Siren Song of the Russians

The other<div></div>

Yeah I know the "4" is mising the knurled rewind knob, but the screw head that the previous owner used is actually a pretty good temperary fix. I'll post some shots as soon as I can.<div></div>

I have ordered the Kiev 4a+J-8m+J-9+J-12+universal viewfinder from a vendor in Ukraine. Let see how that will work out. He promises me that J-9 will be adjusted to the body and the camera will be made before 1969.

Do let us know. I'm very curious to see what else is out there.

I bought a J-9 for my Contax. If it needs to be adjusted, I'll try to do it myself. The main module unscrews easily, and does not look any harder to shim than the J-3.

BTW it was very funny. I asked people on the Russian rangefinder forum to help me out to find a reputable seller, they immediately got me a couple of addresses one in Russia another one in Ukraine. I contacted a guy in Ukraine he fixes camera himself and sells it on the local internet auction. He said that he does not speak English, that is why he does not go internationally. The price is more then reasonable something like $30 for Kiev+J-8m. I also get J-9 and J-12 and universal viewfinder. Totally 1/2 price of the point-and-shot digital. If he does send me a good stuff, and does not abuse my trust that could be a good deal. As an alternative I can kiss my money goodbye.

Test of FED3+J-8 1/60 2.8 film Ferrania<div></div>

Almost full size pics J-8

I must be having a mental block, how to get the picture in the message????

OK, if anyone is still monitoring this thread, if I can pick your brains for a bit please clue me in.

 

I picked up a couple more FED-2 bodies (3 total now) to have something to compare and work with to get something decent going with the FEDs. (It is kind of amazing that you can "get a couple more for working materials" cheap enough that you don't worry about it.)

 

Anyhow, one of the bodies did not have a lens, and I bought one from a Ukranian guy. It's a collapsible Industar-50, advertised as, and from all appearance, brand new in the box. There's no wear or brassing anywhere; it has a certificate paperwork (matching serial number) - which I can't read - and what appears to be original packing materials including the box, so I think it's really "brand new," even if it's 25 years old. And despite the fact that it was not advertised as coated, there is a red pi looking symbol on the lens and it appears to be coated when viewed in the light.

 

Now, I've screwed this lens on to all three camera bodies, and it screws on fine. But the collapsible lens has a push-button lock mechanism at infinity. When the lens is screwed on a camera body, at least on the FED-2s I'm working with, the bottom of the button is flush up against the camera body and you can't push it to release the infinity lock to focus.

 

Is this lens:

 

A) Designed for some other LTM variant, not a FED-2, that has room between the camera body and the lens seat so it's not flush with the camera body when mounted on the camera.

 

B) About what I should expect. Just bend or file down the lock tab so I can unlock it and focus the lens.

 

C) Perfectly fine, and one of you swell folks will tell me what I'm overlooking.

 

D) Really a bad bargain, throw it away and don't buy any more of these.

 

Thanks,

Michael

I had the same problem with an I-10 collapsible 50/3.5 on my Canon bodies. Worked fine on the Fed 1.

 

Maybe file the button down...

<p>I have a domestic Zorki 4k with a J-8 lens. I hate the lack of strap lugs, makes the camera very difficult to keep at hand but not use. I wish I could put a wrist strap on it somehow.</p>

<p>I agree with the lack of those lugs. I once had a wrist strap that scewed into the tripod socket, think it came from an old 8mm movie camera. Of course that was years ago, and the strap, and alot of other tings I wish I still had, is long gone. Does anyone make these anymore?</p>