[lbenac]

The P645 is such a dear - here's a series I took yesterday for my user review entry (using the preset Macro-Takumar 50/4)

I've got the same, I've got the same one...
It is a very nice well balanced camera system and if one was reasonable one could use this all the time with only a small RF as a backup.

Question: Every time you guys put a link to Flickr I end-up on your pages in Japanese or Chinese (I am not too good with characters) is that the way it is supposed to work or there is something wrong with my system?

Cheers,

Luc

[stevebrot]

Lovely cameras, Steve, there's something about those Russian RF's that's enticing, usually the lines are beautiful and the innards are assembled like tractors

I like the "...assembled like tractors" comment. That is so much the truth. They even SMELL like tractors and who else would name a lens "Industar"!

Thank you for passing your Jupiter-12 on to me. It will be a good mate to the FED-2.


Steve

[stevebrot]

They are looking in very good condition. Curiously in an "hideous, squarish" sort of way I find the Kiev 4A beautiful.

Now you need to put some good glass on this FED. The Canon 35/2.8 chrome (34mm ring) would look incredible. The only issue is that the RF is set for 50mm only.


Cheers,

Luc

Your comment on the Kiev pretty much sums it up for me as well. As for the Canon 35/2.8...Nesster (Jussi) has consented to sell me his Jupiter-12 35/2.8. While the J-12 has more of an industrial cachet, it should do fill the bill rather nicely for now. That is until some pretty Canon happens along!

I am not sure though what you mean by the "RF is set for 50mm only". I know that there is some discussion regarding lens-to-body calibration on some FSU cameras and lenses. This is supposed to result in poor performance of non-FSU glass on FSU cameras and vice-versa. I understand that issue, but was unaware of any incompatibilities related to focal length. Are you maybe referring to the lack of 35mm framelines in the viewfinder?


Steve

[lbenac]

Your comment on the Kiev pretty much sums it up for me as well. As for the Canon 35/2.8...Nesster (Jussi) has consented to sell me his Jupiter-12 35/2.8. While the J-12 has more of an industrial cachet, it should do fill the bill rather nicely for now. That is until some pretty Canon happens along!

I am not sure though what you mean by the "RF is set for 50mm only". I know that there is some discussion regarding lens-to-body calibration on some FSU cameras and lenses. This is supposed to result in poor performance of non-FSU glass on FSU cameras and vice-versa. I understand that issue, but was unaware of any incompatibilities related to focal length. Are you maybe referring to the lack of 35mm framelines in the viewfinder?


Steve

Sorry I should have said viewfinder portion of the RF i.e. you have only a 50mm equivalent FOV so unless you add a viewfinder on the shoe, you have to guess what is included in the frame or not.

Cheers,

Luc

[lbenac]

Talking about 645. I am getting ready to go back to France visit my family for Christmas and I will be very sensible on the photographic side.
I am taking:

1. 645 with the 45,75 and 150, tripod and bunch of Across 100
2. LX with the 30/2.8 and TriX@1250

For the circumstance the LX is getting into its leather EverReady case and a good strap.

[Steinback]

Every time you guys put a link to Flickr I end-up on your pages in Japanese or Chinese

I think that means you have a cookie on your computer that is setting the default language to something other than english, probably from being linked to a foreign language Flickr page at some point. If you clear your cookies and visit the english language Flickr home page, or if you go to a Flickr page and change the language to english it should fix your problem.

[lbenac]

I think that means you have a cookie on your computer that is setting the default language to something other than english, probably from being linked to a foreign language Flickr page at some point. If you clear your cookies and visit the english language Flickr home page, or if you go to a Flickr page and change the language to english it should fix your problem.

That did the trick - thanks

[stevebrot]

...For the circumstance the LX is getting into its leather EverReady case and a good strap.

Nice case! Is that the stock Pentax item?

[unixrevolution]

Nice case! Is that the stock Pentax item?

The case pictured is indeed the Made-For-LX ever-ready case, with cutout for prism swapping and extra hole for the vertical strap lug. I have the same case myself, and it's wonderful.

[lbenac]

The case pictured is indeed the Made-For-LX ever-ready case, with cutout for prism swapping and extra hole for the vertical strap lug. I have the same case myself, and it's wonderful.

That is indeed.

Luc

[violini]

Here are the results of this morning's photo shoot. Not Pentax cameras, so the mods can pull them if they wish

FED-2, circa 1963

K10D, Sigma 50/2.8 EX DG Macro


FED-2, Detail

K10D, Sigma 50/2.8 EX DG Macro


Kiev 4A, circa 1961

K10D, Sigma 50/2.8 EX DG Macro


Kiev 4A, Detail

K10D, Sigma 50/2.8 EX DG Macro


Made In USSR

K10D, Sigma 50/2.8 EX DG Macro


Steve

(I guess this OK since Pentax never made a film rangefinder camera)

May I add the history of FED: (quote from an ebay seller)

The FED is a Soviet rangefinder camera, mass produced from 1934 until around 1990, and also the name of the factory that made it.

FED is indirectly named after Felix Edmundovich Dzerzhinsky, founder of the Cheka (KGB). It was his name that was given to the labour commune at Kharkiv (Ukraine) whose manager, Anton Makarenko, encouraged a workshop education for indigent children and who decided to copy the Leica in 1932.

Large-scale production began in 1934, and in the same year the factory was put under NKVD control and Makarenko was fired. Production continued until 1941, when German forces destroyed the factory, and resumed in 1946.

Until 1955, the factory made a huge number of cameras that resemble the Leica rather closely (and are often altered, given "Leica" markings, and sold as Leicas). However, the design is cruder: for example, the rangefinder cam is not fitted with a wheel.

From 1955, FED began to innovate, combining the rangefinder with the viewfinder in the FED 2 and all its successors. The FED-3 added slow shutter speeds and on the later version FED-3 (b) the film advance was changed from a thumbwheel to a lever. The FED 4 (1964–77) added a non-coupled selenium exposure meter. The FED 5 marked the end of the FED rangefinder family, and was meant as a replacement for both the FED-3 and FED-4 that were in production at the time of its introduction. There were versions of the FED-5: the original FED-5 had an exposure meter, the FED-5B was a cheaper version without meter, and the later FED-5C had reflected framelines showing field of view of 50mm lens and an exposure meter. All FED-5 cameras were delivered with an Industar I-61L/D lens. Production of FED rangefinder cameras ended in the mid 1990s (Fed-5 Serial Number 545446 was made on February 28 1994; Fed's site claims that it was in fact 1997: "Start of serial production of vertical drive for control system of tanks. Production of all types of cameras has stopped. 8,647,000 cameras were manufactured since the beginning.")

FED and Zorki cameras had lenses with the same thread as Leicas, but correct focusing with German lenses on Russian bodies and vice-versa is not guaranteed, as the different rangefinder cam size can prove problematical, and slight differences exist in the distance between the mounting point of the lens and the film. Quality control on the Russian cameras was notoriously poor.

[RandyJ]

This is my main shooter (when I'm using a Pentax) I've run many rolls of film through this camera.

Spotmatic F

[violini]

I still have to convince myself to take the MZ-5N out even with the FA Limited on....

Are ZX series of cameras so bad that people are ashamed of showing them here? Here is mine. An ebay seller gave it to me and I brought it back to life with a brand new mirror motor

[GeneV]

I had one in my post a while back, and it drew a question from someone who didn't recognize it. https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/945615-post524.html

[womble]

MV, boxed with paperwork, strap and tripod spacer.



K.