when you just not stare at your cameras...

I only have one Soviet RF, a Zorki 4 with a UBER mint condition black J-8.

I also have a Lubitel 2 somewhere and Smena-8M which jolly fun to use for some strange reason.

Stu :)
 
Fed 2 (I have 3)
Fed5C
Zorki 4K
Zorki 4 (I have 2)
Mir
Fed 5B(I have 2)
Fed 3
Fed 4(I have 3)
Zorki C
Kiev 4 (most recent, haven't had a chance to use it yet)
 
My Everyday Camera

My Everyday Camera

Carburo said:
.... if you have to order them by comfort and by the way they *fit* in your hand, what's the order?
Click to expand...

I think the way camera fits in your hand is important. For me its my FED 2, type e and a collapsible Industar 50. It replaces an Olympus 35 RC, that never seems to wear out. Though the Olympus is smaller, has a built in light meter and is quieter, its 45 degree focus ring is less precise.

I do have a better FSU camera, my Zorki 3 and jewel of a Jupiter 8. It's gets used mostly indoors and replaces my Olympus 35 RD. The Zorki 3 is nice. It has a larger viewfinder, a buttery smooth shutter release and it feels more balanced when using my Jupiter 9, but I'm hooked on the FED 2.
 
I have 3 FSU cameras on hand and one more coming. I've become quite the little Kiev-ista.; I prefer them ergonomically to the L based cameras I've tried. My current order of preference is:

1) Kiev 5 - I have my SC Skopar 35/2.5, Jupiter-8nb and Jupiter-9 in the bag with it. It's new so it gets pride of place.That glorious finder and lever advance and rewind make it hard to set down. The just shy of one kilo wieght makes it a workout to pick up :eek: (980 grams according to one web page.). All I really need to find at the moment is a 49mm yellow for the two Jupiters.

2) Kiev 4a - with my pre-war collapsible Sonnar 50/2. Light, compact, excellent camera. This one has the red leather on it.

3) Iskra - haven't been using it as much lately as my scanner died. But oh, what an amazing piece of glass!

and I have a Kiev 2 (possibly broken, possibly the dude didn't know how to work it) coming on a slow boat from China (yes, literally... :D )

William
 
Equal first: (depends what focal length I want)
FED 2g (late FED 3b type) w/ J12 & external finder
FED 2d w/ J8

2nd: 'Red Logo' Zorki 5 w/J8 or J3

Equal third:
FED3a w/J8
Zorki 1 w/ Ind-22

My top shooters are the two FED2's I have worked over, they take great pictures and I feel more attached to them having spent some late nights getting them just right :D
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=681

The 'Red' Zorki 5 has got to be the nicest looking of all the Soviet RF's except for maybe the Zorki 3/3M but they are noticeably bigger, if we are just going for feel the Z5 might be number one for me. My third choice is a mix of cameras dependant on my needs or mood of the day.
 
(1). Kiev 4am with J-12 & Zeiss 3.5cm finder, loaded with HP5. ( 2) Kiev 4 with Helios 103 loaded with Kodak Gold 200, I love the meter, very usefull. (3) a 1965 Zorki 4 with a 1956 J-8 (the best J- 8 I ever bought) loaded with Tri X.(4) Zorki I with 1953 J -12 and homemade 35mm finder, loaded with HP-5.
 
Zorki 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, Zorki 2, C, 2C, Zorki 3m, 3C, Zorki 4, Mir, 4K, Zorki 5a, 5B, Zorki 6, FED NKVD, Fed 1, FED 2, FED 3A, Kiev 4A (2), Contax II, Kiev 17, Kiev 19M, Ansco Super Memar.

And I'm actually in a recovery phase right now.
 
Schlapp said:
FED 4 on it's way.
Hal, the Halina Rf is on it's way to Roman to see if he can do something with it :)
Click to expand...

Ah, nice to meet you here, too! :)

Roman
 
The 'Red' Zorki 5 has got to be the nicest looking of all the Soviet RF's except for maybe the Zorki 3/3M but they are noticeably bigger, if we are just going for feel the Z5 might be number one for me. My third choice is a mix of cameras dependant on my needs or mood of the day.[/QUOTE]

I love the look of the "Red" Z-5 but have three and not one of them has an operable film advance. On two of them ( both early 1958 with vulcanite covering) it is obvious from the mechanics that they were making some changes during the production run. I've read they had some problems that were sorted up in the Z5B (Black) and the Z6.
 
Current favourite shooter, Kiev 4a w/ J8, J12.... I have a J11 that I have tried out yet. Looking for a J9 to complete the kit, and may a J3 or Helios for available darkness.
Kiev 3a with a working meter, sharing lenses with the above... the meter makes it rather bulky.
Zorki 4K w/ J8, 2C w/ I-22 and 4, used in that order, but the 2C is a good pocket camera
Moskva 5 w/ 6x6 insert.
 
I only have the Zorki 4K and mostly use the J12 (chrome), but like the J8 also.
 
Oh, but the Zorki 6 (with Industar 50mm) is on it's way from Mother Russia. Get here, get here ......
 
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