I have discovered why soviet lenses do not focus properly

Marco B · Jan 4, 2012

Steve Smith said:
Go on then. I like a good explosion.

Steve.

I think the rocket ditched in the ocean right from the start... with intend! You know, it wasn't Soviet build... only Soviet design Soyuz rockets carry humans to outer space these days

michaelbsc · Jan 4, 2012

David Lyga said:
The engineering with the Soviet rangefinders was rather good but the quality control was beyond belief and sporadic. A few good ones made it through. - David Lyga

I don't recall who made this observation, but I thought it was appropriate.

In much the same way that the Japanese Contax were German engineered cameras manufactured in Japan the Kievs and FEDs were German cameras manufactured in the FSU. So as you point out, the engineering was good, but the quality was spotty.

There was no quality control to speak of. I have a few very nice ones that were made nice by Eddy Smolov for me. I have no clue how many carcasses he robbed for good parts to make them that way, and the dioper arm on one is just screwed down and frozen so it can't get fubarred again.

I guess I can say that for me the quality program was in Brooklyn!!

Mustafa Umut Sarac · Jan 4, 2012

I think something wrong against soviet cameras. Big portion of APUG prefers Leicas , Hasselblads , Linhof , Rollei but when it comes to FSU cameras they wait miracles from 50 dollar Zorki. If you can try a Anamorphic Square Front 21 mm LOMO lens for 25000 dollars and see how soviet products work !
Trying to make a goal from cheapest product and compare with most expensive , is not IQ driven.
If you compare with japanese goods , there is no equivalent of sony , panasonic in usa also.

holmburgers · Jan 4, 2012

I think it's a great joke....

Along with what Umut says, have you ever had a Sovtek guitar amp? Built like tanks, powerful, well made, reliable.

Steve Smith · Jan 4, 2012

holmburgers said:
have you ever had a Sovtek guitar amp? Built like tanks, powerful, well made, reliable.

I use their valves (tubes) in some of the stuff I make but I didn't know they made amps.

EDIT: Or perhaps I did and had forgotten. After getting Mr Google to show me some pictures, I do recall seeing them before.

An amp like that is something anyone can make using garden shed based technology.

Steve.

Dali · Jan 4, 2012

Mustafa Umut Sarac said:
I think something wrong against soviet cameras. Big portion of APUG prefers Leicas , Hasselblads , Linhof , Rollei but when it comes to FSU cameras they wait miracles from 50 dollar Zorki. If you can try a Anamorphic Square Front 21 mm LOMO lens for 25000 dollars and see how soviet products work !
Trying to make a goal from cheapest product and compare with most expensive , is not IQ driven.
If you compare with japanese goods , there is no equivalent of sony , panasonic in usa also.

Cheap does not mean malfunctioning. Poor assembly + a total lack of maintenance for decades = a pile of junk. In most cases, $50 is too expensive for what it worth.

Don't get me wrong: I love soviet cameras (I own and use half a dozen) but most have to be rebuilt to work correctly and it costs way more than $50. Are you willing to pay $350 to get a Kiev or a Zorki totally CLAs???

Take care.

Mustafa Umut Sarac · Jan 4, 2012

I am living not distant from Russia and I bought many Soviet cameras at 80s and 90s. I think Russian mafia is sending the junk cameras to America. I can get it perfect condition for 100 or less dollars here.

guitstik · Jan 6, 2012

Mustard, you should go into business then selling the good FSU cameras you get ahold of, you'd make a killing. I would love to have a few of these cameras but I have been turned off by the horror stories I have heard. There is no denying that they have a cult following but I can't afford to join a cult. If you can get your hands on some good quality pieces at reasonable prices let me know and I will buy.

Someonenameddavid · Jan 21, 2012

You know guys: the "not focussing because of a subversive element" was a joke, a play on words: the English language is full of them.....

Lloydy · Jan 22, 2012

Someonenameddavid said:
You know guys: the "not focussing because of a subversive element" was a joke, a play on words: the English language is full of them.....

Lost in translation.

Steve Smith · Jan 22, 2012

Someonenameddavid said:
You know guys: the "not focussing because of a subversive element" was a joke, a play on words

Someonenameddavid said:
Well, you see, being communist there's always a subversive element

Yes, but the rest of the world doesn't understand why Americans think communist equals subversive!

Steve.

JBrunner · Jan 25, 2012

Steve Smith said:
Yes, but the rest of the world doesn't understand why Americans think communist equals subversive!

Steve.

Americans toss around a lot of words without really knowing what they mean. I see it pretty much on a weekly basis at least.

I bought my Kiev from one of the outfits that go over them for a premium. It still broke. I should figure out something to use the lenses on.

holmburgers · Jan 25, 2012

Steve Smith said:
Yes, but the rest of the world doesn't understand why Americans think communist equals subversive!

I would have to point to the last 60 years of US history & culture, following WWII, as for why Americans think communism equals subversive.

Cold War, Korean War, Cuban Missile Crisis, Vietnam... what else am I missing?

What I mean is that starting with the baby-boomers, communism has been the "evil" force in the world as seen by Americans, and propagated in US politics, news & culture. And it's not over yet... the boogie man never goes away!

There's this billboard on I-70 near Junction City, KS (home to a big military base, Fort Riley, think Custer...) that has a large looming picture of Obama with the words, Wannabe Marxist Dictator. (ah, here it is)

So you see what we're working with here..

Vanishing Point Ent. · Jan 27, 2012

Steve Smith said:
Please explain.
Steve.

Only Humans can explain their behavior, Please Explain.

Vanishing Point Ent. · Jan 27, 2012

JBrunner said:
Americans toss around a lot of words without really knowing what they mean. I see it pretty much on a weekly basis at least.

I bought my Kiev from one of the outfits that go over them for a premium. It still broke. I should figure out something to use the lenses on.

Think Voigtlander...

Vanishing Point Ent. · Jan 27, 2012

Here is the true reason why, Soviet lenses, don't
quite focus right;

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

This was found here, in another thread, I just saved it.

michaelbsc · Jan 27, 2012

Vanishing Point Ent. said:
Here is the true reason why, Soviet lenses, don't
quite focus right;

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

This was found here, in another thread, I just saved it.

Actually they focus fine on the Soviet made bodies. The Soviet QC might have been lacking, but frankly they're pretty damned good engineers. They could get 90% of what the West did with two sticks and a rock. I was constantly amazed at how innovative they could be when I would see a knock off and realize just what they had to work with.

mdarnton · Jan 27, 2012

This is always an interesting, if misleading, discussion that seems to happen over and over. On another board recently there was a lens shoot-off, and by the time I'd stopped reading a number of people had noticed the Fed lens on a Leica was focusing about 4" behind the subject's eyes, even though the picture that was posted for "quality" comparison was tiny--something that others who missed the focus error regarded as "dreamy" quality.

One of the people there who's a constant critic of the critics over there has never, as far as I can see, posted a single photo of his own on that board that was in focus, and I do mean that literally. Obviously lots of people can't tell if something is in focus or not, yet consider themselves experts on the topic. Others don't care, and that's fine, too, but it's not OK when they call people who do care "too fussy" that their cameras should work as designed and intended. I have three Fed lenses, and a Fed (now out on permanent loan). On my Fed they all focus spot on; on my Leicas they were fine at infinity, but not at 1m, where they all focus about 4" back. It's not Leica's fault, and it's not USSR quality failure, either.

I kept my Kiev. Those lenses are great, and also focus correctly, on the camera they were made for.

mark · Jan 27, 2012

They don't focus because the vodka flowed freely in the QC department.

I have discovered why soviet lenses do not focus properly

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