f6andBthere
Well-known
And the country that is seen as the example of freedom and democracy makes cameras so much better right ... Argus anyone?
UberSquid
Member
Buying a camera off ebay that was "Freshly CLA" was a learning experience in how to repair FSU cameras. I paid a little extra for a Zorki 4 that the seller assured me had been gone through. When it got here it worked for about a minute and then the shutter froze. I assumed that I'd changed speeds without winding it and didn't realize my mistake. Further investigation showed that the ribbons were old and shredded and the whole camera was out of adjustment. I contacted the seller and they offered to repair or replace it but the postage back was high enough that I decided to just cut my losses and do the work myself. A member on here was kind enough to send me a body he wasn't using and between the two I've got a very nice functional Zorki 4 that I can't wait to get out and shoot with.
One of my biggest complaints was that the I61 lens that came with the camera had oil all over the blades! I told the seller that no one had cleaned the lens as claimed and he tried to tell me that there was supposed to be oil visible on the blades! That was the moment I decided that if I was going to shoot with any FSU camera I was just going to learn to repair them myself. Realistically they aren't all that hard to work on. Parts cameras can be had for a very reasonable price, you just might need three or four to produce one really good camera. Of course I like to tinker so it's part of the fun for me but I was very disappointed with the poor information from the seller. Now I just assume that they are all broken and going to need repair unless I'm buying from someone in country that has actually tested all the functions.
One of my biggest complaints was that the I61 lens that came with the camera had oil all over the blades! I told the seller that no one had cleaned the lens as claimed and he tried to tell me that there was supposed to be oil visible on the blades! That was the moment I decided that if I was going to shoot with any FSU camera I was just going to learn to repair them myself. Realistically they aren't all that hard to work on. Parts cameras can be had for a very reasonable price, you just might need three or four to produce one really good camera. Of course I like to tinker so it's part of the fun for me but I was very disappointed with the poor information from the seller. Now I just assume that they are all broken and going to need repair unless I'm buying from someone in country that has actually tested all the functions.
David Hughes
David Hughes
I don't think you should assume they are all broken. I doubt if I'm the first one to put a film through a camera and be happy with it and then find it fails with the next film. We are usually talking about elderly cameras and second-hand as well. So expect the worst or pay dealer's prices and get a guarantee.
Question; do famous dealers and repairers turn out perfection all the time or do people complain about them too?
Regards, David
PS I mean this kindly; I think that saying they are easy to repair will encourage people who don't even understand screwdrivers to wreck one. It takes special talents and experience to repair things. And a lot of good quality tools.
Question; do famous dealers and repairers turn out perfection all the time or do people complain about them too?
Regards, David
PS I mean this kindly; I think that saying they are easy to repair will encourage people who don't even understand screwdrivers to wreck one. It takes special talents and experience to repair things. And a lot of good quality tools.
ray*j*gun
Veteran
Purchasing an FSU camera does not have be a gamble at all. I will only buy from Andrey, of Synoptics Camera Shop in Ukraine. (sells on Ebay under the name "hero4g") He's got the best quality, cleanest Russian cameras available anywhere; most are freshly CLA'd and even come with a three month warranty. (unheard of for cameras built half a century ago)
I recently purchased both a FED 2(D6) and Zorki-4 from Andrey; both are in absolutely mint condition, and came freshly CLA'd, with a warranty. They truly look and perform like they are brand new! I highly recommend Andrey for anyone looking to purchase only the very best quality vintage Russian cameras and accessories.
Here are a couple of photos of my FED 2 and Zorki-4. As you can see, they are in pristine condition.
Glen
Thank you Glenn I have had a love hate relationship with FSU's and I will check out this seller!
Bill58
Native Texan
I'd never buy @&*# from a Ukrainian dealer. Buy one from fedka.com and have him CLA it.
camperbc
Established
Hmmm... You are actually insinuating that the two cameras I purchased are "@&*#"? Come on now. This is one of the most reputable camera shops for FSU gear... anywhere! It would be advisable for you to become better informed prior to using such poor judgement on a public forum.
hdale
Newbie
A vote for fedka
A vote for fedka
I've bought a few cameras from Yuri from fedka I'm lucky that I live in close proximity to Yuri and have been able to deal with him personally. He's a wonderful person who has gone beyond the call of duty to help me with any problems I may have encountered. He's even offered to help me with developing my own film. That's the kind of person he is. All of the cameras I have bought from him have worked very well and I'm absolutely convinced that if there were a problem he would either fix it or replace the camera. I've dealt with him personally and I trust him. You won't go far wrong.
A vote for fedka
I've bought a few cameras from Yuri from fedka I'm lucky that I live in close proximity to Yuri and have been able to deal with him personally. He's a wonderful person who has gone beyond the call of duty to help me with any problems I may have encountered. He's even offered to help me with developing my own film. That's the kind of person he is. All of the cameras I have bought from him have worked very well and I'm absolutely convinced that if there were a problem he would either fix it or replace the camera. I've dealt with him personally and I trust him. You won't go far wrong.
gdmcclintock
Well-known
I have a Zorki 3M that I purchased from Fedka and it works great.
mpaniagua
Newby photographer
I just received my first Zorki 1 from Alex-photo and is great! Pretty fast shipping too, so highly recommend him. I had mixed experience with ukranian dealers. I bought a pretty good shape Fed2 from sovdepia, but the self timer has some slight problems, so make your judgement.
Schlapp
Well-known
Oleg at OK cameras. Very good.
-doomed-
film is exciting
I've bought from Fedka a few times. All of my dealings with them have been great.
Frontman
Well-known
I've bought an FED1 and a couple Zorkis from the Ukraine, all three had rotten shutter curtains. I ordered shutter curtains and replaced them myself, and ended up with three nice cameras. Oleg is a good guy, he just CLA'd a Contax 2 for me, I am looking forward to giving it a spin.
I had fun with my FSU cameras after I got them running, but then I found an old Leica II for a good price. There was no comparison between the smoothness and quality of manufacture between the Leica and my FSU cameras, but the FSU cameras produced images every bit as good.
Problems to be aware of (besides rotten shutter curtains) are rangefinders with poor contrast, and "Frankencameras" which are assembled out of spare parts, and not adjusted to proper specs. Often the lens flange is not the proper distance from the film plane (28.8mm), or the camera was adjusted for a particular lens which it is no longer paired with. A CLA performed by a competent tech will address these problems, but anyone with basic tools and enough mechanical ability to change a flat tire can probably do much of the work themselves.
I had fun with my FSU cameras after I got them running, but then I found an old Leica II for a good price. There was no comparison between the smoothness and quality of manufacture between the Leica and my FSU cameras, but the FSU cameras produced images every bit as good.
Problems to be aware of (besides rotten shutter curtains) are rangefinders with poor contrast, and "Frankencameras" which are assembled out of spare parts, and not adjusted to proper specs. Often the lens flange is not the proper distance from the film plane (28.8mm), or the camera was adjusted for a particular lens which it is no longer paired with. A CLA performed by a competent tech will address these problems, but anyone with basic tools and enough mechanical ability to change a flat tire can probably do much of the work themselves.
rbiemer
Unabashed Amateur
I disagree.
I think it is a logical fallacy to equate that because you can fix your cameras and that you can change a flat tire then anyone who can change a flat can also fix their camera.
I am absolutely not denying your abilities but I think that working on these cameras is not all that easy. I know it's difficult for me. And I can change a tire, have scratch built doll house furniture, rebuilt carburetors, and a few other things that required some mechanical ability.
I do think that most people with some mechanical ability can learn to work on these cameras but the learning curve is fairly steep.
That said, most FSU cameras are cheap enough to practice on a few while learning the skills.
Rob
David Hughes
David Hughes
Hi,
One of the problems with FEDs, Zorkis et al is that people don't believe in getting them repaired or checked by proper technicians and, worse still, others believe you can do it at home sitting at the kitchen table armed only with the bread knife and a hammer. Then they sell it on ebay and flush the bits left over away...
Get them sorted out by any repairer and you'll have a beautiful camera that takes nice pictures. Looking at the prints and handling both my Leica II and my FED 1 and Zorki I there is no difference at all apart from the engraving. So treat them the same and judge them by the pictures and you'll be happy.
As for the list of faults found in ex-USSR cameras above I'd say that they are common to any make of camera; including more than a few made in the 80's and 90's. Luckily we FED and Zorki lovers have Oleg to turn to when help is needed.
The 28.2mm distance mentioned is wrongly called the "right" flange to film distance. It's neither right nor wrong but happens to be the one Leitz settled on after a while and latter abandoned. So it's right for standardised Leitz/Leica made 39mm screw thread lenses on Leicas. And wrong for (say) my M's. And 39mm threaded lenses are very wrong for my pre-war Contax but that doesn't make them bad.
And lots of people think it's "wrong" to start a sentence with "and" but many of us don't and use it for emphasis. Thinking in black and white is only useful for B&W film usage...
Regards, David
One of the problems with FEDs, Zorkis et al is that people don't believe in getting them repaired or checked by proper technicians and, worse still, others believe you can do it at home sitting at the kitchen table armed only with the bread knife and a hammer. Then they sell it on ebay and flush the bits left over away...
Get them sorted out by any repairer and you'll have a beautiful camera that takes nice pictures. Looking at the prints and handling both my Leica II and my FED 1 and Zorki I there is no difference at all apart from the engraving. So treat them the same and judge them by the pictures and you'll be happy.
As for the list of faults found in ex-USSR cameras above I'd say that they are common to any make of camera; including more than a few made in the 80's and 90's. Luckily we FED and Zorki lovers have Oleg to turn to when help is needed.
The 28.2mm distance mentioned is wrongly called the "right" flange to film distance. It's neither right nor wrong but happens to be the one Leitz settled on after a while and latter abandoned. So it's right for standardised Leitz/Leica made 39mm screw thread lenses on Leicas. And wrong for (say) my M's. And 39mm threaded lenses are very wrong for my pre-war Contax but that doesn't make them bad.
And lots of people think it's "wrong" to start a sentence with "and" but many of us don't and use it for emphasis. Thinking in black and white is only useful for B&W film usage...
Regards, David
ray*j*gun
Veteran
I agree David and I personally hate the concept that a camera's market value (which is such bull) dictates the level of care it gets. I recently was talking with a so called photographer who said "my Nikormat is not worth fixing 'cause you can get a new one for $75.00". I nearly dropped my beer!!
If its worth using its worth servicing........
If its worth using its worth servicing........
roboflick
Well-known
Fedka.com
Fedka.com
An update:
I've bought a couple more things from Yuri at Fedka.com. A beautiful Jupiter 9 in Kiev contax mount , which has become one of my favorite lenses, great for portraits, a really pristine and beautiful lens, the FSU lenses have really nice multicoatings.
Also a fed2 and collapsible fed 3.5 that is razor sharp and collapses to become a truly pocketable camera. The fed 2 works and likes like new, and the fed lens also is beautiful mechanically and optically.
I have really become addicted to the high quality and severely underpriced gear that i can get from fedka!
And the icing on the cake was that from order to delivery was around 3 days, not 3-4 weeks like ordering from the former Eastern block.
Nik
Fedka.com
An update:
I've bought a couple more things from Yuri at Fedka.com. A beautiful Jupiter 9 in Kiev contax mount , which has become one of my favorite lenses, great for portraits, a really pristine and beautiful lens, the FSU lenses have really nice multicoatings.
Also a fed2 and collapsible fed 3.5 that is razor sharp and collapses to become a truly pocketable camera. The fed 2 works and likes like new, and the fed lens also is beautiful mechanically and optically.
I have really become addicted to the high quality and severely underpriced gear that i can get from fedka!
And the icing on the cake was that from order to delivery was around 3 days, not 3-4 weeks like ordering from the former Eastern block.
Nik
fanshaw
Well-known
Good advice if you don't like foreigners.
David Hughes
David Hughes
Oh dear, here we go again...
tojeem
Enthusiast
I've only ever bought from a Russian seller called petersburg_deals, but I found the experience to be quite fair. The product arrived as pictured, and fairly quickly too (three weeks to Australia during the Christmas period). Prices were reasonable to good, but I suspect you could probably find better quality gear for the same price at Fedka or one of the other large sites.
The only problem I find with small Russian eBay sellers, though, is that communication in English (including product descriptions) can sometimes be impaired.
UPDATE: Never mind... Just found out my Zorki is faulty. So much for "Everything works"!
The only problem I find with small Russian eBay sellers, though, is that communication in English (including product descriptions) can sometimes be impaired.
UPDATE: Never mind... Just found out my Zorki is faulty. So much for "Everything works"!
joeyscat
Newbie
Hi
I bought a Fed2 from ebay seller asterliks just before Christmas it arrived the other day and it is exactly what was in the pictures and seems to work okay though I haven't put a film through it yet. It was a bit dearer than some others on there - this guy had a lot of Feds - but I figured if it had survived since 1959 with some of it's original documentation someone must have looked after it. The box and manual could arguably have been from anywhere but it may all have been together, and I thought it was probably worth an extra tenner or so for the box and paperwork.
Shutter sounds nice and crisp and it was well parceled up. I figured I was taking a bit of a punt on this as Ukraine is far away if it all went tits up but it thought it was worth a gamble as it was Paypal and not a lot of money, but the transaction was fine and I would have no worries using this guy again. If I was buying any more old cameras which I'm really not...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/360418483...X:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649#ht_5365wt_1038
I bought a Fed2 from ebay seller asterliks just before Christmas it arrived the other day and it is exactly what was in the pictures and seems to work okay though I haven't put a film through it yet. It was a bit dearer than some others on there - this guy had a lot of Feds - but I figured if it had survived since 1959 with some of it's original documentation someone must have looked after it. The box and manual could arguably have been from anywhere but it may all have been together, and I thought it was probably worth an extra tenner or so for the box and paperwork.
Shutter sounds nice and crisp and it was well parceled up. I figured I was taking a bit of a punt on this as Ukraine is far away if it all went tits up but it thought it was worth a gamble as it was Paypal and not a lot of money, but the transaction was fine and I would have no worries using this guy again. If I was buying any more old cameras which I'm really not...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/360418483...X:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649#ht_5365wt_1038