Some Soviet gears began to demand high prices

[amateriat]

And you are still surprised that all world hates us?

As Dean Martin didn't sing, everybody hates somebody sometimes. It's a non-exclusive activity. 🙁


- Barrett

 

[Xmas]

But But this is not a mil or Pol forum, the mods will fix this post good...
But But this is not a mil or Pol forum, the mods will fix this post good...

Noel

 

[ruben]

But But this is not a mil or Pol forum, the mods will fix this post good...
But But this is not a mil or Pol forum, the mods will fix this post good...

Noel

Hi Noel
I think you are right this is not a "Pol forum", and since the thread is unfolding bad, I am correcting, shortening, now my post.

Cheers,
Ruben

But what the hell is "mil' ? military ?

 

[Xmas]

I was troubled most by the first post that is the '1948' and tombstone, my earliest J12 is '51.

Noel

 

[dee]

The fact is that no one is forcing us to buy Russian cameras - and a well sorted Zorki ,Fed or Kiev is still a dee-light to play with and use .

Of course , if prices begin to encroach on Leica / Contax territory , as do some of the rare versions , then this is up to the collector instinct - Me ? I will take a sorted , as new Leica pretender from moscow photo @ £60/£70 all inclusive as a classic to use without either worrying about preserving it's originality or totally breaking the bank !
My favourite cameras are a pair of black Fed I d ''Leicas '' from moscow , reworked by Oleg , with clean and smoooth ex-I22 '' Elmars '' , one all chrome , and the other with mostly black deetailing -. in all they cost me £100 each , well over the odds , but I love 'em to bits . I even prefer them to my 1933 black Leica IIs 'cos I feel that I am their carer of rather than their owner ... daft , but inhibiting , but they were a lot more expensive !

An Oleg refined Fed 2 at sensible money is also a good bet , but I am a little more concerned about dropping it !

Having said that , there is something special about the finish and feel of the Kiev II and III which the other cameras lack - like they were really trying in the face of adversity ? Worth the premium for that intangible ''feel '' ? I guess it dee-pends , though my Oleged Kiev 4m with new meter cell is a heck of a lot more convenient and still super smoooth ...

Off topic , the early Zenits also seem to show this extra effort ... maybe being sold at a premium price ?

ok , I have made mistakes , but they kinda even out with the good ones , and none have been total rubbish , just needing the cla that the others enjoy .

i was not around when Russian cameras were super cheap , so I am not so price conscious perhaps. What I would say is that in comparison with a 1960and later SLR , they do seem expensive for the [lack of ] quality and useability , but I have Minoltas , a Pentax and a Nikkormat ... and the little ex-Feds and Zorkis give me something special - even over my leica II / Leica IIIc / f...

But just don't ask me to explain / justify this , it's just another facet of crazee dee !

dee

 

[zhang xk]

I was troubled most by the first post that is the '1948' and tombstone, my earliest J12 is '51.

Noel

Hi Noel,

Why 1948 troubles you? And the inner kingdom is being sneaky? What about the once super power of the 19th century?

Zhang

 

[zhang xk]

I agree about the watches and binoculars. I've has a couple of Vostok watches over the years, and they've been great mechanicals, rugged and reliable. I also have a pair of military (or at least military-style, BPO 7x30) binoculars from our friends at KOMZ that are first rate -- every bit as good as Zeiss binoculars I've used.

I picked up a Rusisan 6x30 binocular 1944 military among many Carl Zeiss Jena 6x,8x binoculars. For about the same price, the Russian one beat all the rest .

 

[zhang xk]

Since Russian cameras supply began to diminishing, I devoted my fund to rare Soviet watches. Here are what I caught during the last 18 months or so. There are some rare 3AKA3 MO CCCP if you know what they mean. Like Soviet cameras, these are also cultural relic and valuable antiques.🙂

Cheers,

Zhang

 

[zhang xk]

Since Russian cameras supply began to diminishing, I devoted my fund to rare Soviet watches. Here are what I caught during the last 18 months or so. There are some rare 3AKA3 MO CCCP if you know what they mean. Like Soviet cameras, these are also cultural relic and valuable antiques.🙂

Cheers,

Zhang

Here is a nice one with good will.😀

 

[rxmd]

Hi Comrade Zhang,

Since Russian cameras supply began to diminishing, I devoted my fund to rare Soviet watches.

That's a fascinating area for collectors, much larger than cameras and much more of a challenge tracking down individual models... However, there are also much more fakes around than with cameras. I considered getting into Soviet watches briefly, but then decided otherwise after I bought a nice Vostok Automat in Moscow as a present which later turned out to have been (badly) fitted with the mechanism from an entirely different watch. (Think having a Kiev with the shutter of a Zorki put into it by an amateur craftsman and no way to open the body to find out.)

So I decided this was not for me, as I have neither the skills nor the time to become a watch expert. Identifying a fake Leica is much easier than identifying a fake rare Komandirskie 🙂

Philipp

 

[varjag]

Heh, I used to wear one of Зак. МО СССР Commanders for maybe 10 years. Didn't realize they're collectible now..

 

[Jocko]

What about the once super power of the 19th century?

Zhang

Don't worry Zhang, it still has a future! - http://www.trainweb.org/tusp/slm.html 😀

Those are beautiful watches - I remember a few years in the late 80s (the age of "Gorbymania") when at least one major western manufacturer produced "Soviet" style watches which could only be described as indescribable! You could also buy "realistic" "Soviet Jeans" which came in a tin can... 🙂

I am always intrigued by stereotyped reactions to Soviet industrial design. People tend to forget that Russia is not Switzerland and it's cultural aesthetics are inevitably different.

Cheers, Ian 🙂

 

[Valkir1987]

A year of 2 ago there where shirts and sport jackets with CCCP printed on it, or with a mix of Russian text. They are still sold in Amsterdam.
At flee markets/bazars there are sometimes cheap binocolairs with camo prints with a Red Star and made in USSR or CCCP on it, I doubt they are made there. I have a real Russian binoculair (8x50), a very good one.

 

[raid]

ruben

Your spelling is better then mine...
The Finns cloned the AK-47
The SA cloned the Finn clone
And the IAF cloned the SA
So the Galil did not have a lot of invention, it would have saved tax shiekels to issue captured AK-47?

Noel

Noel: I think, it is spelled K a l a s h i n ko v.

Raid

 

[zhang xk]

Hi Comrade Zhang,

That's a fascinating area for collectors, much larger than cameras and much more of a challenge tracking down individual models... However, there are also much more fakes around than with cameras. I considered getting into Soviet watches briefly, but then decided otherwise after I bought a nice Vostok Automat in Moscow as a present which later turned out to have been (badly) fitted with the mechanism from an entirely different watch. (Think having a Kiev with the shutter of a Zorki put into it by an amateur craftsman and no way to open the body to find out.)

So I decided this was not for me, as I have neither the skills nor the time to become a watch expert. Identifying a fake Leica is much easier than identifying a fake rare Komandirskie 🙂

Philipp

Hi Philipp,

I collect cameras and watches for fun, but watches(Soviet ones) are more affordable. With the price of a Kiev 5, I could buy about 20-30 Vostoks.😀 In fact ,watches have a much simpler construction than a Kiev 2. The problem is that all the parts are so small that a "Zorki" eye is needed.😛
There are also Russian watch forums in English, and there are books for Russian watch collectors. It is more difficult to ID a watch, but think about the thrill when you find a real rare one for 5 euro with a distinctive cultural and historical background.

Cheers,

Zhang

 

[zhang xk]

Heh, I used to wear one of Зак. МО СССР Commanders for maybe 10 years. Didn't realize they're collectible now..

These were ordered by Soviet Defence Ministry for military forces. These are real militray watches, and are sought after by Russian watch collectors. Someone said these are chronometer quality watches, the Rolex type ones.😀

 

[zhang xk]

Don't worry Zhang, it still has a future! - http://www.trainweb.org/tusp/slm.html 😀

Those are beautiful watches - I remember a few years in the late 80s (the age of "Gorbymania") when at least one major western manufacturer produced "Soviet" style watches which could only be described as indescribable! You could also buy "realistic" "Soviet Jeans" which came in a tin can... 🙂

I am always intrigued by stereotyped reactions to Soviet industrial design. People tend to forget that Russia is not Switzerland and it's cultural aesthetics are inevitably different.

Cheers, Ian 🙂

Hi Ian,

I am not worried about any countries. I have been to many coutries, and I could make friends with peoples of these countries. IMO, most of the hard feeling is due to lack of understanding. I like your country. It left me with many good memory.

Your comment hit the point. Russian people needed watches mainly as a tool, not a luxury item to impress others.😉

Cheers,

Zhang

 

[Matthew55000]

Noel: I think, it is spelled K a l a s h i n ko v.

Raid

No. It's Kalashnikov

 

[Olsen]

I did a lot of business in Russia and the Baltic countries back in the mid 90'. It was a collectors paradise. Cameras, watches, weapons, binoculars (I was stopped at Pulkovo Airport, St.Petersburg with a pair of night vision binoculars - bought for a song - they suspected were CCCP high tech that I was not allowed to bring out fo the country - I was, eventually), parts from german WWII planes, full preasure suits for FOXBAT pilots, fake, but excellent looking fake art paintings etc. etc.

I deeply regret that I did not buy more. Like excellent Leica copies I was offered. I bought a quite a few binoculars (night vison and ordinary) which I gave away as presents or sold to colleques - for a song too. Since then prices has sky rocketed on such items.

When I did my military service some 36 years ago we drank coffee from ex. Wehmacht mugs (at today's Gardermoen Airport, Oslo) with the swastika in the bottom. We did not think much of it at the time, that they slowly disappeared. Today they are valuable collectors items.

It is the same story happening all over again.

 

[Jocko]

Hi Ian,

I am not worried about any countries. I have been to many countries, and I could make friends with peoples of these countries. IMO, most of the hard feeling is due to lack of understanding. I like your country.
Cheers,

Zhang

I share that view entirely. I like your country too, Zhang. Any student of history can only welcome the renewal of one of the very greatest centres of civilisation and the promise of a prosperous future for a quarter of humankind. A toast to the Middle Kingdom - long may it thrive!

Cheers, Ian 🙂