Zorki-6 & Leningrad

[joey]

What's your opinion on these two cameras?

 

[Tarzak]

Buy them! : )

 

[jlw]

I don't know anything about the Zorki, but the Leningrad is a bit quirky. If you can find a good, working one, it has some interesting characteristics. The viewfinder is very bright and clear by '50s FSU standards, and the split-image-only rangefinder works well as long as the subject has clear vertical edges on which to focus. The black framelines for lenses from 50mm through 135mm are even "semi-compensated" for parallax (the image moves horizontally but not vertically as you focus.)

On the downside, one big irritant is that a lot of non-FSU lenses won't fit; the camera mount is a standard L-39 thread, all right, but there's a decorative ridge just above it that physically interferes if you try to screw in a lens that's too fat around the base. When I had a Leningrad, I was annoyed to discover that none of my Canon or Voigtlander lenses would fit.

The other thing that's a bit of a headache is that the sprocketless film-advance system produces uneven frame spacing. At the beginning of a roll the frames almost touch each other, but by the end of a 36-exposure roll the spacing is about twice the normal amount. This isn't a big problem if you process and cut your own negatives, but it drives automatic printing and slide-mounting equipment crazy.

So -- fun camera if you get a working one, and a very interesting design -- but if you're contemplating it for a "user," think hard about whether these limitations would be a problem before you dive in.

 

[joey]

Thanks for your lengthy comment. I am not going to risk and buy Leningrad - not worth it.

What about Zorki-6, guys?🙂

 

[wlewisiii]

Zorki 6 - good camera overall.

LTM, swing back, lever wind & a quite decent finder. Slap an I-50 collapsible on it and you have a pocketable camera. I find a soft release helps, but that's a classic of the "YMMV" kind of thing.

Two major potential issues - 1) the back latch can be weak. If you're worried, a bit of black rubber electrical tape or the bottom half of a neverready case will keep you safe. 2) No slow speeds. I have never missed them, but you might.

In the end, I'd say it's the second nicest 35mm FSU camera I've owned. But nothing comes close the the Kiev 5 I had... Now that is a magnificent camera. Heavy & ugly, to be sure, but as reliable as a T34 & a d*mn good finder.

Hope this helps.

William

 

[Nickfed]

I used a Zorki-6 for forty years. It served me well. The lever wind is not one of its best features and you need to use a bit of gaffer tape to ensure the door doesn't open, but at least it's got a door......

 

[fidget]

I tightened up the door catch on my Zorki 6, now it takes a little too much effort to get the thing to open. No chance of this opening accidentally. I seperated the top and bottom of the leather case and put new popper studs on to reconnect. This would also protect the door catch.
The Zorki 6 is a nice size for my hands, bigger than a Zorki 1 but smaller than the Zorki 4, FED 3 and the Kievs.

 

[joey]

I am relatively new to FSU cameras. This is what I've noticed about FSU cameras so far:

The less features an FSU camera has - the more reliable it is. Speaking of cocking levers and light meters. 🙂

The fact that you have a brand new camera does not guarantee you will have a working camera. That surprised a little at first.

You need to have a technician to check the camera both new or used. Probably, this is the reason why Oleg Khalyavin is a popular seller among FSU users.

 

[oscroft]

The Zorki 6 is a nice size for my hands, bigger than a Zorki 1 but smaller than the Zorki 4, FED 3

Smaller than a Zorki 4 or FED 3 eh? I'd always assumed the Zorki 6 was about Zorki 4 size. Hmm, I think I'm going to have to get one 🙄

 

[mfunnell]

Smaller than a Zorki 4 or FED 3 eh? I'd always assumed the Zorki 6 was about Zorki 4 size. Hmm, I think I'm going to have to get one 🙄

While the Zorki 6 is "about" Zorki 4 size, I just checked and the 6 is smaller in all 3 dimensions, most notably height. As noted earlier a collapsible I-50 makes the Zorki 6 a relatively compact (if weighty) package.

...Mike

 

[vanyagor]

I just received a Leningrad 2 days ago. It's an impressive camera! I would say definitely worth the money I payed for it. The viewfinder is amazing: biggest and brightest among all FSU I've seen so far. I would even say that is's as bright as my Leica M3 😉 The rangefinder window is not semitrasparent though. It's a split viewfinder (I think that's how it's called).

It also feels very well in the hands, not a cheap look of feds or Zorki 6 ....

I still have to test it though.