Zorki 4K vs Leica M

[Huss]

I can buy one with a lens that is ready to go for half the cost of an unserviced Canon body.

There's a reason for that.

 

[George Mann]

There's a reason for that.

Yes, because people constantly bad-mouth them, with most of it being the result of expecting miracles from an ancient unserviced camera.

I will be buying one of these in freshly serviced condition from Oleg (OKVintageCamera), not some random person on eBay.

 

[George Mann]

The viewfinder in a Zorki is much more dim, smaller, has no frame lines, no parallax correction, and has a dim ill defined rangefinder blob/patch.

OK. So you say that you like the Fed 2 the best. Some state that it has a good rangefinder patch. How would you rate yours?

 

[StepheKoontz]

Yes, because people constantly bad-mouth them, with most of it being the result of expecting miracles from an ancient unserviced camera.

I will be buying one of these in freshly serviced condition from Oleg (OKVintageCamera), not some random person on eBay.

A lot of assumptions there.. And I have shot very successfully with "ancient, unserviced" Canon, Nikon and Nicca rangefinder cameras, yet had frustration and failure from trying a freshly serviced FSU Zorki (and it was one of the early models claimed to be more reliable). Not just the rangefinders, brand new serviced/upgraded by Hartblei Kiev 60's as well that were pure disappointments.

I'm not sure why you even made the original post, you had already made your decision before you asked the question and now you don't like the answers. As another poster said: a Leica M just disappears in your hand, a tool that gets out of your way and allows you to focus on shooting. A FSU camera is a distraction, that has you always wondering if you are wasting your time shooting with it. Most of the time, that is exactly what you will end up doing.

 

[George Mann]

I'm not sure why you even made the original post, you had already made your decision before you asked the question and now you don't like the answers.

My original question did not ask of which camera to buy, so you misread my intention.

I believe that most of the answers here are highly biased against the FSU offerings, so I will take them with a grain of salt.

Furthermore, I have yet to find someone who has actually owned a Fed 2 that has a legitimate complaint about it.

 

[vickersdc]

Have to say that I have used a couple of Zorki's in the past and they've been okay. However, I have a 1937 Leica IID and a '56 IIIf screwmount Leicas and they still work flawlessly even after all these years. I tend to use them up in the Alps as I don't have to worry about batteries dying on me! I've had the IID serviced and have nothing but praise for both of these Leicas.

 

[miha]

I inherited one from my grandfather, the lens is 50mm f2 Jupiter. The fit and finish of the camera are very good, no complaints in this department, however, the viewfinder is too tiny for an eyeglass wearer.

 

[Huss]

OK. So you say that you like the Fed 2 the best. Some state that it has a good rangefinder patch. How would you rate yours?

It is easily the brightest out of my Soviet cams. It is a blob, but easy to use. It's one reason why I like the Fed the most.

 

[Huss]

Yes, because people constantly bad-mouth them, with most of it being the result of expecting miracles from an ancient unserviced camera.
.

Actually no. I bought mine serviced and in basically perfect shape. They just do not compare to even something like a Canon P. The extra money for the Canon is totally worth it.
I am just being honest about these cameras, as a user of them.

 

[Huss]

Furthermore, I have yet to find someone who has actually owned a Fed 2 that has a legitimate complaint about it.

The shutter speeds in the Fed 2 are quite limited - 1/500 to 1/30, and B. But in daylight shooting I don't find that an issue.
Changing the shutter speeds between 500 and 250 is very fiddly as they are so close together on the dial. 125 is a teeny bit further away, the rest of the speeds are fine.
The Fed 2 definitely has the nicest in hand feel due to the curved edges on the body. And turning the collar around the shutter button to rewind the film is much more pleasant than on the Zorki.
It's the one I like the most out of the group.

 

[removed account4]

I hate to ask this, but are there many people in the states who fix/cla &c Russian/Ukranian cameras like Zorkis and FEDs ( &c &c &C ) ?

 

[George Mann]

It is easily the brightest out of my Soviet cams. It is a blob, but easy to use. It's one reason why I like the Fed the most.

OK, thanks.

 

[Huss]

I hate to ask this, but are there many people in the states who fix/cla &c Russian/Ukranian cameras like Zorkis and FEDs ( &c &c &C ) ?

I couldn't find anyone to touch them. Not saying that someone wouldn't, just my regular techs that I use for any old Japanese camera said no.

If someone could put up a source that would, that would be handy.

 

[btaylor]

I believe that most of the answers here are highly biased against the FSU offerings, so I will take them with a grain of salt.

Furthermore, I have yet to find someone who has actually owned a Fed 2 that has a legitimate complaint about it.

I must be on George’s ignore list, or the “grain of salt” in my responses makes them invalid in his eyes. For future reference for someone reading this in the future:
The bias against FSU cameras is real, and realized for many here. With the exception of the very early Kiev they are just not up to the standards of their contemporaries in Japan and the West. They can work, often break, can have very good lenses. They are not pleasant to use. They can take very good pictures if everything aligns.
As I posted before, I had a FED 2. I liked it more than the any of the other FSU rangefinders I had. Huss sums up the ergonomic challenges well. But it does feel better in the hand than the other Zorkis and Kievs I had.

 

[btaylor]

I couldn't find anyone to touch them. Not saying that someone wouldn't, just my regular techs that I use for any old Japanese camera said no.

If someone could put up a source that would, that would be handy.

In my FSU rangefinder days Oleg at Fedka put me in touch with his repair guy (who has since passed on). Perhaps he has someone else in his stable here in the US. It might be worth contacting him.

 

[Craig75]

You've all entered the barren mindgarden....

 

[George Mann]

I must be on George’s ignore list

No. I only respond to the most relevant replies.

 

[George Mann]

You've all entered the barren mindgarden....

I the Great Genius take offense to this sir!

 

[StepheKoontz]

I must be on George’s ignore list, or the “grain of salt” in my responses makes them invalid in his eyes. For future reference for someone reading this in the future:
The bias against FSU cameras is real, and realized for many here. With the exception of the very early Kiev they are just not up to the standards of their contemporaries in Japan and the West. They can work, often break, can have very good lenses. They are not pleasant to use. They can take very good pictures if everything aligns.
As I posted before, I had a FED 2. I liked it more than the any of the other FSU rangefinders I had. Huss sums up the ergonomic challenges well. But it does feel better in the hand than the other Zorkis and Kievs I had.

My comments are meant for other folks, and future readers as well, given George had his mind made up before he asked "Are they comparable at all?". They aren't. None of the folks whom I use for repairs will touch them either, because they know it's not possible to warranty the repairs, through no fault of their own. Given you can pick up a Canon P or a L series for $100-150, (which BTW is MUCH closer to a Leica M than any FSU camera) it's just not worth the headache for a ergonomically and mechanically inferior camera.

 

[George Mann]

My comments are meant for other folks, and future readers as well, given George had his mind made up before he asked "Are they comparable at all?". They aren't. None of the folks whom I use for repairs will touch them either, because they know it's not possible to warranty the repairs, through no fault of their own. Given you can pick up a Canon P or a L series for $100-150, (which BTW is MUCH closer to a Leica M than any FSU camera) it's just not worth the headache for a ergonomically and mechanically inferior camera.

Point taken.

 

[George Mann]

Thanks for your responses guys. All of them were weighed. I decided to hold off on buying one for now.

Any opinions on the reliability and ergonomics of the Konica S2?

 

[Don_ih]

I thought I would compare my Zorki 4 with a collapsible Indiustar Elmar-clone to my Leica M4-2 with a 50mm Summicron. I took two shots of something with the Zorki and rewound the film, put it in the Leica, and took a couple of shots of the same thing. I haven't actually used either camera in well over a year. Anyway, as soon as I put it up to my eye I could feel the difference. It's way way more pleasant to use the Leica - the Zorki feels like using a tuna can to take photos.

 

[Huss]

..None of the folks whom I use for repairs will touch them either, because they know it's not possible to warranty the repairs, through no fault of their own...

That is why every repair guy I asked wouldn't touch them. Even Walter's Camera Repair in DTLA! And they fix anything (A Kodak Retina Reflex III, my Optima 1535 etc). They said random stuff breaks while servicing them, and some bits are just not designed to be taken apart.

 

[btaylor]

No. I only respond to the most relevant replies.

Well yes, of course. Even though I have direct experience with the exact models you have questions about. Enjoy your Konica, you have dodged a bullet on the FSU purchase. George, you certainly get a lot of responses to your posting style.

 

[Dali]

Konica Auto S2 and its wobbly lens? A very nice camera, a real gem.