This touches on another oddball theory of mine - you are better off buying Soviet cameras from eastern European sellers than US collector/users - the Americans...
2597
kelvin
kelvinlee@...
Jul 2, 2001 6:19 pm
This is a really interesting write-up. http://www.euronet.nl/~ucklomp/index.htm?http%3A//www.euronet.nl/%7Eucklomp/ zorki4/index.htm...
2596
Marc James Small
msmall@...
Jul 2, 2001 5:45 pm
... Source, please. (Trust me on this one: I have a fair amount of military experience and have also researched this point fairly extensively. The Germans...
2595
kelvin
kelvinlee@...
Jul 2, 2001 5:44 pm
Hi Does anyone know how to get the winding knob on the Zorki 4 off?...
2594
Tom
tom@...
Jul 2, 2001 5:34 pm
Hi, It is known that some recon units used cameras in the field. A 300 mm would reduce the risk when photos were taken. I doubt they were given to party...
2593
kelvin
kelvinlee@...
Jul 2, 2001 4:23 pm
My Zorki 4 from FotoUA arrived today. What a disappointment. The 1s setting is off (this I can live with), but the darn thing will not focus (cam arm is loose...
2592
Marc James Small
msmall@...
Jul 2, 2001 4:01 pm
... All of them show use. I have seen a picture of a WW2 soldier holding one but this does not prove that they were used in the field. However they are no more...
2591
nathandayton@...
Jul 2, 2001 3:54 pm
well if I could spell I would have said: The KMZ models of the FS-2 were made for the military and are so marked. All of them show use. I have seen a picture...
2590
J-2
nikitakat@...
Jul 2, 2001 3:43 pm
I've dissected a lot of Zorki-1 and FED-1 too, as well as some early FED-2. The insides are indeed much better made (the gears appear to fit better too) than...
2589
Lieu WL
lieu9310@...
Jul 2, 2001 3:25 pm
Hi I too has the same experience. My user condition cameras (Zorki C, Zorki 3, Zorki 4, Zorki 6, Feb 2, Kiev 2, Kiev 4, Kive 5 and many lenses) perform very...
2588
Marc James Small
msmall@...
Jul 2, 2001 2:40 pm
... Yes, Princelle does state that the original FS-2, or, at least, the wartime production, was made for "military"; uses -- though I haven't a clue as to what...
2587
michaelschub@...
Jul 2, 2001 2:24 pm
I said used but not abused. It is my understanding that pros and serious amateurs in the Soviet block tried out lenses before making a final selection. My...
2586
Tom
tom@...
Jul 2, 2001 2:13 pm
Hi, The First Photosniper/Fotosnaiper (princelle data) FS 2, 1937-1943, Voomp-Goi, based on a modified FED body with a 300mm Goi lens. Later also made by KMZ...
2585
nathandayton@...
Jul 2, 2001 2:08 pm
Only the KNZ models were made for the military. Nathan Dayton www.commiecameras.com (back up some time today or tommorrow) ... -- www.commiecameras.com ...
2584
Marc James Small
msmall@...
Jul 2, 2001 1:31 pm
... I don't believe so. The tale told is that the original models were made by GOI and then continued, briefly, after the War by FED. When Kruschev -- who...
2583
Robert Lilley
lilley@...
Jul 2, 2001 11:28 am
... believe that samples for the military were subject to much better QC. Just imagine a $40 Zorki-4 after a thorough $150 CLA by an experienced repairman -...
2582
J-2
nikitakat@...
Jul 2, 2001 7:56 am
I've gone through 4 Kiev35a's, all factory sealed. Two had defects from bad materials (non-opaque shutters) and two had mechanical problems. The boxes were...
2581
J-2
nikitakat@...
Jul 2, 2001 7:56 am
Kelvin ....Kiev does come from a factory named "ARSENAL":) ... __________________________________ www.edsamail.com...
2580
Kelvin
kelvinlee@...
Jul 2, 2001 5:53 am
Your bring up an interesting point ... my experiences have not varied far. But often, given the poor grade of materials used... these machines wouldn't be in...
2579
Ron Schwarz
rs@...
Jul 2, 2001 5:06 am
... In my experience to date (limited, thankfully), they all cleaned their lenses with the same necktie -- a necktie made of only the finest available 100%...
2578
michaelschub@...
Jul 2, 2001 5:03 am
A Russian émigré engineer (who worked on military projects) told me 15 years ago that the military had world-class high tech equipment and certainly could...
2577
Kevin Kalsbeek
krkk@...
Jul 2, 2001 4:54 am
Kelvin, I doubt you had an F-S-2 lens- it had a special dovetail mount for what appears to be a modified FED RF body, and were mounted to a mirror box. . The...
2576
Kelvin
kelvinlee@...
Jul 2, 2001 4:40 am
I had just the lens, from a 1977 piece. It was crude, but well built - like a tank! Kinda regret selling it ... I think I sold it for US$70. ... From: "Kevin...
2575
Kevin Kalsbeek
krkk@...
Jul 2, 2001 4:08 am
Well, I would, but fortunately that isn't necessary, as I can get one (CLA) for about$50. The original F-S jobs were evidently built for military use, and no...
2574
Kelvin
kelvinlee@...
Jul 2, 2001 3:38 am
From an e-mail I read some time back, I understand that the distribution philosophy was different in the soviet union to what we know. We are typically...
2573
Parlin 44
parlin44@...
Jul 2, 2001 3:32 am
... One for sure is the Contax mount FED TSVVS for $2,500 - $3000 that we've been seeing lately. And if I'm correct the early FotoSnipers were for military too...
2572
Kevin Kalsbeek
krkk@...
Jul 2, 2001 3:31 am
Kelvin, Well, the odd ball periscope mount would be a dead giveaway, other than that, i am clueless. I suspect we will never know the whole sordid story. B^)...
2571
Kelvin
kelvinlee@...
Jul 2, 2001 3:21 am
How could one tell which pieces came from the military and which did not? Frankly, given age, I don't expect the ones leftover from the military to be in any...
2570
Kevin Kalsbeek
krkk@...
Jul 2, 2001 3:17 am
Kelvin From what I have seen, he is essentially correct, BUT whether the quality was that much better is open to question, as I have not had the opportunity to...
2569
Kelvin
kelvinlee@...
Jul 2, 2001 2:58 am
hi all I had a chat today with my boss, who is a collector of Russian watches and microscopes. He was saying that in the old Soviet economy, there were...
