Orion 15....Is this a good price?

Picked up the Zarya in Prague two years ago, in a little shop across from the Bethlehem chapel, dirty but OK. A simple clean did the trick, I don't think it had seen much use. Came with box and instructions for £30. It had an Industar on it.
V/F the turret certainly isn't rubbish, I've had VIOOH, Steinheil, Zeiss and Foca turret type finders. The Russian is probably the best to use. The Foca has a better parallax correction set up, but is not as bright. The VIOOH, less said the better, but like looking down a tunnel, and as for the 28mm converter, the designer of that should have been shot!!! The Zeiss is good but the masking not as good as the Russian. the Steinheill was awful, I also had a Komura which came with the 2x converter, utterly hopeless.
This is my Foca, it is smaller than the Russian/Zeiss and has a dial correction on the back.
FocaVF.jpg
 
I got my Orion 15 for $74.50 on eBay in 2006 I think. It's a good, smooth performer. Four elements; copied I assume after the Zeiss Tessar 28mm f/8. Watch out for aluminum filter threads that jam. F:6.0 isn't so bad when most film I use is EI 200, and it goes well with the FSU turret finder. I don't use a 28mm much so it's just nice to have in the bag when needed. It's tiny.
 
Pitxu said:
:)I just won a Snap Shot Skopar 25/4 NIB $220.:)

I'll have to change forum now.:D

edit: That's less than the Orion went for.
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You will love the lens. I had it in LTM and have it in S now. If it were not so sharp and flare resistant I would not have it. I used to think that f4 was slow, but after years of working with her I've learned that it's OK. With the exception of inside it works out fine. Inside I need to find a doorway or chair.

I never really like the 21 I had, made heads into american footballs way too quickly.

B2 (;->
 
jan normandale said:
oooohh! That's a tasty looking set up there John! I'd love to fondle that for an afternoon with some BW Fuji Neopan
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"JAN!!!" I hardly know you yet, I havn't been "fondled" for years.:eek:


BTW later I bought a coated Leitz Hektor 28mm, nothing like as sharp as the Orion, and far more prone to flare. sold the Hektor but still have the Orion.
Yes the filter mount is a pain, you have to unscrew the filter to change aperture, but you had to remove the Hektors filter also to do the same. I also have the FSU 20mm Russar, good finder, but I'm not so fond of the lens. I can't give a reason, just not the same!
 
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