New member asks advice

Hello to everyone- I've just joined the site.

I've recently got back into film photography, bought an Olympus OM-2 and a few lenses, but I'm seriously considering buying either a Zorki-4/4K or a Mir 35mm R/F camera.

Do any of the members have any advice for me on general things to look out for? I've seen a 28mm lens for sale on ebay, but apparently its from a 'Chaika' half-frame and I'm not sure if it would work well on the above R/F cameras?

The whole idea of getting a Russian camera is that its something I can just carry around, and a with a wideangle lens fitted, would be ideally small enough to fit into a pocket or bag.

If anyone can help, please do.

:)

Hello David

Well, the OM-2 is a single lens reflex (SLR), the Zorki 4/4K/Mir is a range finder (RF). That's one of the differences, an other is that the Olympus has a build-in light meter, for the Zorki you need an external one. And if you look through the finder of a SLR you will see the picture that will be taken. With a RF you will need in addition a finder for a lens with a focal length other than 50mm.

The Chaika lens will not work with a Zorki, but you can look at an Orion-15 (28mm) or an Jupiter-12 (35mm). Even the Russar MR-2 (20mm) is a very interesting lens but not so cheap.

For a small russian camera I advise a Zorki 1 with Orion-15. Maybe with a 28mm finder. It's just like an original Leica but not so expensive ... ;-> - And a German Gossen [1] or a Japanese Sekonic [2] light meter.

Best wishes - Guido


[1] http://www.gossen-photo.de/english/index.php
[2] http://www.sekonic.com/

I've got a Gossen Lunalite, so that's one thing less.

Do the Orion-15 lenses come up for sale often? Thanks for the advice :)

David

Hi David and welcome to the forum!
The idea to go from digital photography back to the film photography is not bad, but I think the better idea is to use both of them .
About your question Zorki-4 or mir: Mir is a simplified version of Zorki-4 for domestic market. But first of all you have to answer the question, what goals you are going to reach? Which cameras are good for you, RF, SLR or something else?
And don't forget: russian cameras are not pocket cameras, they are good, but big and heavy enough.

Regards, Alexander

I prefer film to digital, its more art.

As for goals, abstracts and fragments :)

I like the randomness of an RF camera, prefocus and just shoot, see what happens. The SLR is for more measured projects.

Hi David!

Welcome...
It seems you know what you need...
If it is for shooting, I would say a Zorki 1, like Guido. And I would put on it a Jupiter 12, an excellent 35mm that you can have for nothing or almost. The Orion 15 is less cheap.

You can put a Zorki with its lens in a big pocket. The only question is the additional finder, not really necessary with a 35mm (for me, at least).

Amitiйs. Jacques.

Hello David

At the moment there ars some Orion-15 for sale at eBay:

370906892942 332 US$
251428631831 289 US$
261383175700 289 US$
400579809396 377 US$
370826612344 479 US$
131091309522 295 US$
111260950575 149 UKЈ
111264682389 150 EUR
200996384996 180 UKЈ
200924699700 198 UKЈ

Best wishes - Guido

Merci, Jaques et Guido.

I've seen the Zorki-1, but the split viewfinder/rangefinder is too fiddly for me. I prefer the convenience of a combined finder/rangefinder.

The prices for the Orion lenses are a bit beyond me just now, so I may well go for a 35mm lens instead. I like the Russian cameras, they have a very functional look. I also need one that has lugs on it to attach a strap, Apparently Zorki and Mir made up to 1968 have them fitted. I find camera cases awful fiddly, in all honesty.

I've been in touch with a fellow on ebay who is looking for one of these cameras for me- exterior condition isn't important as long as it works and is clean.

I've got a Zeiss Ikon Contessa with a separate Voightlander rangefinder, an OM-2 with 50mm f1.8, 50mm f3.5 macro, 28mm f3.5, 35-70mm f3.6 and the Winder 2, plus the aforementioned Gossen Lunalite meter.

The Contessa is lovely, but the lack of built-in rangefinder is a bit of a pain. It does have a built-in Selenium meter though, which works perfectly.

I've always been fascinated by Russia, in general. I like their art and (although I'm a pacifist) their tanks from WW2, and their military history.

I like the photography of A. Rodchenko as well, he sort of inspired me to take up photography in the first place- all those off-centre angles and odd viewpoints are like the kind of things I enjoy doing, although I'm more interested in fragments and weak colours, plus architectural shapes.

My major influence, although it's almost impossible to do photographically, is Situationism. All that notion of free play and the derive are things I think a photographer can relate to if not show in his/her output.

I taught myself photography, never had any lessons as such in it. The only thing I learned was how to develop a black and white film. I'll probably just buy colour negative film- the local supermarket will develop and scan the negs onto a CD for Ђ3/Ј3, and I can then make black and white images on the MacBook. I don't believe in or want to do any post-production, got to keep things pure :) I would like to try infra-red film though, maybe some slide film as well.

Any thoughts on these two bodies?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/321288318213?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649
and
http://www.ebay.com/itm/321288505189?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

If anyone has a Jupiter-12 going cheap, get in touch :)

Hello everyone!

Been busy, but did get a MIR body, which came with an Industar-26 50mm f3.5, and I also got an Industar-22 50mm f3.5 collapsible lens too. I'm also getting an Orion-15 28mm and a Jupiter-12 35mm lens. I'll get some adaptors to use them on my M4-2.

The MIR is very nice, it had been CLA'd. It handles very well and I'm just putting some colour negative film through it (AGFA 200 ASA)- should be interesting to see the results.

I sold the OM-2 and bought a Nikon F2 instead, felt it was a better choice for what I wanted.

Hello David,

sounds like you found what you were looking for ! The J-12 fits very well on the M4-2, I have the same set-up. I don`t know about the collapsible lenses, though. The Leitz 5cm 1:3.5 Elmar (red-scale) that I own scratched the light baffle of my M4-P when collapsing the lens and only slightly turning it. You better might check carefully with your I-22 50/3.5 lens.

Thanks!

Thanks too for the advice re: collapsible 50mm on the M4-2 as well. I remember seeing some DIY job on the lens barrel that involved wrapping a bit of DYMO (or similar) halfway down the lens barrel to stop the rear element hitting the baffle.