Shanghai 58-II

[HuhYashica]

Hello everyone I recently discovered there was a Chinese leica copy and I love Chinese cameras even tho there not the best. haha But I can't find nothing about it other then from camerapedia but thats all, so can you guys help me find information about it? Or recommend another Chinese RF or something. haha thanks

Have a good day.
-Robert

 

[ZorkiKat]

I put up that camerapedia article. 🙂 There are many articles about the Shanghai 58-II, and there's one thread here about it. However, many of the more informative ones are in Chinese.

The Shanghai 58-II is not the best Leica copy, or Chinese camera around. The camera is not well constructed, and often a Zorki is more reliable. I've opened and repaired a few Shanghai-58-II, and they're really poorly made inside.

Their lenses, which do look like Elmar lenses, are TRIPLETS and not Tessar types. The average Industar will do better in many ways, but the Shanghai 50/3,5 triplet does have its charm.

The Seagull 205 (or its clone, the Phenix 205) is a better rangefinder. Far more reliable, and has a 1:1 viewfinder with a brilliant RF patch and accurate parallax corrected framelines.

Have you seen this?

http://www.zorkikat.com/celebrating-the-year-of-the-tiger-cameras-from-china-3/315/

I wrote the entry early this year.

I plan to write something about the Shanghai-58 II's anatomy, complete with dissection photos and repair. I haven't found anything written about this topic yet, in English or in Chinese. But I don't plan to write it in English! 😀

 

[HuhYashica]

Oh thanks haha what is the best Lecia copy? Let me guess a Zorki? hahah

 

[ZorkiKat]

Oh thanks haha what is the best Lecia copy? Let me guess a Zorki? hahah

That depends on how you define "best".

If you mean near- Leica but without the Leica logo, Zorki would be a good substitute for Leica II.

But for others, there would be the likes of Canon and the other Japanese clones of the Leica.

Nicca are almost 100% as Leica as a Leica III.

You can find variants of the Leotax which feel like a slightly oversized IIIc.

Take you pick and let the costs determine which you'll get.

Mind you many of the copies are more expensive than the Leica. For instance, you can get a decent Leica III or IIIa for what a lens-less Nicca III would go for. The average Leotax will cost more than a IIIf red dial, and probably enough to pay for a IIIg.

Even the Shanghai in good cosmetic and working (but not necessarily reliable) condition costs more than a Canon II/III/IV.

 

[Beemermark]

I have a Nicca 3-F and it's difficult to tell the difference between the Nicca and Leica III-F, except maybe the Nicca is slightly better made.

 

[Bill58]

The best user Leica copy is a Canon Model P.