Hektor screw Zorki wrong with 20 degrees less rotation plus Zorki range wrong

Mustafa Umut Sarac · May 7, 2015

Hello all ,

My Hektor 135 screws to Zorki wrong. Lens Tripod Socket does not sit at the bottom but 20 degrees less than the ground. Does that effect the images ?
Does lens focus ? And Zorki does not range correct more than the 4 meters ? Is it normal ?

my zorki is from 1956 , serial is 56010746

my leitz wetzlar hektor 135mm is 1560713 coated.

Umut

klop · May 7, 2015

Does the Hektor have the rangefinder ring or tab where it contacts the rangefinder cam?

Mustafa Umut Sarac · May 7, 2015

klop said:
Does the Hektor have the rangefinder ring or tab where it contacts the rangefinder cam?

yes , it does have it but I dont know if screwing angle effects it. It does not screw as horizontal is horizontal , vertical is vertical , 15-20 degrees error is there , it finds range until 4 meters distance than 30 meters is 6 meters or so..

klop · May 7, 2015

I was thinking the if the lens is twisted enough the cam might catch the edge of the tab and throw off its accuracy.

As long as the seat where the lens tightens to the mount ring is the same distance from the film plane as the barnacks, the camera should be capable of using that lens. I have a couple Zorki 4's that I have not tested which wouldn't really help you anyway.

Gerald C Koch · May 7, 2015

Assuming that the Hektor is constructed like other lenses a repairman can change the position of the outer cylinder relative to the inner cylinder of the lens. The outer cylinder contains the focusing scale and I would assume the tri-pod mount. The two cylinders are held together by three small headless screws. This adjustment will not effect how the lens focuses but will make it easier to use. However once this is done the lens will then be wrong for Leica cameras.

Xmas · May 8, 2015

Hi Umut

Could be the zorki or the hector or both.

My FSU LTM 135 is ok on Canon or Leica LTMs.

You need to try the lens on another body for each of tripod mount and range finder coupling.

Noel

Mustafa Umut Sarac · May 8, 2015

Hello all,

Thanks for the answers. Our dear friend Darko Saric has been sent the lens to me and he put few pictures with his 3c and he did not report any error. With a big possibility , it is Soviet Zorki error.

I will use the lens at Istanbul Bosphorus to photograph the sea , clouds , sky and thousands of passing ships. He could not send the lens better time than now.

Can camera be corrected ? Is there a chance ?

Thank you all for wonderful APUG family,

Umut

darkosaric · May 8, 2015

I tested this lens with M3 and adapter, and focus was accurate. Could it be that on zorki only rangefinder patch is wrong? Couple of shots on infinity can show that.

Mustafa Umut Sarac · May 8, 2015

Thank you Darko , Good morning by the way ! It would be too simple to buy a new fed or zorki at istanbul , I loved the lens too much , its extremelly clean , aluminum shines and catches the eye and IMHO older the lens , better the leica. I will send you few Istanbul shots with pm from google earth , I will live at yenikoy bosphorus istanbul , or yeniköy , such a wonderful place , I am trying to copy google earth pictures but no luck Check it with your computer and earth.

best,

Umut

MDR · May 8, 2015

If I remember correctly the 135mm Hektor is one of the Leica LTM lenses that is incompatible with Zorki, Fed etc... this has something to do with the different forms of the RF tab on the Russian cameras and Leicas.

georg16nik · May 8, 2015

Your issue is caused by the Zorki RF cam design and might need tweaking to make it work - if possible at all.
On Leica the RF cam is a roller, a more complex and elegant design compared to FED and Zorki.
attached pics from jay.fedka.com & rangefinderforum.com

Mustafa Umut Sarac · May 8, 2015

Thank you MDR and Georg,

I think I cant tweak a solid piece of steel to am leica engineered roller.
Best solution is to sell few cameras and lenses and buying a Leica body.

And lens does not screw as it needs to be ,

do you think an other soviet body could handle the screw of the lens ?

Thanks,

Umut

ic-racer · May 8, 2015

Are cameras from the 'Western World' that scarce in Istambul? I'd not recommend a Zorki to anyone interested in photography, unless they have some fashionable desire to be seen with some old-style camera. They are fragile and un-reliable. Fun if you like tinkering and can get them for free. So I do have a few Zorkis and Zenits. My first SLR was a Zenit-E I got in 1973, I speak from experience.

Mustafa Umut Sarac · May 8, 2015

ic racer,

I bought 7 Leicas in istanbul , you can find everything here but my relation with Leica or copies is special. I take everything I want without missing anything with LTM , same as Soviet ones. And I do everything better with Kiev 60 or 88 compared to any camera I have starts from dating 1924. I never use a japanese camera or lens.never.

georg16nik · May 8, 2015

Mustafa Umut Sarac said:
...
do you think an other soviet body could handle the screw of the lens ?..
Umut

The lens thread is not an issue, the lip of the lens is.

ic-racer said:
Are cameras from the 'Western World' that scarce in Istambul? I'd not recommend a Zorki to anyone interested in photography, unless they have some fashionable desire to be seen with some old-style camera......

Zorki 1, when not frankensteined by weekend warriors repair-man-wannabe, is more than perfectly capable camera.
Same for FED 1,2.

Let's be real, most FSU cameras landed in US are dogs but not all FSU cameras are like that.

Mustafa Umut Sarac · May 8, 2015

The thing happens to leicas and soviet leicas is more dramatic than the thing happens to a chicken

Mustafa Umut Sarac · May 8, 2015

For sake of a researcher , I communicated with Georg and he says screwing error caused by camera rangefinder cam.

Can I still take sharp pictures ,- if the lens not fitted to the screw and the rangefinder cam correctly - if I measure the distance and the kept aperture tight ?

Xmas · May 8, 2015

The simplest thing to do is a newspaper at 45 degrees to line of sight at distance on lens scale and take a photo. If the news print is not sharp where it should be sharp then the optical part is not at the correct position relative to the mechanical part ie the focus scale.

If you had a Leica M and adapter you could use a ground glass plate at the film plane rather than a photo.

This is a normal problem with rangefinders or rangefinder lenses after a repair or damage.

Some people dismantle lenses and don't bother to adjust them on reassembly.

I've not detect any problems with my J13 (135mm) apart from the aluminium finish being horrible.

Note if your Hector has a rangefinder tongue as the diagram earlier there is risk to damage to any of the FSU rangefinders the soviet lenses all have flat cylinders which won't interfere ie damage the rangefinder follower. Not all LTM lenses are compatible with all LTM bodies.

Eg late Canons don't accept the J12 LTM 35mm.

Mustafa Umut Sarac · May 8, 2015

Hello all ,

I talked with Georg and decided to remove the cam , there is a plastic piece holds the cam at its place with a screw and I found it is difficult to remove the screw without screwdriver and a knife could damage the curtain. Tomorrow I will go to watch repairman and he will do it.

Xmas , seller tried the lens on m3 with adapter and there is no error , zorki cam is responsible for wrong measure and unfinished rotation.

Thanks

Xmas · May 8, 2015

Hi Umut

Sorry I edited my post.
The Hector may not be compatible.

Noel

Xmas · May 8, 2015

http://www.dantestella.com/technical/compat.html

ic-racer · May 8, 2015

georg16nik said:
The lens thread is not an issue, the lip of the lens is.

Zorki 1, when not frankensteined by weekend warriors repair-man-wannabe, is more than perfectly capable camera.
Same for FED 1,2.

Let's be real, most FSU cameras landed in US are dogs but not all FSU cameras are like that.

I'm all for preservation and use of vintage film cameras, but I feel bad for Mustafa in that it seem he just wants to take some pictures.

pschwart · May 8, 2015

Mustafa Umut Sarac said:
ic racer,

I bought 7 Leicas in istanbul , you can find everything here but my relation with Leica or copies is special. I take everything I want without missing anything with LTM , same as Soviet ones. And I do everything better with Kiev 60 or 88 compared to any camera I have starts from dating 1924. I never use a japanese camera or lens.never.

Too bad -- then you will never experience a Canon P or a Canon 7, much higher quality and reliability than any FSU camera. You will also miss out on recent Voigtlander LTM Skopars -- very good quality and used examples are inexpensive.

Mustafa Umut Sarac · May 8, 2015

Sure, ic racer , I hope tomorrow I manage to rescue the lens. I really want to take some pictures but especially the ship traffic comes from North Sea via Danube to Med via Bosphorus Strait and the subdued colors of Bosphorus but Istanbul traffic and distances are vast.

I love Istanbul and I believe the most beatiful city in the world , I lost my beatiful mother two weeks ago and my sister feels warm to my move there. I will put a middle sized plastic cabin somewhere at there and go on entire life.

I will watch the sea and the sky and the city , ships at my remaining life. I will buy a minus 40 sleeping bag and an leica binocular and hektor and photograph entire day and night.

Mustafa Umut Sarac · May 8, 2015

pschwart said:
Too bad -- then you will never experience a Canon P or a Canon 7, much higher quality and reliability than any FSU camera. You will also miss out on recent Voigtlander LTM Skopars -- very good quality and used examples are inexpensive.

Thank you , I am using Soviet cameras for last 30 years and I think I dont need to invent the wheel again. My words about lenses , I researched that subject a lot and I feel japanese lenses and films killed the film photography , tasteless things. But hexar and nikon 85 and old nikon ltm lenses are amazing .

Hektor screw Zorki wrong with 20 degrees less rotation plus Zorki range wrong

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