are antique cameras still practical for regular use?

[Aquarium Dreams]

A lot of those russian lenses are old zeiss designs and work pretty well. Ya might want to look for some old takumars from pentax

Have you ever used the Russian Fed-2 "Leica copy"? I've been considering buying one off and on for the past two years, but at $40-60, it's not something I can justify buying just to play with. I've been looking for someone who has one and could give an honest opinion.

 

[blackdoglab]

I've never used a FED, but I did have a Kiev rangefinder. From what I've heard, the feds are pretty good, but I'd reccomend getting one from a u.s. dealer on ebay or from a place like kiev usa. If you get one, make sure you check the shutter for pinpoints and burnholes and make sure the rangefinder is properly calibrated. The shutters are cloth with a coating of vulcanized rubber. As it ages, the rubber can flake off or become a bit nasty. Between shots, keep the lens cap on to prevent damage to the shutter. I think it might just be with the earlier feds, but many of them are bottom loaders. The later ones either have a removeable back like the kiev or it's hinged.
As for the lenses, they're supposed to be old zeiss designs. When the soviet army occupied germany, they went through both the zeiss and the voigtlander plants and took designs, machines, glass, parts, and even a few designers. So not only do you have soviet and russian made tessars etc... but there are a few cameras based on zeiss and voigtlander designs. The kiev rangerfinder was made on the same machines (the early models used the same parts) as the contax II. The Lubitel is basically a voigtlander Brilliant.

From what I've heard from a few folks, the Zorki rangefinders are better built than the feds.

 

[Mitica100]

The only caution I'd have to bring up is about the Russian lenses. Yes, they are, for the most part, of the Zeiss design but their QC (quality control) was nowhere near the one at Zeiss or better yet, Kodak. Hence out of 10 similar lenses you will get about two that are good lenses, the others are pretty much throw-aways. Test, test and test is the answer for having a good lens with your Russian camera. Oh, one more thing... With the Russian RFs you must first wind the film and then set the shutter speed dial, otherwise you'll wreck the camera.

 

[blackdoglab]

ah yes, soviet creative quality control. My kiev rangefinder had a hot shoe that wouldn't sync, and an inner bayonet that didn't like lenses.

 

[Aquarium Dreams]

Sweet. They sound like quirky little cameras. I'd like to get my hands on a Russian rangefinder or a Lubitel (or both). I'll start monitoring ebay for good deals from US sellers. Thanks for your help.

 

[blackdoglab]

I want a Lubitel too darnnit! As for rusky rangefinders, the Zorkis are probably the most reliable, but i hera the fed 5 is good too. What seems to be consistent is that Kiev makes the most complex gear that tends to have the most problems. Yeah, you can find good rangefinders and medium format systems from them ( i've thought about a kiev 60 kit) but you have to look around a bit and know the folks you're dealing with. On the other hand, i think that KMZ makes simpler but more reliable stuff (the Zenits and the Horizon)