Hi from another newbie

ovj · 02-16-2011, 04:15 AM

Hi,

Have been enjoying this forum for a while and guess it's time to say hello

I'm new to pentax world with *IstDS currently as the only dslr but looking forward to upgrade it at some point. Until then I will (ab)use what I have and try to learn a lot about DSLR world.

My previous experience goes back to 1980's where I had a lot of different soviet cameras as my film SLRs (some of which I do still have around). Then some P&S's later and I'm back into the SLR world.

Anyway, nice to be here and I hope you will forgive my probably already asked many times before and possibly stupid questions I may ask about the old DS.
I promise to use search before asking something

eddie1960 · 02-16-2011, 06:01 AM

welcome to the forum

i hope you've grabbed an m42 adapter for all those old soviet lenses you have kicking around. the Helios can be very good (along with some others) the industar 50 is the cheapest pancake on the market still and produces pretty good pictures

ovj · 02-16-2011, 10:24 AM

Thanks for advice, soviet lenses are cheap as dirt here so I will definitely try them out in addition to these I already have.

eddie1960 · 02-16-2011, 10:34 AM

i haven't tried many of them as they are a little rarer here. i started shooting in 73 with a Zenit e
Ebay has them but prices are only so so

the industar 50 is on my list, and the mir 37 i think maybe the jupiter 85mm
i shoot 2 different fed rangefinders and the jupiter 12 is an amazing little lens too bad there isn't an SLR equivalent. A lot of people like the 85mm jupiter for portraits

LBA is an incurable disease BTW (lens buying addiction)

eddie1960 · 02-16-2011, 10:35 AM

the ds BTW is a great little camera. better with flash for manual lenses as it works with TTL quite well
and it has a good viewfinder, you'd need to get into the K7 or K5 to get a better one

ovj · 02-16-2011, 11:20 AM

Wow, it's nice to meet someone from North America who has such experience with soviet cameras

Didn't know they get so far.

Agree on the viewfinder, it's great and that's one of many reasons I bought DS (another important reason being it's price). Of course the focusing speed could be faster, but I'm not shooting sports anyway.

The lenses you mentioned can be found here in the antique shops attached to zenit type cameras for 10-15 euros and if you get on the tourist bus and cross a border to Russia then they are even cheaper there.

Yeah, and ttl flash is also on my list (probably af-280t).

There are so many things to get and try and so many information to read on this forum...especially on how to tame the LBA.

eddie1960 · 02-16-2011, 12:37 PM

you'd be surprised how many people over here have used (or still use ) soviet cameras. they can be pretty quirky and certainly don't perform as well as what they knock off in many cases (the old leicas are still much nicer imho but not worth the price premium for what is in essence an antique at least 60 years old now in most cases older)
they are pretty sturdy though
i dropped my zenit from the rafters above the goal at a hockey game it fell 30 feet bounced of the net and landed on the ice. aside from a small ding in it it worked just fine. wouldn't want to do that with any DSLR on the market no matter how tough it's built

eddie1960 · 02-16-2011, 12:38 PM

the soviet lens club on the forum is here

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/lens-clubs/31430-soviet-lenses-club.html

**Ash** · 02-16-2011, 01:34 PM

Good to have you here mate.
Indeed, you'll find members here with all sorts of interest areas.
Enjoy your time on the forum and your photography.

02-16-2011, 04:15 AM	#1
ovj New Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Estonia Posts: 6	Hi from another newbie Hi, Have been enjoying this forum for a while and guess it's time to say hello I'm new to pentax world with *IstDS currently as the only dslr but looking forward to upgrade it at some point. Until then I will (ab)use what I have and try to learn a lot about DSLR world. My previous experience goes back to 1980's where I had a lot of different soviet cameras as my film SLRs (some of which I do still have around). Then some P&S's later and I'm back into the SLR world. Anyway, nice to be here and I hope you will forgive my probably already asked many times before and possibly stupid questions I may ask about the old DS. I promise to use search before asking something

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02-16-2011, 06:01 AM	#2
eddie1960 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,666	welcome to the forum i hope you've grabbed an m42 adapter for all those old soviet lenses you have kicking around. the Helios can be very good (along with some others) the industar 50 is the cheapest pancake on the market still and produces pretty good pictures

02-16-2011, 10:24 AM	#3
ovj New Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Estonia Posts: 6 Original Poster	Thanks for advice, soviet lenses are cheap as dirt here so I will definitely try them out in addition to these I already have.

02-16-2011, 10:34 AM	#4
eddie1960 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,666	i haven't tried many of them as they are a little rarer here. i started shooting in 73 with a Zenit e Ebay has them but prices are only so so the industar 50 is on my list, and the mir 37 i think maybe the jupiter 85mm i shoot 2 different fed rangefinders and the jupiter 12 is an amazing little lens too bad there isn't an SLR equivalent. A lot of people like the 85mm jupiter for portraits LBA is an incurable disease BTW (lens buying addiction)

02-16-2011, 10:35 AM	#5
eddie1960 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,666	the ds BTW is a great little camera. better with flash for manual lenses as it works with TTL quite well and it has a good viewfinder, you'd need to get into the K7 or K5 to get a better one

02-16-2011, 11:20 AM	#6
ovj New Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Estonia Posts: 6 Original Poster	Wow, it's nice to meet someone from North America who has such experience with soviet cameras Didn't know they get so far. Agree on the viewfinder, it's great and that's one of many reasons I bought DS (another important reason being it's price). Of course the focusing speed could be faster, but I'm not shooting sports anyway. The lenses you mentioned can be found here in the antique shops attached to zenit type cameras for 10-15 euros and if you get on the tourist bus and cross a border to Russia then they are even cheaper there. Yeah, and ttl flash is also on my list (probably af-280t). There are so many things to get and try and so many information to read on this forum...especially on how to tame the LBA.

02-16-2011, 12:37 PM	#7
eddie1960 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,666	you'd be surprised how many people over here have used (or still use ) soviet cameras. they can be pretty quirky and certainly don't perform as well as what they knock off in many cases (the old leicas are still much nicer imho but not worth the price premium for what is in essence an antique at least 60 years old now in most cases older) they are pretty sturdy though i dropped my zenit from the rafters above the goal at a hockey game it fell 30 feet bounced of the net and landed on the ice. aside from a small ding in it it worked just fine. wouldn't want to do that with any DSLR on the market no matter how tough it's built

02-16-2011, 12:38 PM	#8
eddie1960 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,666	the soviet lens club on the forum is here https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/lens-clubs/31430-soviet-lenses-club.html

02-16-2011, 01:34 PM	#9
Ash Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toowoomba, Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,920	Good to have you here mate. Indeed, you'll find members here with all sorts of interest areas. Enjoy your time on the forum and your photography.