New Zorki 6 plus FED-2 Dressed to Kill

[dazedgonebye]

Just received this Zorki 6. Really, I don't know why they don't get more attention. It's not quite as pretty as the FED-2, but it shares a long baseline and adds a better viewfinder, better diopter adjustment, crank film wind and an honest to God hinged film back.
I just ran a quick test roll through to check for light leaks.

Ok, I admit this might be overkill. My FED-2 is dressed for wildflower hunting with a CV21mm, the finder and a VCII meter.

 

[wolves3012]

Very smart Z-6 there - I'm rather keen on mine too 🙂

 

[giovatony]

Nice looking stylish camera but for the cheap plastic (?) name plate attached with 2 screws. What! no more engraved names? But what else to not like?

 

[rbiemer]

Very good looking pair, Steve!
John, the name plate as it is on the Z6 leads me to some interesting thoughts about what one could replace it with.
Rob

 

[radiocemetery]

The Zorki 6 looks great. Hope it works out OK. By the way, I was thinking of getting a soft release for my Fed 2, but I figured the soft release would exceed the cost of the camera. 😱

Steve

 

[Gradskater]

another vote for the Zorki 6! Its a great camera. Yours looks really nice.

 

[dazedgonebye]

I'd like to hear some of those ideas Rob.

Yes, the soft release was a splurge for an inexpensive camera, but I just had to have it in commie red.
Call it a vain indulgence.

BTW, it did not come with that jupiter 8, I just had that laying around.

 

[rbiemer]

Steve,
I don't think the SR is an indulgence on these cameras, or not mine anyway, the shutters typically aren't so smooth to start with and the Mini SRs I have on my FED and Zorki make a very big improvement.

As to the other, since you asked:

"Zorki 6" but written using the 30s era Cryllic script is the first thing that occured to me.
Or something a little egotistical like your name (or alias😀).
Or "Smile"?
Or maybe just some small graphic.
Or, for onery-ness "27mp full frame sensor"...😉
Or your phone number.
Or "This is not a camera"
All kind of silly to be sure(except the first, I think) but not too involved or expensive to play with probably.
Rob

 

[brachal]

That is one awesomely pimped out Fed!

 

[xayraa33]

The Zorki 6 sure looks like its KMZ cousin, the Zenit 3M in many ways.

 

[Spyderman]

The Z-6 with J-8 in the first picture is beautiful and elegant...

But the Fed-2 looks kind-a funny with the double shoe and hood 🙂

 

[nzeeman]

i saw few z6 and all of them rip film after 20 shots. i always have too loose film in ints canister if i want to avoid rippping. anyone have better idea for fixing that?

 

[Joao]

One more for the Zorki-6. Mine was CLAed by Oleg, and the more I use it, the more I like it!!!
I will be finishing the roll inside my zorki-6 in a few hours from now
Cheers
Joao

 

[januaryman]

The Zorki 6 looks great. Hope it works out OK. By the way, I was thinking of getting a soft release for my Fed 2, but I figured the soft release would exceed the cost of the camera. 😱

Steve

Fedka had a cheap one - works okay, but I lost one and was forced to order three more to be safe. Don't see them on his site now, you might drop him a line if you can't find it either if you are interested.

 

[oscroft]

Yes, I think the Z-6 is under-rated too. I think it's a fine camera - the only (minor) problem with mine is the shutter release is very stiff (it's even stiff with a softie, but usable).

 

[dazedgonebye]

The shutter release is stiff.
I got a roll through in testing and will have it developed tonight to check for light leaks.

Yea, that fed-2 is over dressed, but functional.

 

[Ron (Netherlands)]

I looked around for a Z6 (and a Z5) but they are very hard to find here, and if you find them they are quite battered!
Yours a beauty!

 

[tvagi]

hi dazedgonebye,
Zorki 6 is a nice camera.i own one too with an Industar-50 in aluminium finish.it looks better!
the jupiter-8 in black finish is an earlier model.it was prodused after 1976,but Zorki 6 only until 1966!
there is also jupiter-8 in aluminium finish,so if you find one just replace it!(Z6 came with Industar 26m,industar 50,jupiter-8 aluminium finish.)
maybe it is not important to you but i mentioned it just for the record!

 

[KoNickon]

I'm working through my first roll with a green-skinned Z-6 (love the look), Cyrillic, 1960 vintage. Some nice features of the camera: Easy engagement of the film leader via a tongued takeup spool, similar to the spools for the Ms (only attached to the camera so you can't lose it!); long baseline, as mentioned above; vertical RF adjustment is very simple and convenient; terrific diopter adjustment -- I'm very nearsighted but I can use the camera without glasses.

Having the two flash connectors on the front makes me think of those sand creatures from the first Star Wars movie.

Mine came with a badly "cleaned" Industar-50, which I promptly replaced with a nice one from another RFFer. Mounting a J-8 is decidedly luxe -- not sure if it's historically accurate, though. I'm looking forward to seeing the I-50 results.

Oh, and I'm pretty sure the screwed-on nameplate is metal, not plastic. Back in the late 50s-early 60s I think everything was still metal of some sort.

 

[dazedgonebye]

I did get my film back and the camera looks light tight with no obvious shutter problems. This is going to replace my fed-2 as my normal FSU shooter.

As for asthetics of a black lens...not a big deal for me...though thanks for the historical perspective.