I wasted 1 hour to load the Barnack Zorki and no success. I am done.

Mustafa Umut Sarac · Nov 27, 2015

I am using barnacks for more than 20 years and it always took 3 minutes to load the film if I find scissors close.
Today I worked more than 1 hour to load the film and it always messed. If I find a digital camera accepts 135mm hektor and if I had money , I would never stop. There are programs simulate the film and I dont care anymore. I will never enter to what ebay buyers disasters with barnacks and its too late. Its matter of time , I will buy a panasonic or sony sensor and put the leitz , LOMO , Ektar , Goerz , Cooke in front of it. Thats all folks. I have more important things to do , buying film from us , give awesome money to postage , wait 40 days , wasting damn film in 3 days and not able to find anywhere to develop or scan. I am done.

Ko.Fe. · Nov 27, 2015

Now you know what Zorki and Barnack are two very different things. Was it last thing for you to learn with film, I don't know. But this Friday is Black for you, for sure!

Dali · Nov 27, 2015

Goodbye.

frank · Nov 27, 2015

I'm not sure it's fair to blame the camera.

Gerald C Koch · Nov 27, 2015

If I had the money I would buy the Leica monochrome. By limiting the sensor to only black and white it produces better results than color digital cameras. But alas lots and lots of money.

Ko.Fe. · Nov 27, 2015

Well, after two Zorki I used IIf for a while. Loading IIf for first time was real challenge. It was so simple after Zorki, I was thinking what something went wrong

And Monochrome is overhyped camera in terms of digital bw. It is still has plastic feel on photographed human skin.

Xmas · Nov 27, 2015

I've not had problems with Zorki I or Fed I maybe you have a pressure plate problem?

summicron1 · Nov 27, 2015

God only knows who/what worked on that Zorki in the past, or even if it worked the day it left the factory.

Stick to the real thing. Never a problem with those. As to the other film issues -- welcome to progress!

Alan Johnson · Nov 27, 2015

What was the problem Mustafa?
Usually my Zorki 1 is easy:
(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

georg16nik · Nov 27, 2015

With Barnacks it's always like this:
1. when films load fine - “you did it!!!”
2. when film won't load - “it's Barnacks fault”

Zorki I is fine piece of machinery when in operational condition, everything else are internet rumors.

Sirius Glass · Nov 27, 2015

Dali said:
Goodbye.

+ 1

frank said:
I'm not sure it's fair to blame the camera.

+ 1

I am sure that DPUG will welcome you.

Pioneer · Nov 27, 2015

Put that Zorki on the shelf and wait for the smart alec who claims he has never had a problem with a barnack type camera.

Evil

bdial · Nov 27, 2015

I suppose it may be unfair to compare loading ease (or not) of ersatz Barnacks with genuine ones, but based on my frustrations with loading a Japanese Barnack, it's hard to fathom why Leica became so famous by it.

Mustafa, obviously the only thing left for you is to buy a Leica 8 or a Monochrome as a platform for your Hektor, I can highly recommend the Monochrome. (I haven't actually used one, mind you, but the results I've seen are stunning.)
See you on the dark side.

Fixcinater · Nov 27, 2015

Why don't you buy an M-mount camera with an adapter, maybe a Voigtlander or Zeiss Ikon and use your wonderful Cooke lenses on a faster operating body with a better viewfinder?

James Page · Nov 27, 2015

Fixcinater said:
Why don't you buy an M-mount camera with an adapter, maybe a Voigtlander or Zeiss Ikon and use your wonderful Cooke lenses on a faster operating body with a better viewfinder?

This would seem to be the obvious solutuon to your problem. :munch::munch:

Sirius Glass · Nov 27, 2015

So would a good night's sleep and a fresh start, but rants about Japanese cameras and lenses can be so much fun for some. :devil:

antmar · Nov 28, 2015

Dear Mustafa.
All your lenses will work equally well or even better on a Canon 7 and loading this camera would be a joy. This is a quite affordable camera too.
Going to digital is an other decision, you have to ask yourself which one, analogue or digital procedure, you like most.

apkujeong · Nov 28, 2015

Maybe the camera needs some adjustment with a sledgehammer. Life's too short to spend it with a crappy camera

Slixtiesix · Nov 28, 2015

Mustafa, please do not leave us and please do not abandon film altogether! I always enjoyed your thoughts on the western philosophy of lens design, although some may have found them highly controversial. They were indeed, but I found them interesting to think about. Why don´t you buy an M9 (I think this is the best for the buck. M8 has a small sensor, New M is still too expensive) and use it along your film cameras?

Truzi · Nov 28, 2015

Mustafa, you're probably just having a bad day. Let it sit for a while, and try again later.

Mustafa Umut Sarac · Nov 28, 2015

Thank you everyone , I did not sleep last night and this afternoon. I think I have lots of stress. Of course I would never leave my good friends and this is my family.

I will post an article to celebrate this , I am tired but article will be excellent.

Red Robin · Nov 28, 2015

Give yourself some time. Maybe wait for that day when it's too cold, wet, hot, and then give it a go. For me, I learned finally after long and much anger/frustration not to give up before the "ah-ha" happens. Thankful I am that my cameras didn't end up in the trash bin because the first rolls had NO savers on them. Like riding a bike once you learn you'll always have it. (keep the camera!) Robin

Pioneer · Nov 28, 2015

The Barnack camera is far too much fun to use. Minor little issues like loading the film through the bottom is not worth abandoning these cameras Mustafa.

I am sure you have thought of this already but are you certain that the lever has returned to film advance. If not the little sprocket wheels will never turn and the film will never load.

Please don't ask me how I know this.

summicron1 · Nov 28, 2015

Mustafa Umut Sarac said:
Thank you everyone , I did not sleep last night and this afternoon. I think I have lots of stress. Of course I would never leave my good friends and this is my family.

I will post an article to celebrate this , I am tired but article will be excellent.

Cut yourself some slack, Umut -- some cameras are just busted. I've sat and sat with a Mamiya 645 body that just quit working, trying to figure out how I am doing something wrong, and Ive finally come to the conclusion that it's just busted, end of story, buy a new one.

Your Zorki is the same. You are an experience shooter, you've handled these things before, if it won't load it's got something wrong. Take it apart, slam it against the wall, whatever you need to do, do it and move on. Stupid thing will only cost $75 to replace anyway. $125 if you want Leica markings on it.

summicron1 · Nov 28, 2015

Mustafa Umut Sarac said:
Thank you everyone , I did not sleep last night and this afternoon. I think I have lots of stress. Of course I would never leave my good friends and this is my family.

I will post an article to celebrate this , I am tired but article will be excellent.

Cut yourself some slack, Umut -- some cameras are just busted. I've sat and sat with a Mamiya 645 body that just quit working, trying to figure out how I am doing something wrong, and Ive finally come to the conclusion that it's just busted, end of story, buy a new one.

Your Zorki is the same. You are an experienced shooter, you've handled these things before, if it won't load it's got something wrong. Maybe someone took it apart and put the pressure plate back on upside down or something --- I have heard of this happening. Or maybe there's a piece of film broken off in there, stuck, blocking it -- I had a camera where this actually happened.

Don't stress. It's a cheap camera, not worth it. Take it apart, slam it against the wall, whatever you need to do, do it and move on. Stupid thing will only cost $75 to replace anyway. $125 if you want Leica markings on it.

hmm. not sure why this posted twice. oh well.

I wasted 1 hour to load the Barnack Zorki and no success. I am done.

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency