[Cuthbert]

Fantastic looking camera indeed ! I hope its working :P This got me inspired to load my long-forgotten Zorki-1 (typ D from 1955 ) - I got it from my step father years ago and if I recall I never put a roll through it !! But it was given to me as fully working. Seems to be , and I had it serviced with light seals replaced , focusing helicoid lubricated and lens CLA-ed ... I was going to put some film in it but ... well too many cameras too little time
I am excited seeing that mine is having rare Industar 22 lens form 1951 !! with red P and possibility of having glass from original new-old stock of leitz glass ! Need to take a photo of this one too....

I'm afraid that's not possible because the I-22 is a Tessar clone, not an Elmar or a Leitz lens whatsoever. While it is true that old soviet lenses used german glass that was Zeiss, not Leitz.

BTW: Jupiter-> Zeus-> Zeiss : all Jupiters are Zeiss Sonnar clones (besides the Jupiter 12 that is a coated pre-war Biogon) while Industar-> Tessar.

Orion and Russar are indigenous design, not copies from german lenses.

[arnold]

This mechanical beast came up, and was in such nice condition I had to have it.

[manntax]

I'm afraid that's not possible because the I-22 is a Tessar clone, not an Elmar or a Leitz lens whatsoever. While it is true that old soviet lenses used german glass that was Zeiss, not Leitz. BTW: Jupiter-> Zeus-> Zeiss : all Jupiters are Zeiss Sonnar clones (besides the Jupiter 12 that is a coated pre-war Biogon) while Industar-> Tessar.

Of course you are right - I think this is what I meant. I read somewhere online that lenses this old ( 1951 ! ) - at least some - could use still the original stock that was stolen/ acquired by the soviets after 1945. .. well I will know soon enough what's sitting under that 'hood' :P

---------- Post added 10-16-14 at 10:08 AM ----------

This mechanical beast came up, and was in such nice condition I had to have it.

amazing condition indeed - curious if all is sound..
Sadly I had to learn to pass on more cameras, even though sometime I really see something amazing for pennies.

[Cuthbert]

Of course you are right - I think this is what I meant. I read somewhere online that lenses this old ( 1951 ! ) - at least some - could use still the original stock that was stolen/ acquired by the soviets after 1945. .. well I will know soon enough what's sitting under that 'hood' :P

---------- Post added 10-16-14 at 10:08 AM ----------



amazing condition indeed - curious if all is sound..
Sadly I had to learn to pass on more cameras, even though sometime I really see something amazing for pennies.

It wasn't stolen or acquired, they were war reparations, like what the Americans did with Paperclip: they arrived at Carl Zeiss Jena and they put their hands on all the German technology (mostly military, like lens coating) the Nazi were using for their war machine. What we see as camera afiocionados is the byproduct of the German/Soviet optical industry used for military purpose, in the SSSR the companies who distinguished themselves in the war efforts were awarded the acquired German technology (KMZ, FED and GOMZ), but for the most military linked stuff found at Carl Zeiss were directly sent to the Kiev Arsenal (under direct control of the Soviet Army)....among all the military stuff there also was the "civilian byproduct", the Contax camera!

Since you're a fan of Kievs I copy here two interesting articles regarding this transition:

Contax/Volga/Kiev

Russian Zeiss Contax Copy Kiev

And here some difference between Kiev 2,3,4,4a and how the quality gradually decreased through the years.

Kiev A Brief History 1

Regarding the Nikkormat, it's beautiful and as I previously pointed out the hard chrome finish Nikon used is marvelous because also my 1978 FM and F2AS look almost brand new. Here there are two self portraits of my FM:

[manntax]

It wasn't stolen or acquired, they were war reparations, like what the Americans did with Paperclip: they arrived at Carl Zeiss Jena and they put their hands on all the German technology (mostly military, like lens coating) the Nazi were using for their war machine. What we see as camera afiocionados is the byproduct of the German/Soviet optical industry used for military purpose, in the SSSR the companies who distinguished themselves in the war efforts were awarded the acquired German technology (KMZ, FED and GOMZ), but for the most military linked stuff found at Carl Zeiss were directly sent to the Kiev Arsenal (under direct control of the Soviet Army)....among all the military stuff there also was the "civilian byproduct", the Contax camera!

thanks for clarification - it's hard for non-historically oriented being like myself to be that precise

Since you're a fan of Kievs I copy here two interesting articles regarding this transition: Contax/Volga/Kiev Russian Zeiss Contax Copy Kiev And here some difference between Kiev 2,3,4,4a and how the quality gradually decreased through the years. Kiev A Brief History 1

Very interesting links, thanks for sharing !

[arnold]

Regarding the Nikkormat, it's beautiful and as I previously pointed out the hard chrome finish Nikon used is marvelous because also my 1978 FM and F2AS look almost brand new. Here there are two self portraits of my FM:

Your lovely FM is a later camera, a little smaller than the Nikkormat FT series. I would have preferred the FT3 as it has auto indexing, but the FT2 uses a 1.5volt cell as mentioned from this quote:
"The Nikkormat FT2, manufactured from 1975 to 1977, added a permanently affixed hot shoe to the top of the pentaprism cover, combined the two PC terminals into one and switched the light meter battery to a non-toxic silver cell, one 1.5 V S76 or SR44. ASA adjustment also featured a lock and an easier slider than previous models. The advance lever was more contoured with an added plastic grip. The FT2's viewfinder also switched to Nippon Kogaku's new standard Type K focusing screen with 3 mm split image rangefinder and 1 mm microprism collar focusing aids plus 12 mm etched circle indicating the area of the meter centerweighting. A final small touch was the addition of "+" and "-" symbols on the display of the top meter read-out. The numerous little improvements on the FT2 directly reflected customer suggestions for the FTn."

amazing condition indeed - curious if all is sound..
Sadly I had to learn to pass on more cameras, even though sometime I really see something amazing for pennies.

This FT2 has been serviced, calibrated and film tested.

[LesDMess]

Sadly I had to learn to pass on more cameras, even though sometime I really see something amazing for pennies.

At one time or another I would try to get at least 2 of each that I liked when I realized this will get out of hand and that these classics are robust enough to last a long time! But sometimes, I can justify in my head that a chrome and black version of the same camera really isn't the same.



Anyone else think this way . . .

Your lovely FM is a later camera, a little smaller than the Nikkormat FT series. I would have preferred the FT3 as it has auto indexing

Too bad you're in the other side of the world otherwise I could trade you my chrome FT3 for your FT2! I already had the black FT3 when I spotted the chrome on a local listing. Was apparently only used as a prop.

---

Last edited by LesDMess; 10-16-2014 at 08:25 AM.

[Cuthbert]

I see that you two guys are experts in Nikon Lore...out of curiosity can you tell me the exact manufacturing date of my FM? I can't find any valuable info about it, I think it's 1978 (like manntax I've a soft spot for camera with my same manufacturing date) but I'm not 100% sure, it's FM2441654.

The serial number of my F2AS is a little strange, it's 7372042,so it appears it's a 1974, but I find it suspicious that all the odd numbered F2s are chromed and the even numbered black, surely they weren't producing the camera in black for an entire year and then they switched production to the other finish. The AS finder number starts with 86 so I have been told it's late 1978, can anybody shed light in these numbers of confusion?

BTW, as usual I started to "hot rod" the little bulldog, here you can see it in this pretty bad digital picture in the actual configuration with 50 mm f1.8 AIs, HS-5 hood (I think it's correct for the lens) and eyecup

I would like to add a fingergrip like the FG's, would it fit?

[hoopsontoast]

The M*300 to add to the K85 and K55







Its a bit battered but tight and looks good optically

[LesDMess]

I see that you two guys are experts in Nikon Lore...out of curiosity can you tell me the exact manufacturing date of my FM? I can't find any valuable info about it, I think it's 1978 (like manntax I've a soft spot for camera with my same manufacturing date) but I'm not 100% sure, it's FM2441654.

The serial number of my F2AS is a little strange, it's 7372042,so it appears it's a 1974, but I find it suspicious that all the odd numbered F2s are chromed and the even numbered black, surely they weren't producing the camera in black for an entire year and then they switched production to the other finish. The AS finder number starts with 86 so I have been told it's late 1978, can anybody shed light in these numbers of confusion?

I would like to add a fingergrip like the FG's, would it fit?

There seems to be reliable data for manufacturing dates for the F and F2 but nothing else. According to Nikon F2 Serial Numbers and Production Dates, your F2 body was produced between Feb - Apr of 1974. I don't know about the number and body color association but there is a black F2 with serial number 7134379 in Nikon F2 Camera Bodies.

You might want my plain prism F2 serial number 788XXXX as it could have been produced in 1978 . . .



The FM seemed to be separated between serial number ranges 2XXXXXX and 3XXXXXX. According to Nikon FM & FM2 Camera Bodies, yours maybe 1977-78.

The FG finger grip doesn't quite mold around the FM body.

---------- Post added 10-16-14 at 04:32 PM ----------

The M*300 to add to the K85 and K55

Nice chunk of glass there!

[Cuthbert]

She's arrived!



It's a brick!

[stevebrot]

She's arrived!



It's a brick!

I want your lens.


Steve

[Cuthbert]

I want your lens.


Steve

With that lens the 7s weights more than a K2.

[LesDMess]

She's arrived!
It's a brick!

Very nice, looks in great shape! Hope everything functions as intended.



It looks like Canon's last interchangeable lens RF. Interesting statement by Canon, "Even though the writing was on the wall for rangefinder cameras, the 7s was introduced as the successor to the Canon 7." Canon Camera Museum | Camera Hall - Film Cameras

[arnold]

She's arrived!

Indeed solid looking. The prices have kept me from the Canon and Nikon rangefinders. Anyway, with 18 Retina/Retinettes and five Yashica Lynx, I have to stop somewhere. Of course, if a bargain ......