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During our never ending search across
the globe for M42 screw mount lenses to use on our Sigma SD9 digital back, we
came
across the most wonderful Russian Rangefinder cameras, some dating back to the
50's. It was an intriguing story which unfol-
ded when we started to trace the history of these great bulletproof Russian
cameras. Like anything else the Russians built, they
were very well built and absolutely hassle free. Most of these cameras are
between 34 and 47 years old, and are still fully
functional.
The Fed's and Zorkis were direct
Leica copies, including the famous cloth shutter planes, whereas the Lubitels
were Voigtlander
copies, and the Kiev cameras Contax copies. The Russian cameras costed a
fraction of the prices of the original branded cameras,
and the general consensus is that they were equal performers, and some models
outperformed the more expensive German
counterparts.
One thing the Russians could and
still do well, is building quality lenses. They are renowned for their great
optics - Helios, Arsat,
Jupiter, Volna, Zenitar, Tair and Industar lenses are counted as the some of the world's best lenses.
And all these vintage cameras
were equiped with these lenses.
We have secured a reliable source for
these great cameras, and although one can find them in Russia, the Ukraine and
the Eastern
Block, not all of them are in good condition. All our cameras are first
inspected before they are dispatched to us. The most important
issue is the cloth shutter plane. This is the most important part of the camera,
and some of them develop small holes. Only the
trained eye knows how to determine this, and this is the first part of the
screening process. Each camera's lens is then inspected for
scratches and fungus, and lastly, shutter speeds are tested for appropriateness.
When we receive the cameras, we
thoroughly clean them, without dismantling them. The lenses are removed and
cleaned and
given proper lubrication. Lastly, the rangefinder mechanism is adjusted,
although on some of them, it is very difficult to adjust
horizontal focus.
All cameras come with their original,
great looking leather cases, where issued. Some models like the Lubitel I's were
not issued
with cases.
We are starting off with some great
Fed-2 and Lubitel cameras, and will build up the collection as time goes by - so
check back
on a regular basis for more models.
To view the models, simply click on the images in the following table:
