Zorki cameras

Just wondering if anyone has used a russian zorki "Leica copy"

camera. There are many listed om ebay and I'm wondering if its

worth the investment. thanks. Paul

I have a number of Zorki and FED cameras. I've found the older the model the better made they were and more fun to use. The Zorki 1 and FED 1 were very much like early Leicas. Later they tried to compete with Leica M without being able to steal their manufacturing hardware. Those cameras have combined rangefinder/viewfinders. The FED 2, both models, has the combined viewer and retains the quality of the 1. The quality of the items on ebay varies tremendously. Burned shutter curtains are common and poorly constructed lens tubes can be mechanically frustrating. The glass can be quite good. Jupiter 8 50mm, Jupiter 9 85mm and Jupiter 12 35mm and very good. The Industar 22 is a copy of the Leica Elmar.

 

I use the new Voigtlanders and these cameras are nice seconds to carry around. They are as heavy as anchors and very steady to shoot at very low shutter speeds. I often put a 25mm Skopar on a Zorki 1. Don't bother with the viewfinder but you can easily shoot from the hip and focus with click focussing on the lens. Same would be true with the CV 15mm.

I have several Russian cameras, the Zorki 4 is probably my best one as a user. If you get one of these, make sure it has engraved script lettering on it, no the later silkscreened block letters (these also had silkscreened shutter speed markings, which fell off). best choice is the earlier version that has neckstrap lugs - they're handy, and the QC was better in the earlier years.

 

The Z4's viewfinder is not my favorite: with my glasses I can only see about the field of an 85mm lens with it. My expedient for this was to buy an 85mm lens, which makes for a terrific combination.

 

The zorki 1 is more leica-like, but loading it (just like a Leica) is a royal PITA unless you just happen to like that way of working, especially since modern film have leaders too short to reach across the film gate as the cameras require for proper loading.

 

The f/3.5 Industar is a truly wonderful lens. The f/2 Jupiter may be technically sharper, but i prefer photos taken with the Industar.

 

The investment is so low for either of these, (I bought my Zorki 4 for $50 and they've come down since) that you have very little to lose by giving it a shot.

 

I have some zorki photos here:

 

http://rick_oleson.tripod.com/colortwo/index.html

 

rick :)=

Are you looking for a user?? Nice thing about it is the LTM mount, which means lots of lens options. But the camera itself takes some getting used to.

 

First, VF is not that bright.

 

Winder is a knob, not a lever (tho the 4K has the lever).

 

Loading is a PITA -- don't lose that removable take up spool.

 

AND NEVER, NEVER, NEVER CHANGE SHUTTER SPEEDS WITHOUT FIRST COCKING THE SHUTTER!!!

Thanks for all the responses. Is the Zorki 4 the way to go?

Sounds like it. I definately want a user for street shooting!

Is it very heavy? thanks

it's heavier than a screwmount leica, lighter than an m3. probably about the weight of a contax II. it is a good user... and loading is less of a PITA than loading a Leica is (not real high praise there)

 

:)=

I've gone through a Zorki-4 and various models of Fed. The Zorki-4 was the best of the bunch. I used a Jupiter-8 50mm f/2 on it pretty extensively -- actually, I adjusted both the infinity and near-focus points of the rangefinder to fit the lens. Very easy to do on the Zorki-4. I also cleaned all of the rangefinder/viewfinder optics to get a brighter, clearer finder. It's a great camera.

 

The downside: my sample wound film somewhat irregularly. It wasn't uncommon that the frames would be angled at as much as five or ten degrees versus the actual film strip. Also, only three of the shutters speeds were really accurate enough to shoot chromes.

 

So now I'm shooting with a Bessa-R, purchased on the Leica forum a few months ago for a good price. The Bessa is lighter (plastic), uglier, louder, and doesn't focus nearly as accurately, but the shutter is good and it gets my images on film right. Also, the viewfinder is worlds better -- my Zorki is a model for all Zorkis in that respect, having been meticulously cleaned, but it doesn't match the Bessa.

 

If you want to get into screw-mount cameras, my advice is to get a Bessa-R. They're cheap lately and getting cheaper, and Russian glass is available on eBay at great prices.

 

If, however, you want a Russian camera, the Zorki-4 is the way to go. You might have to get a couple of them before you find one that has realistic shutter speeds, no dead bugs inside of it, that kind of thing, but when you do, you'll have a very capable camera. Much better as a user than most of the Leica screwmount cameras, in fact.

The Zorki 4k has a lever wind, the 4 is a knob wind ... this is a consideration if shooting in a hurry. The Zorki 6 has a comparatively long-base rangefinder (but no slow speeds), ideal if you use longer lenses (more accurate focussing), it's also got a fixed film-spool, hinged back and lever wind.

 

I have both the 4k and the 6, I think I prefer the 6, but the jury is still out ;-)

 

If you can find one, the collapsable Industar-22 (f/3.5 50mm Elmar copy) makes for quite a compact package on any Fed/Zorki. The Jupiter 12 35mm lens is also very compact once mounted, it effectively includes its own lens-hood in the design.

 

Bear in mind that you'll need an auxiliary viewfinder for anything other than the standard 50mm lens, the readily available Helios 35/85/135 is quite good, though the 135 frame is a bit small.

 

I've read that many of the "re-finished" cameras pretending to be Leica special-editions are pretty to look at but often don't actually work properly, so I'd be wary of anything like that.

Look for the FED 1 and Zorki 1 survival page and become ready for some serious adjusting and restoring. I have 3 of these cameras and the bad feeling that their rangefinders and the lenses need some adjustments. After that they should provide lots of fun. Usually they are overpriced at the auction side. I got a called new FED 5 and an other FED 2 with two lenses for less than 20$ each on German fleemarkets.

I forgot: the average gangster tends to sell Zorkis without film-taking spools.

Be careful, feds and zorkis will become an obsession if you don't stay on your toes. I have a Z-1, a Z-3,a Z-4,and a fed 2.

I love my Z-1. Once mastered, loading is not a problem, but the small seperate viewfinder is a drag. Great ergonomics, great "feel".

My Z-4 has a bad shutter, but it does not have the feel or presence in my hand as the z-1. Very functional in a farm machinery sort of way. Nice big bright combined viewfinder/rangefinder with diopter correction.

The Z-3 is very similar, but nicer to look at.

By far my favorite ltm ruskie is the Fed 2. Has a wide based combined rangefinder/viewfinder, removable back for easy loading, strap lugs, ( don't take those for granted with the soviet gear), and a wonderful feel to it. Everything "feels" right in use, unlike the z-4. Elegantly simple. Personaly, I think they represent the high point in soviet ltm design and construction.

The really nice thing about the soviet ltm cameras is how cheap they can be had for. It allows you to feed your 35 rf lust without breaking the bank. The 35mm j12 is a great lens, as is the 85mm j9, as long as you get one that someone has not botched the focusing helical on. In the 50's the i-22 is jewel, as is the j-8. Some folks rave about the i61 l/d, but my sample is not as good as my j-8.

The turret viewfinder is great.

You can get the the j-12 for $50 or so, the j-9 should be no more than $75, and the finder about $45. A nice Z-1 can be had for less than $50 with lens. My fed 2 I paid $16 for last month, with a lens.

So for well less than $250 you can get a very capable 35mm rf system, albeit using 1930's technology.

I've used my Zorki IV with Jupiter 8, 50mm lens for years with no trouble. I'm not afraid to leave it in my car all the time as my "go-to" street camera. Cold weather seems not to bother the shutter speed much, at least for print film use. At least I don't have to worry about a dead battery.

 

The caveat is you'll have to either carry a handheld meter or learn the sunny-16 rule, which is how I use my Zorki.

 

BTW, the curtain shutter is a bit loud for a rangefinder, about on par with my Minolta X-370 with slapping mirror.

 

It ain't no Leica; its just "like a Leica". But I wouldn't give mine away. Too much fun.

hi everyone, thanks for all your help. I've checked out several of

your suggestions. now i'm wavering a bit between Zorki 4 and

Fed 2. Any preferences? I'm leaning towards Fed 2 with a Jupiter

8 lens. Found a nice Fed 2 at www.Fotabug,com

This could become addictive, no? Good shooting to all! Paul

Most all Russian bodies have 3/8-16 tripod mounts. Adapter rings going from 3/8-16 to 1/4-20 are available at larger camera stores. The zorki's made for export; have 1/4-20 threads; usually all the lettering is in English type face. English typeface doesnt always mean 1/4-20 threads. <BR><BR>Russian bodies have no cam rollers; many longer LTM lenses wont work. <BR><BR>Never change the shutter speeds; without first cocking the camera.<BR><br>Many sellers will mention that a body is rare; when zillions of them were made<BR><BR>Some camera cases were cured in urine; and will stink if they get wet. With the many cameras I have; I have thrown out 2 cases; which stunk up the house.<BR><BR>Only one out of the 3 Jupiter-9's I have bought actually focused about correctly. It was a 1959 chrome model; and is stiff; ie never butchered up by resellers. Many Jupiter-9's are regreased; and reassembled wrong; and have horrible focusing errors. If you are good at rubic cube; and camera repair; the Jupiter-9 fixing is still a beast to "repair". My chrome 1959 and two black 1970's models have slightly different internals. One of my 1970's Jupiter-9 can be made to focus correctly at infinity; but the close position cannot be "fixed". The pitch of the focusing mount doesnt match the exact focal length of the lens block. Here ther is no making the lens universally correct for any LTM camera. A Russian body can be adjusted to track with one freak lens; but then it will mistrack with regular LTM lenses. <BR><BR>Most of the Jupiter-8's 50mm F2 I have used have focused correctly. <BR><BR>In Jupiter-3's 50mm F1.5; one is tack on; another has slight error; and another is off alot.<BR><BR>The elmar clones; 50mm F3.5 are of good quality; but beware of worn out collapsable versions.<BR><BR>

A kind of an answer to the second question. The FED2 looks rather

smart; it inspires (some) confidence. But I never used mine after putting

a single film through it, for three reasons. One is specific to my example;

the other two I think are not: (i) the diopter adjustment lever is large

and sticks out and is almost friction-free, it was constantly grazing a

sleeve or similar and having to be reset; (ii) the viewfinder is murky. I

prefer the Zorki-6 on both counts. (I've never tried a Zorki-4 or

derivative.) A relevant site that's both informative and enjoyable:

http://www.geocities.com/fzorkis/index.html

I think my FED2 is great! By sheer coincidence, the dioptre adjustment stays still at one single extreme, -4. Which happens to match my eyesight:)

 

The long base rangefinder is very precise, at least with the collapsible "elmarski" lens. And the lens is good too - with two minor gripes: The aperture is very stiff, and the aperture markings go "3.5 5 7 10 14 20 28". It's a two hand job to set the aperture, otherwise the lens rotates and collapses...