In Need of Tips for using my Moskva-2

2wheel2rist · Jun 13, 2014

So I've got a little Soviet-made Moskva-2 coming to me all the way from war torn Ukraine, and I'm going to need some protips on how exactly I can make the most of the old girl. I am not very familiar with Medium Format shooting, but I'm excited to dive right into with this ancient camera. If you've never owned one of these, but feel you could help if you knew more about it, take a look here:

Moskva-2 - Camerapedia

Any tips, suggestions, stories about troubles you've had and their solutions, or even just ideas on what to shoot would be most appreciated.

webestang64 · Jun 13, 2014

Closest I have to that camera is my Foldex 620 which I shoot with on a regular basis......

The bigest concern for these old folding cameras is the bellows. On my 620 the bellows is in wonderful shape but on other cameras I have the bellows are dried out and cracked. Let's hope yours is in good shape.

webestang64 · Jun 13, 2014

Found this on yours........Soviet and Russian Cameras - Moskva-2

2wheel2rist · Jun 13, 2014

Thanks! I did examine the bellows super thoroughly, even going as far as asking for extra pictures before I purchased. unless the seller was falsifying them , I'm in great shape with the bellows.

I nearly bought a Kodak six-20 instead, but was basically turned off by the respooling process (no darkroom access here). I'm assuming that's what you have to do with your foldex. the Moskva's rangefinder is supposed to be really curious, how does your foldex focus?

webestang64 · Jun 13, 2014

I do reload my own reels, 120 to 620. You could if needed just get a dark bag from a online photo store such as B&H to reload your own.

My 620 has all the adjustments on the front of the lens, aperture, shutter speed, F-stop. On this model it has a fixed focus.

Here is a shot I really like I took with the 620 on Konica IR film, 1/60 F-11.

2wheel2rist · Jun 13, 2014

This brings up something I'm curious about: it seems that almost everybody I've found posting pictures from cameras like these has shot in B&W. is there some reason why color film would have issues in these cameras? I only ask because I already have 4 or so rolls laying about that I could make use of if there's no issue.

Also, about B&H, I live right across the bridge from B&H's main retail location in Manhattan, so I could certainly pick up a bag. I didn't know you could do such things in a bag.

As I'm sure you know, all of my adjustment bits are on the front as well, but what I was driving at is that it seemed like there was no visual focus confirmation. but then, I guess you wouldn't need it if the focus was totally fixed. The Moskva has a rangefinder, but from what I've read about the way it works, its not like any rangefinder I've ever used (and I'm quite familiar with using them on all my non-autofocusing polaroids). Have you ever used a rangefinder similar to the one on a Moskva before? If so, how would you rate its performance?

That's a great picture! I'm assuming that's an example of the 6x9 format that these guys typically shoot correct?

webestang64 · Jun 13, 2014

Hmmmmm....from looking at the photo of your camera, you have to look through the eye piece that is sticking up from the focus wheel. I believe you use that eye piece to focus with.

Nothing wrong with shooting color. I mainly shoot B&W because I dev/print all my B&W in my darkroom myself without having to rely on others. Of course I'm also very lucky to work at a camera store/lab so I can dev/scan all my own color.

Yep.....this 620 shoots 6x9. I also have a Mamiya 6x4.5 and a Argus 620 that shoots 6x6.

vintagesnaps · Jun 13, 2014

Across the bridge from B&H!! That sounds like a good place to be!

I was using one of my cameras last weekend that is 6x9 format - I got 8 photos on the roll of film. But I don't have anything with a rangefinder like that...

Are you familiar with Alfred's Camera pages? His is a 5 not a 2 but it looks similar (and he has a rather long story about finding the camera in Germany and getting there just before the shop was closing so he didn't see til too late that it was in rather crappy condition!). Anyway I see too that Mike Butkus' site has a copy of the manual.

ACP - Moskva-5

MOSKVA 2, 4, 5 rollfilm rangefinder instruction manual, user manual, PDF manual, free manuals

Film Photography Project | An Internet Radio Show & On-Line Resource for Film Shooters Worldwide often respools and sells 620 film. I've been doing B&W film too but I don't see why you couldn't use color film.

2wheel2rist · Jun 14, 2014

Yes! living in/next to NYC has it's perks and its hideous downfalls. Adorama is also based here if you're a fan of great Film/camera stores.

that manual is easily one of the most informative things i've come across. Thanks! it did enlighten me a bit on the operation of the settings. I suppose i would have figured all that out once the camera was in my hands, but at least this way i dont stand a chance of screwing anything up while i experiment. The rangefinder still looks like witchcraft to me. I'm totally familiar with the application of rangefinders (i love how effective they are at determining precise focus on my Polaroid Folders), but for the life of me i can't figure out exactly how this one is supposed to work. All the rangefinders i've ever used were self contained within the viewfinder (because the cameras were about 20-30 years younger than this one). My Land 450's rangefinder is even made/designed by Zeiss just like this one, but this apparently works with two independent parts. I'll say it again: Witchcraft.

The only reason i was asking about the B&W preference is because i have about 6 rolls of the Lomography redscale stuff laying around that i'd love to use up before i go buying new film. It's color though, so i'd be interested to find out if anybody has any color film run though a Moskva or contemporary.

minicoop1985 · Jun 15, 2014

You didn't happen to buy that from a guy named Mike Haley, did you? He's been dealing in a lot of old Soviet cameras that he acquired while living in Ukraine, and I got a Mir 3 from him. There's a ton of dealers, I know, but just wondering.

The Moskva is a cool camera. 6x9, right? I'd go for some landscapes, personally. That huge 6x9 negative does serious justice to any decent lens.

limr · Jun 15, 2014

So the rangefinder window is separate from the viewfinder window on the Moskva? That's how it is on my Land Camera 100 - are your Polaroids other models that combine the two viewers? If that's the issue, it's really not too hard to get used to. Just focus in one window and compose in another.

I might be missing something, but I haven't had coffee yet so I have an excuse

I'm just psyched to see another Polaroid shooter! I've also got Russian cameras, but not folders. I've got a Zorki 6 and a Lubitel 166B. My experience with the Russian stuff is that they are often underrated and they have better-than-expected glass.

2wheel2rist · Jun 15, 2014

minicoop1985 said:
You didn't happen to buy that from a guy named Mike Haley, did you?

not unless his name is "asterliks" on ebay.
I am totally down to shoot some landscapes and epic architecture ect, but i'll have need of some more personal applications before long. do these types of folders not do so well with action shots/live subjects?

limr said:
So the rangefinder window is separate from the viewfinder window on the Moskva? That's how it is on my Land Camera 100 - are your Polaroids other models that combine the two viewers? If that's the issue, it's really not too hard to get used to. Just focus in one window and compose in another.

I might be missing something, but I haven't had coffee yet so I have an excuse I'm just psyched to see another Polaroid shooter! I've also got Russian cameras, but not folders. I've got a Zorki 6 and a Lubitel 166B. My experience with the Russian stuff is that they are often underrated and they have better-than-expected glass.

did you say something about shooting polaroids? http://i.imgur.com/SVhNB1R.jpg

My land camera is a 450, so it has the Zeiss Ikon Finder. It's all one piece, just like the Rangefinder in the SX70 folding cameras, which you can see i also use quite a bit. I wouldn't say it's so much a problem to figure out the Moskva's finder, it's just that i'm extremely curious as to how it's actually going to work. I dont even have the camera in my hands yet, so i don't have the luxury of exploring on my own. The weird thing i garnered from reading the manual and examining many pictures is that it seems you look through one hole, but what you see is somehow an amalgam of images from two holes, one of which is lined up with the little pop up lense on the front of the camera. you then operate it like any normal rangefinder, superimposing the image on the object on which you want to focus. once you've got your focus, you then switch to the framing viewfinder and compose. the theory is fine, i get that, i just can't quite wrap my head around HOW it manages this. Prism witchcraft i guess.

minicoop1985 · Jun 15, 2014

I have had zero luck with folders and action shots. I don't have a real rangefinder on mine though (Franka Rolfix), just a guesstimate and go zone focus. So f16 and infinity focus it is... lol

2wheel2rist · Jun 15, 2014

minicoop1985 said:
I have had zero luck with folders and action shots. I don't have a real rangefinder on mine though (Franka Rolfix), just a guesstimate and go zone focus. So f16 and infinity focus it is... lol

i have this habit of focusing on a near object, then composing with it offcenter and trying to create as much depth as possible. I dont know if it's good photography, but for some reason it always speaks to me. i dont think i could do that well if didn't have a rangefinder or some kind of direct visual representation of my focus. i understand the Moskva needs a tripod adapter to be used with a tripod, so that means i won't be using a tripod. i guess i'll just try to hold as steady as i possibly can and hope for the best. i do have habitually shaky hands.

compur · Jun 15, 2014

The tripod socket on these cameras is for European-style tripods, which uses a 3/8″ diameter screw. You can get adapters to convert these to the North American-style 1/4″ socket. Check eBay. They only cost about a dollar.