wolves3012
Veteran
Quick rundown, based on my experience and the cameras I have:
FED 1 or Zorki 1: Small, collapsible lens so pocket sized. Squinty finder and no flash sync or slow speeds. Can be issues with fitting other lenses due to lens-mount distance and type. Bottom loading can be an issue for some people. Personally, it doesn't bother me at all.
FED 2: small-ish, finder not overly bright but very contrasty in compensation. Ergonomics excellent, reliable. Has flash-sync. No slow speeds.
FED 3(a): as FED 2 but a bit taller, has slow speeds.
FED 4: Finder as per other FEDs, otherwise excellent. Has light meter, lever wind. Not pretty (personal view).
Zorki 4/4k: Big, bright life-size finder and has slow speeds and proper flash sync. Not a small camera. Cheap and easily obtained. J8 lens is fairly fast, at f/2. Lever-wind on the 4K is useful.
Zorki 5: Big, bright and near-life-size finder. No slow speeds. Flash sync. Small-ish. Not so common, and the early ones can have winder issues. Bottom loading not everyone's taste.
Zorki 6: Same as 5 but with a smoother wind lever and a hinged-opening back.
Kiev 4: Large and heavy, excellent shutter unless it goes wrong. Flash synch, slow speeds, bayonet mount. Finder not as bright as Zorki but a little brighter than FEDs, tiny eyepiece. The "Contax grip" is a love or hate thing - for myself, I hate it and can't get on with it. Some cameras have frame-spacing issues. Generally solid & reliable camera.
Buy one of each and see ;-)
FED 1 or Zorki 1: Small, collapsible lens so pocket sized. Squinty finder and no flash sync or slow speeds. Can be issues with fitting other lenses due to lens-mount distance and type. Bottom loading can be an issue for some people. Personally, it doesn't bother me at all.
FED 2: small-ish, finder not overly bright but very contrasty in compensation. Ergonomics excellent, reliable. Has flash-sync. No slow speeds.
FED 3(a): as FED 2 but a bit taller, has slow speeds.
FED 4: Finder as per other FEDs, otherwise excellent. Has light meter, lever wind. Not pretty (personal view).
Zorki 4/4k: Big, bright life-size finder and has slow speeds and proper flash sync. Not a small camera. Cheap and easily obtained. J8 lens is fairly fast, at f/2. Lever-wind on the 4K is useful.
Zorki 5: Big, bright and near-life-size finder. No slow speeds. Flash sync. Small-ish. Not so common, and the early ones can have winder issues. Bottom loading not everyone's taste.
Zorki 6: Same as 5 but with a smoother wind lever and a hinged-opening back.
Kiev 4: Large and heavy, excellent shutter unless it goes wrong. Flash synch, slow speeds, bayonet mount. Finder not as bright as Zorki but a little brighter than FEDs, tiny eyepiece. The "Contax grip" is a love or hate thing - for myself, I hate it and can't get on with it. Some cameras have frame-spacing issues. Generally solid & reliable camera.
Buy one of each and see ;-)
JonP
Established
And when you've got one of each of these, get one of each of the all the others. Then you can choose the one you prefer.