04/02/2021 14:34
Hi Mike!
Great! Another convert! :-)
I have been using FSU cameras for about 5 years now and have built up a collection of about 100 or so. I've not really specialised in any particular factory's output so I have a bit of everything. Here's just a bit of my personal feelings:
- favourite camera to use: Kiev 88. I have a lot of different lenses for it and it's taken some great pictures. Of course, it's a heavy lump and the lenses are really heavy too, so a day's shooting leaves me with a pretty stiff neck!
- most reliable cameras: Smena. I've got really nice results with Smenas and they nearly always seem to work. OK, the Smena Rapid didn't do so well but maybe I didn't load the film in the rapid cassettes well.
- nicest 35mm SLR: Kiev 19/20, Zenit 19, Zenit 3, Zenit 1. Satisfying cameras to use. The Zenit 19 in particular takes good shots, it has a bad light leak around the door but I just tape the door up with electrical tape. I could change the seal if I could be bothered!
- best rangefinder: Kiev 4AM. Another Kiev! Yes, it's my favourite "brand". People do swear by Zorki 4's and 4K's but I don't have a lot of experience of them. With FEDs and Zorkis I've had quite a lot of disappointments with bad banding and some of the patches can be very dim. That said, my FED Atlas is great, and I have Kievs that are terrible - my Kiev 5 works very poorly and frame spacing can be hit or miss on many of the Contax-style Kievs.
Most of my cameras have not been CLA'd so that explains a lot of the bad results. Bear in mind that my favourite cameras tend to be the ones that by luck work properly! I have tried to fix various cameras, but none of those I've tried (FED 2, Zorki 10 and Smena 8M) has ever got back together again. So I really can't advise on that! I've successfully repaired quite a few lenses though (sticky apertures etc.) which is a good deal easier.
Anyway, welcome to the club and do post your purchases and experiences here - I for one look forward to reading about them.
Michael.
