Xmas cheer on a budget

[johannielscom]

While Xmas is the best reason in the year to give yourself an expensive photo present, there's also very nice stuff to be had on a budget...

https://bit.ly/2Se8WSi


HoHoHo, Merry Xmas!

 

[rhl-oregon]

Thanks, Johan, and merry Christmas to you too, if you have sense enough to go to bed this very minute so that you don’t miss it!

 

[helen.HH]

Enjoyed it... Thank You Johannes
Merry Christmas !

 

[B-9]

The party is raging here, a full house!

Your page will be waiting for me to read in the morning.

Happy Holidays Johan! Best Wishes from My Family here in Michigan.

 

[Steve M.]

Great write up on the Zenit SLRs. Loved reading it. I too have lusted (from afar) for one of those cute little cameras, but the articles concise use of the phrase, which should be engraved on every one of the little rascals, as a "mirrored tin can" is what kept me from buying one.

I did once have a black Zenit SLR of a more modern era, and it excelled at nailing most of the shots with it's wonderful Helios lens, but also consistently screwed up the best shots on the roll w/ shutter capping. After that experience I swore off the cameras and just went after the lenses, which were nearly always excellent performers. It was a mystery how they could build such beautiful lenses and such lousy cameras. Thanks for the post, enjoy your Christmas Johan, and everyone else here.

 

[johannielscom]

Robert, I turned in minutes after posting this thread starter and just woke up to read your comment, thanks for keeping an eye out! Merry Xmas to you and your bride too!

Devin, also Merry Xmas to you and your lovely bride! I hope your little film business is picking up nicely!? I've been considering a purchase but shipping and customs suck all the joy right out of it unfortunately! Keep it going, I might just pull the trigger one day!

Helen, Merry Xmas for you and your loved one too! NY must be a magical place these days, looking forward to seeing more shots of it from you!

Steve, Merry Xmas to you and your loved ones! While reading your response to me calling the camera a mirrored tin can, I thought Maybe Yuri at Fedka sells them serviced and tuned, like mine? Worth a try maybe?

MERRY XMAS TO ALL READERS, HOHOHO!

😀 😀

 

[Out to Lunch]

Merry Xmas johanniels. A handsome camera but to the best of my knowledge, not dating back to the early fifties but rather to the sixties and early seventies. I have a younger Zenith ET -early eighties, which came without aperture priority and a light meter. The camera is not as handsome as the 3m but works well. The only downside...the body and lenses are very, very heavy. Cheers, Peter

 

[lynnb]

Interesting article Johan, and Merry Christmas to you! My first Russian camera was a Revue 3, which I understand is a re-named Fed 3. It felt primitive and the eyepiece chewed spectacles, but the lens - an I-61 zebra - is superb. I'm tempted by the Fed 2 or even Fed-I rather than the Zenit, I admit. Sometime later part of the base plate of the Fed 3 came apart and I found a very cheap user Barnack at a market.

Peter - that's a very pretty black Zenit. The size and weight put me off, though it could be useful for personal protection 🙂

 

[johannielscom]

Peter, you might be right about the date, but the Zenit 3M sure feels more like a 1950s SLR than an 1970s model...

While your black Zenit is nice, it's way too sophisticated for the experience that I was looking for! I mean, on the 3M, the mirror doesn't even return until you wind the film on, and the viewfinder has a coarse ground glass, like you see on 4x5 cameras. Yet, after service it's smoother than it ever was, I imagine. Merry Christmas to you!

Lynn, Merry Christmas to you too!

 

[David Hughes]

Some of us think the 3m is a sissy camera. Real men cut the film leader and load their Zenit the proper, good old fashioned way. ;-)

And a Merry Christmas to you all.


Regards, David

 

[JoeLopez]

Cool camera!
Who do so many people confuse 'on a budget' with 'cheap' or low priced? LOL

 

[johannielscom]

New Year, new outfit, new 135 lens 😉​

 

[B-9]

The blue leather is cool! Looks soft. Lots of chrome hanging out in that photo!

One of things I absolutely love about cameras is the simple joy of assembling a kit.

Its all in the hunt! Keeping in a budget and finding good bargains just adds to the thrill of it all.

@Johan, The film is picking up slowly as is my variety of stock yet to be spooled. Currently in the act of remodeling the second floor of our house into a full studio to support the film as well as a new found knack for silk screen. Ive found it hard to find good packaging combined with printing so I have ventured to do it myself. The big project lately has been a box set with a as of now secret selection of my stock. I will have to send you one when they are done in the next few months... oh how little time for busy hands!