wayne_cornell2

I had a black Nikon FTn with the 36 exp. motor drive. Wish I had kept it given the price those drives fetch now. As I remember, the drives weren't interchangable--had to be fitted to a specific camera. My only problem was a trigger button that sometimes worked--sometimes didn't. No matter how much cleaning of contacts, etc. I did, I never knew for sure if the motor was going to fire the first time I pushed the button.

 

One of the reasons Nikon got the jump on other manufacturers was that it was one of the first slrs that would meter without stopping down the lens.

The one problem I had with many of the older SLRs was microprism focusing. With glasses I found it somewhat difficult, but not impossible to focus with a straight microprism. I preferred SLRs that had split image screens available.

Recently, I enountered an older SLR with microprism focusing that really snaps in and out--even in low light--the best I've seen. The camera? An old Russian M42 mount Zenit 11!

Shot with a newspaper supplied Spotmatic and it was a good, solid camera. I never had any problems with it but I preferred my Nikkormat and later a Nikon F. One of the big selling points if you used the Nikon professionally was they had a great lending program -- if you needed a highly specialized lens. They bent over backwards to help.

 

Prior to the Nikons I also had a Mamiya 1000 TL -- in fact I just picked one up recently for the memories. Never had anything to do with Minolta, Konica or Miranda. They were considered "advanced amateur" cameras -- at least in the circles where I ran in those days. Shot with Canon F1s in the Army and they were well-built but never could get used to the breech locking ring for the lenses. It was hard to beat Nikkor, Takumar and Canon lenses. I think most of the other brands were as sharp -- they just didn't have as heavy a build.

quoteWayne, actually there were factory installed syncs on a few Zorki 3M circa 1955 (Princelle variation K111). I bought one from Cupog and thought it was an after add on until I researched it. Very distinctive as it sits flush with the camera body on the upper front on the film advance side.quote

 

 

You mean like my Zorki 3? I've had a number of FSU sellers assure me than no Z3s or Z3Ms had factory sync. But I've never seen Princelle's model descriptions.<div></div>

Michael is correct. The 3S (or 3C in Cyrillic) is a Zorki 4 without a self timer or, "a 3M that has been beaten with an ugly stick." It was the only Zorki 3 model with factory flash sync. I think is was only built two years (1955 and '56). There were only about 45,000 manufactured (a small number on Soviet camera terms). Like the early Zorki 4s, it is very well built.

I like to shoot the railroad related stuff. My office is less than a block from the Union Pacific main line from Salt Lake City, Utah to Portland, Oregon and I often spend my lunch hour along the right-of-way taking test shots with differentFSU gear.

Zorki or FED 1 used to shoot a group photo of the submarine crew in the Arctic in "K-19 the Widowmaker."

Oops. Repost<div></div>

Another shot<div></div>

Just got back a "red" Zorki 5 that went to Oleg for repairs. I had

my first roll of Tri-X loaded when an industrial accident occurred

across the street and they brought in a Life Flight Helicopter. Was

shooting with Jupiter 8 from a Zorki 3C.<div></div>

I had an early postwar model in the late 1960s. Think I paid less that $100 for it and sold it for about the same. Much better quality that the Soviet Leica copies and it had an outstanding 3.5 lens -- very sharp. One of my big photographic regrets is letting go of the Leotax.

The Kiron 70-210 F4 zoom. It's heavy but you can't beat the performance for what you will pay for one. I have one and wouldn't trade it for a Nikkor in the same speed range -- although I'm sure some will disagree.

The Zorki 3 finder isn't bad with glasses. It's one of the brighter FSU finders. The Zorki 6 is easier to fine focus because it has a longer finder base (distance between the two windows)the two images merge at a slower speed.

FED 5 is a great starter camera--really cheap in new condition and the I-61 L/D lens is great. Zorki 6 is the only Soviet Leica copy with a hinged back and feels good in the hand. As you work farther back in the FED and Zorki lines there is more chance of age-caused problems. There are some nice models but you may have to put some money into them to get them in shooting condition. Some people swear by the Kievs. They are a much more complicated camera which can mean more possibilities of problems. The workmanship on the Kievs really went downhill in the late 1970s. One made in the '60s is probably the best bang for the buck.

Attached is a photo shot at a recent street fair of a mother and her

son. My 1955 FED 1 still is a decent picture taker, as well as being

nice and compact.<div></div>

I had an early version which wasn't anything to brag about (few zooms in that period were) and a model from near the end that was really a pretty secent lens that had decent contrast and snappy colors.

 

I think the 43-86 was a lot like the ai 35-135mm --there were good ones and some that were pretty bad --inconsistent quality.

What appeared to be a decent F2 (not battle scarred), with 1.4 lens, went for $128 the other day.

I also consider my 24-120 D zoom much better than some of the reviews I've seen -- sharp and good contrast. As far as I'm concerned the price they are fetching nowadays make them a real bargain.

Too much fine print for me. I can't think of any camera I want that bad.

Way back when the 124G came out we used them at a newspaper where I worked. They took quite a beating there but one of the first areas where we had problems was uneven film advance. Don't remember the exact cause but we generally considered it the weak point of the camera.

The price increases may not continue as shipping prices from FSU regions have shot up dramatically. It used to cost $12 to get a camera from most Ukraine points. Now it's $20 or more.

The main increases I have seen pricewise have been in the Zorki and FED 1s. Two years ago I picked up some really nice cameras from that group for $30 to $40. You might find some beaters for that price now but most are above $50 -- and a lot of sellers now are listing prices in pounds which really drives up prices for U.S. buyers. Can't blame them for trying to get whatever the market will bear -- that's capitalism:)

> Who expects to do anything on the Web without Macromedia Flash and Java?

>You mean those of us that want to surf the internet for information >and not for flashy graphics and ads?

 

>Well, me, at least.

 

Add me to that group

I tend to agree that it is a myth that it is easier to hand hold a rangefinder at slow speeds--at least if we are talking about RFs that are much lighter than their slr kin. I find the weight of an slr (at least the older ones) make it easier for me to hold them steady at slow speeds. Of course, if you are talking about an RF like the Leica M3 it's a different story, as it has some weight to it that helps keep it steady at slow speeds.

A presentation Z4 is fairly unusual. Seems like a lot of the earlier Zorki 2Cs were used for presentations. Several showed up on the bay a couple of years ago. But I haven't seen many inscribed Z4s

 

Oleg does good work. I've sent him several cameras, in fact he just finished replacing the curtains on an early postwar FED 1 and rebuilding a "Red" Zorki 5 for me. They are on their way home as we speak.

Nice shots from your Zorki. They are very capable picture takers when tuned up. The I-22 is a very good lens.

The local Best Buy had that combination for $795 (I think that was the price) in its Sunday advertisement.