. I haven't used them a lot but I didn't find the framing to be that far off. Sharpness was better than I expected since I think both Zeiss and Nikon made the screw in close up lenses for their specific lenses. I have seen results from generic close up lenses that were pretty bad.

 

[Coldkennels]

I‘m not sure, the Zorki 4 is probably the best bang for the buck.

On paper, I almost agree with you: very large finder, full range of speeds from 1 second to 1/1000, removable back for easy loading, diopter on the viewfinder, and as long as you get an earlier one, strap lugs.

However... the knob wind is not very accessible, the slow speeds almost always cause problems, the rangefinder base length is pretty low, and the shutter speeds are printed rather than engraved.

I haven't touched my Zorki 4 in years; the 5 is smaller, more reliable, more accurate, and a lot more pleasant to use. Ditto for the FED 2... but my FED 2 is a late one and doesn't have strap lugs, and I hate messing around with half cases!