Range Finder disease

Fotohuis

Fotohuis

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It started in 2005, a R.F. disease with a Leica M7. It got worse on 2009 with that C.V. Bessa III 667, in fact an M7 in medium format 6x6cm and 6x7cm 120/220 roll film. Until I got some F.S.U. R.F. cameras. I also like them so much but now I have to make some choices: Too many cameras!

So the Kiev-4AM and Zorki-6 (I ordered an extra one :cool:, which is completely reburbished now) and the FED-3 50 years October revolution are staying.

16949904658_242bfab656.jpg


Other insight information how to get rid of this disease?
 
I went through Kiev, Zorki, Bessa and bunch of lenses.
Only two RF cameras for me to keep as RF shooter.
Family FED-2 I have started with and Canadian M4-2 I came as practical RF to use.
To me RF disease is in preference to shot. Can't stand SLRs. But only two RF cameras needed, maximum, for pictures taking in RF style. Not sure if MF RF falls into it, don't have money to try. :)

UPD: Wait, I went through three Moskvas and one Graflex Anniversary. True RFs, but too big for me.
 
To me RF disease is in preference to shot. Can't stand SLRs.
Click to expand...

Well in handling I found the R.F. is more my style. And they are more compact (so also less in weight) then any S.L.R.
But I have a complete Canon EOS system too and a complete M645 Pro system.

But for some reasons I am coming back to my R.F. cameras. Learning practical D.O.F. in SLR systems for many years, now using it for perfect R.F. photos.
And for real tele work I am still using my S.L.R. systems.
 
I find that out of all of my RFs, it is the Zorki 4 that gets used the most. I'll probably sell off the rest (excepting the unusual collectors pieces).
 
Best cure for the rangefinder disease is a carefully controlled course of SL or SL2 medication.

Results can be a bit confusing though.
 
I so far managed to avoid the disease. Have one camera (M3) and one lens (Summitar 50) and doing just fine.

This isn't to say I don't buy - I buy lots of stuff. Currently building a darkroom which is nearly ready and only god knows what comes next.

Ben
 
Same here, I had a full collection of FSU camera's, but what you see in the picture here has all been sold few years ago - I had the joy of shooting with them after restoring them (I still have a very nice FED2 which is not on the pictures since I got that one much later, but is for sale right now):


Collection of FSU cameras by Ron (Netherlands), on Flickr

In the mean time, I built a large collection of Pentax slr's, of which few have to be restored yet. After I've finished that and have taken some pictures of the collection, they will also be sold... making space for other cameras to come
 
I had the first symptoms with a small bunch of Japanese fixed-lens RF cameras, and then graduated to a Canonet. From that I jumped to Contax G stuff and then a leap to Leicas... and that was stage III.

Matters became really complicated when I bought into the Nikon RF system. So far, that's been contained and under control, but the Leica strand of the virus is not. In fact, I'm awaiting delivery of an M2 that I sent for painting...

And to think I used to believe that cameras didn't control me... :(
 
I have recently finished repairs of Kiev bought from evil bay with stuck shutter, inaccurate rangefinder and blocked film advance. It took dreadful amount of time but in the end I am now enjoying shooting it.

However, what is worrying is that I start thinking about what am I to do with the remnants of another Kiev bought in even worse state for spares. I do not think that it had ever was in an operational state, ever since it left the factory; why is it that I begin thinking that I can make it work? Is that the dreaded RF virus or is it something else?
 
popavvakum said:
I have recently finished repairs of Kiev bought from evil bay with stuck shutter, inaccurate rangefinder and blocked film advance. It took dreadful amount of time but in the end I am now enjoying shooting it.

However, what is worrying is that I start thinking about what am I to do with the remnants of another Kiev bought in even worse state for spares. I do not think that it had ever was in an operational state, ever since it left the factory; why is it that I begin thinking that I can make it work? Is that the dreaded RF virus or is it something else?
Click to expand...

Curiously I got more (on Ebay) for an entirely dismantled Kiev sold as spares than I did for a complete and 'almost functional' camera...
 
popavvakum said:
I have recently finished repairs of Kiev bought from evil bay with stuck shutter, inaccurate rangefinder and blocked film advance. It took dreadful amount of time but in the end I am now enjoying shooting it.

However, what is worrying is that I start thinking about what am I to do with the remnants of another Kiev bought in even worse state for spares. I do not think that it had ever was in an operational state, ever since it left the factory; why is it that I begin thinking that I can make it work? Is that the dreaded RF virus or is it something else?
Click to expand...

Hi,

It might have been caused by some idiot who read on a forum that any idiot could repair them. Seeing how things work and then being able to work on things is a gift. Not everyone has it. I was talking to a Zeiss technician once and he said that a lot of repairs are looking for crossed threads and correcting them...

Then to add to the confusion, not all instructions on web sites are easy to understand. Often the authors cannot see things from the view point of the beginner. Rather like computer instructions.

And of course, few people have the tools needed or understand what they need. Screwhead damage is the first thing I look for because of them.

Lastly, Contax and Kiev cameras are not the easiest to work on. Although many say the Kiev is easier. (Others say the USSR technicians took a lot of shortcuts in the design and manufacture but that's politics rather than engineering.)

Regards, David
 
I've been using a Retina IIIC for several years now, and simply loved it. However, a few months ago, I bought a FED-2b from an ebay seller in ukraine who did a CLA and replaced the shutter curtain, and I just love this camera. I've been using it almost exclusively since I received it in the mail.
 
David Hughes said:
...It might have been caused by some idiot who read on a forum that any idiot could repair them.....
Click to expand...

I have found from first hand experience that being a Village Idiot does not include one in the Any Idiot grouping.

My youngest might have the skills to be included in the Any Idiot grouping but I'm afraid to start him down that road......

B2 (;->
 
Fortunatley it is just small money. Above Z-6 were Eur. 40,- only. You just need a good address to get the right service on these cameras.
 
Fotohuis said:
Well my favorite FSU RF got a new brother:

19106497929_7aa7619196_z.jpg


Two overhauled Zorki-6 from 1963 and 1965.
Click to expand...

Nice looking pair! And it's not everyday that one man can say that to another without any innuendo. I got a Zorki 6 a few weeks ago myself and really like it a lot, enough to consider getting a second ...

Although I'd like to paint that one black.

For a change, for an eBay purchase, my Zorki 6 actually worked in all respects! The lens focusing was incredibly rough like a ratchet but a quick clean and re-grease sorted that out.

I find the Z6 to be an excellent size, much nicer to look at and hold than I thought it would be (smaller too). Really just a nice camera. This makes Rangefinder 9 (or 10? Not sure) for me. Certainly the FSU's are still cheap enough to be collected on an ad-hoc basis.

At any rate I find that once I've bought one, I'm extremely reluctant to let it go. Whenever I have sold something camera related I've always regretted it at some later point. I think the camera acquisitions are a symptom of an underlying condition. AKA - The collector's disease.

I was using an Asahiflex IIb the other day (circa 1953?) and I was amazed at how slow it was to use. With the look down finder, no prism, no Left/right correction, needing to use the magnifying lens to focus, needing to flip that out of the way to reframe, needing to remember to look down and not press your eye against the viewing turret ... Well it made the 'slowest' Zorki or Fed or Kiev or Leica seem superfast in comparison. Using an early SLR has really demonstrated to me just how fast rangefinders were (and are). The Asahiflex is really pretty, looks very rangefinderish in it's layout and appearance and takes nice pics with it's Takumar 3.5/50. But slow. Hyper-focal is your friend there.
 
The Zorki-6 is indeed a small body. Also in weight 550g only. Further it has a pretty wide RF base so a small tele lens is working good too. The gravures on the dials are very nice, pretty big and easy to read. Overall the ergonomic of the Z-6 is good. Loading a film is easy, to rewind it is also not too bad. The camera has two seperate connections for flash: M for a flash bulb and X for any electronic flash so it can not miss. The shutter times from B-1/30s (sync) to 1/500s and in combination with a ND 0,6 filter no problem at all. The camera has a reminder for the ghost/iso/DIN and the type of color film and integrated a dioptry adjustment. And of course a self timer.
The finder itself is clear and pretty acurate. Also the transport level for film advance is quick and easy. Most of these cameras are from the 60's so overall the camera will need a C.L.A. to keep them running and to avoid any disappointment.
 
Scan-150703-0009 by X. Yang, 於 Flickr


Scan-150703-0026 by X. Yang, 於 Flickr


Scan-150703-0021 by X. Yang, 於 Flickr

Taken with my 1963 Zorki-6. Expired Konica-Minolta VX100 Super film, developed in Tetenal C41, scanned with plustek7200 and no post process.

I'm shooting a Canon 7 this month for its nice viewfinder/framelines. But I really miss the compactness of Z-6 (can't win both ways :).

I have another Z-6 as a backup but I also intend to give it to a friend who really enjoy photography when I travel back to China next time. I bought the two Z-6s on eBay from the same seller. And they never needed CLA to work properly, they came in, as they were listed, "working condition". Well maybe it's just my luck to deal with an honest seller.
 

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