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Which Russian rangefinders are the most ergonomic?

George Mann

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Joined
May 14, 2017
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Denver
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35mm
I need to find an affordable rangefinder camera that I can see clearly to focus and frame with (good patch and contrast), and isn't a clumsy design that makes me not want to shoot with it.

Russian rangefinders seem to be the only game in town on the cheap.

Do any of these have any real hope of being reliable (buy from Oleg)?
 
Are there good, reliable Japanese models with good rangefinders for cheap?
 
Canons are not too expensive, on the other hand if you are not planning on needing interchangeable lens there are a number of quite good fixed lens rangefinders from the 70 and 80s, Canon QL G III 1.7 Minolta 7, Konica S2 and 3, Yashica all made pretty good consumer level cameras.
 
George Mann said:
Are there good, reliable Japanese models with good rangefinders for cheap?
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I for instance like the Petri Racer. Felt immediately attracted, but lack experience with it.
(However I find the sharp teeth on the focusing knob disturbing.)


In general I see the problem that people are into models that got a standing on the internet, likely often created as well as followed by people who only ever saw few models for real. My advice for those who got respective chances: try to get hands on really existing cameras. And see what one can do with them.
 
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https://cameraquest.com/soviet.htm
I have a small collection of FEDs and Zorkis and agree with Cameraquest , the Zorki 4K and Zorki 6 are my favorites from an ergonomic aspect.
Here are my 1970 Zorki 4 with no strap lugs or lever wind and my 1961 Zorki 6 which has strap lugs and looks the part but has a smaller viewfinder.
The later models with built in light meters were not so good looking IMO.
 
Of the Zorkis, Kievs and FED2 I had, the one I preferred to use was the FED2. Oleg would be a good choice as a store to purchase a functional one. But as I got into the better rangefinders I found Canon to be the value. I like my 7 model quite a bit, and last time I checked they were a real bargain (about $110!). It has a big parallax compensating viewfinder with an adjustable angle of view (35/50/85/135 IIRC). Metal shutter. Canon rangefinder lenses are excellent and can had at pretty reasonable prices if you are patient. Of course you can screw an excellent FSU optic on it for $20 if you want as it is a LTM mount.
 
Another thought, if you want to get into 35mm rangefinders cheap, just avoid the FSU models altogether. Because while interesting and fun (for me anyway), when you factor in all the costs for repairs and/or replacements for broken/maladjusted cameras/lenses they really are no bargain. If I had skipped them altogether it would have been cheaper in the long run.
 
On the Russian/FSU side, I have only tried a couple of FEDs (a 2 and a 4). Both worked fine, but I didn't like the ergonomics of either, so I bought a Canon P and am much happier (and thus use it regularly, with FSU LTM lenses).

Ergonomics, I think, really come down to your own particular hands. FED/Zorki/whatever are a perfect fit for somebody's hands, just not mine.
 
I picked up a Fujica rangefinder for 20 bucks at a junk store. Beautiful camera, had a 40 or 45 mm lens? Great rangefinder, had a shutter priority auto feature. Leaf shutter was gunked up. I had a CLA for 125 dollars, too pretty to set on a shelf. Camera came back in perfect condition. Meter worked, it was designed for mercury battery, I never used the meter. It's solid brass and chrome, great lens. I would look for a 1960's Japan made camera before a Bolshevik Beauty.
 
I found a Petri 1.9 rangefinder at a local thrift store also. It has a VERY nice 6 element lens. Ergonomically it is similar to Olympus OM, with the shutter, aperture and focusing all on the lens barrel. But the focusing is the dial closest to the body and has a thumb "lever" on it. It also has a standard right hand thumb wind option and a coupled rangefinder, with no light meter. As soon as I started checking it out at the store, I could tell that it was not a junky camera, even though I had never heard of it. So I took a chance on it for $40. The rangefinder isn't the biggest or brightest, but it is usable. I would think something similar from Japan would be a far more durable choice than a soviet camera.
 
Digger Odell said:
I found a Petri 1.9 rangefinder at a local thrift store also. It has a VERY nice 6 element lens.
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The Petri 1.9 Color Corrected Super was my first rangefinder and the only one I used for several years. I got it over 20 years ago and it still works fine. I think I paid $8 for it at a flea market. It's a much better camera than Petri's reputation would lead one to believe.

A lot of the older Japanese (unmetered) RFs are good, solid cameras with good lenses. All the models listed above are decent candidates and they're the usual suspects you'll find at thrift stores, etc...

The better, Interchangeable lens RFs from Japan are great but the Nikons are very expensive. Later Canons such as the P and 7 models are really excellent cameras that seldom command a lot of money.

Of the Soviet cameras, the Zorki 4 and 6 are reasonably ergonomic and are quite reliable if they've been serviced and maintained - just like any 50+ year old camera!
 
As others have mentioned, skip them and get a Canon P.

I have the Zorki4, Fed 2, Kiev something or other. And the Canon P is so much better than them ergonomically and the rest.
 
There's a story about how if you are poor you can only afford a $10 pair of boots which wear out in a year so every year you pay $10 for boots and after 5 years you've spent $50 for crap boots. If you could save up $50 you could afford a pair of good boots that would long outlast the cheapies and be better all through their life.

So: Save your pennies and buy a good camera -- the Nikon rangefinders such as the S2 I bought a while back have AMAZING rangefinders and are solid pro cameras that will last a lifetime. If you prefer Leica-mount lenses, the Canons are good.
 

Just curious, but why a RF?

Lots of very ergonomic and affordable SLR's out there with none of the reliability issues of the Russian garbage.
 
George Mann said:
Do any of these have any real hope of being reliable (buy from Oleg)?
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The short answer is yes. With a CLA, many Soviet cameras are a lot better than their reputation would have you believe. Quality control was undeniably hit or miss with these but most problems reported are simply due to years of disuse and a complete lack of maintenance, which has led to FSU cameras being referred to as "garbage" when, in many cases, the reputation is undeserved.

This is NOT to say that a well-maintained Zorki will be equal to a Leica (or a Canon or Nikon, for that matter). It is only to say that a well-maintained FSU camera can, indeed, be very reliable.
 
I hear that one can actually see to focus the rangefinder on a Fed 3 series. Is this true?
 
http://www.collection-appareils.fr/x/html/appareil-564.html
After 1964 the FED model 3b which had lever wind took over from the 3a which did not.
I don't have a model 3 but the viewfinder appears from pictures to be the same size as on the FED 2 and Zorki 6 so unlikely to be any brighter.
The Zorki 6 has lever wind and strap lugs. Some, not all, Zorki 4 have strap lugs. All Zorki 4 have larger viewfinder, brighter, but all have no lever wind which is found on the 4K but this has no strap lugs.
Some praise for the Zorki 3M here, this does have the larger viewfinder:
https://www.collection-appareils.fr/x/html/camera-11386-Krasnogorsk_Zorki 3M.html
 
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Do you wear glasses? If you do, you may prefer the smaller rangefinder/viewfinder of a fed 2, 3, etc. I have a zorki 3 ( same finder as Zorki 4) and while the finder is very big and bright, with eyeglasses I have trouble seeing the whole thing. The Kievs are worth considering also, once you get used to how to hold them. The one I use and enjoy the most is my old zorki 1. I got lucky and get a very nice, smooth operating one, and love getting my barnack on.
 
No love for the Kiev Contax copies? So far I like the Zorki 3M (hard to find), and the 4K.

The Canons are getting up there in price. Are there any others that are still within $100?
 
weasel said:
Do you wear glasses?
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Only when I drive.


I have never seen a Barnack rangefinder focus on anything.
 
George Mann said:
No love for the Kiev Contax copies? So far I like the Zorki 3M (hard to find), and the 4K.

The Canons are getting up there in price. Are there any others that are still within $100?
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I liked my Kiev, but it is clunky and awkward in my hands- I much prefer the Contax IIa.
The Canon 7 I linked to sold for $127 with a lens- so yea- petty close to a C note I would say.
 
btaylor said:
The Canon 7 I linked to sold for $127 with a lens- so yea- petty close to a C note I would say.
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I have this thing where I refuse to buy a camera with a built in meter if the meter doesn't work.

I would prefer the V/L/P models, but they usually sell for too much.

Anyway, I need to repair my van, and pay off my new F2 before buying another camera.
 
I bought a few months ago a Kiev 4a with jupiter 8. it is not the most ergonomic and not even light but it takes magical pictures. in fact with the first roll of the year I would like to start a one camera one lens one year project and even if the rollei 35te is much more portable as well as the vivitar 35es I would be almost tempted to use the kiev 4. maybe with a helios 103 ... as for the canons, I only read good things. I would have found a canon p at 99 € without lens and with slow shutter speed problems. if it's not CLA at this point it's best to leave it alone.
 
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