Best model Zorki?

[Katastrofo]

I would like to hear your thoughts, OK read about them, concerning the
Zorkies. I like what I see in the Zorki 5 except for the shutter speed only
going to 1/500.

Thoughts?

Bill

[montecarlo]

Rick I think knows them well.
What I heard Zorky 4K has a brighter viewfinder and has a lever for film winding not a knob.

[F16SUNSHINE]

I'm Curious as well.
I saw a listing for a Zorki 6 (could be mistaken maybe it was a Fed )
It seems to have a very long baseline compared to the others whichever it was.
Recently I have added a couple longer lenses to the RF kit (90 and 135) with some frustration focussing.
I feel that going for the longest baseline possible should be a priority in any exchangeable lens RF.
Unless of course there will "never" be a desire to shoot long lens in close focus.
In which case it is less critical but still beneficial for more accurate focussing.

Bill are you moving in to a LTM system?

[Katastrofo]

[Katastrofo]

[F16SUNSHINE]

A great move!
Attila and I had an exchange thrue PM about this.
The UW and RF combo is truly unlike any lens in the kits we all have.
It really opens up a new world playing with unfamiliar perspectives.
I find myself putting the camera into all sorts of weird places.
It truly is a creative tool like no other and a lot of fun.

[rick_oleson]

I like the early (up to about 1965) Zorki 4, mainly because I like having a full range of speeds. The finder is OK but not great, I can't see the whole frame with my glasses on and the diopter correction goes so far that it's NEVER within the range of human eyesight when you pick up the camera. It's a reliable camera though and it doesn't leak light.

After about 1966, they lost the strap lugs, changed from leather grain to ugly ribbed vinyl covering, and worst, stopped engraving the shutter speeds and just printed them onto the chrome. If you want a bargain and an adventure, there are a lot of 4K's and late 4's with no shutter speed markings left on them, available pretty cheap.

[Katastrofo]

Thanks, Rick, yeah, the cams with no markings for settings would be loads
of fun to use. I have an all-black FED-2 I was going to send to Fedka,
but I may just throw it on ebay for an as-is auction. I hear the Zorki has
a better viewfinder than the Fed, maybe I've seen this from you, but I'm
not getting any younger and a dim small viewfinder is not something I want
to have around. The Kiev 4 has a great viewfinder, in comparison.

Bill

[F16SUNSHINE]

Ahh..... well I should have caught this before the PM I sent you Bill.

[rick_oleson]

I think the viewfinder is an acquired taste... The Z4 finder is very large, almost life size, but you have to get your eye very close to see it all. With my glasses, I lose a lot of it, to the point that I use an 85mmlens on the camera without an aux finder and just assume that what I'm seeing in the camera is pretty close. In the FED3, the finder is smaller, but I can easily see the entire frame, overall I find it more comfortable to use - and the rotating-eyepiece diopter correction on the FED stays where you set it much better than the lever on the Zorki. But my FED is kind of roughly made compared to the Z4, it is not as light tight and there is no 1/1000 speed setting, so overall I like the Zorki a lot better than the FED in spite of the finder.

[Nesster]

I found similar between the Fed3 and Zorki (something): The Z vf was large, luxurious, with glasses I had to peer around in it, it was bright... but on the two samples I looked through the VF patch was very faint. With the F3, I was looking through a dim tunnel, but the VF patch was clearly seen to focus with. I got the F3 for this reason. However, when it starts to get dark out it is hard to focus with.

So, I'm curious which LTM ultrawides?

[Katastrofo]

Andy, I answered your PM.

Rick, thanks, since I wear glasses, have to, to focus, your points are well
taken.

Nesster, seriously thinking about the 15mm with viewfinder from Cameraquest. Since I'd use that viewfinder, any light-tight box with good
shutter would do.

[Trawlerman]

I've always like the Zorki 4K.

Right now I have a modded one with a nice Red Leather and a brace of Jupiter Lenses and a Turret Finder.

[F16SUNSHINE]

nice one Trawler.
So tell us. Where are you dropping the hook these days?

Welcome to the group