A RETROSPECTIVE ON BAD CAMERAS

[Stephanie Brim]

Name one.

A lot of the older wooden large format cameras from Russia are pretty nice. The Fed and Kiev-series rangefinders are actually decent if you can find the older ones. The Chinese large format cameras such as the Shen Hao and Chamonix are also very, very good.

[georg16nik]

Thanks Stephanie,
cliveh missed that I mentioned the great Chamonix. The list of cameras from China is long, goes way back..
The list of excellent cameras from Russia is longer.. The early FED RF's are more than "decent" and the early Kiev are mostly from Contax parts.
Completely different story is what Frankenstein CLA'ed cameras reached some of our fellow apugers.

[georg16nik]

...Had I known, I would have had a Nikon WAY earlier.

Still a curse.., sooner or later Your read on APUG that the Nikon contest does not accept photographs taken with Your Nikon film camera.
Bad Nikon, Bad Nikon

[Stephanie Brim]

I don't have it anymore. I've traded 35mm for larger stuff. I regret that I don't have it anymore some days, but mostly I like what I have enough that I don't want to sell any of it to get that particular kit back. If I ever find a Nikon FE/50mm f/1.4 AI combo that doesn't cost much, I may bite. As it stands now, that particular lens has gained a bit too much popularity with the digital shooters and is too rich for my blood.

[cliveh]

In 1928 Rodchenko, who had given up painting in favor of photography in 1927, bought himself a Leica which, because of its handy format and quick operation, became his preferred tool for his work.

[dsmccrac]

that particular lens has gained a bit too much popularity with the digital shooters and is too rich for my blood.

The plus is there are lots of 'bodies only' sales out there on eBay as a result of it.

[georg16nik]

In 1928 Rodchenko, who had given up painting in favor of photography in 1927, bought himself a Leica which, because of its handy format and quick operation, became his preferred tool for his work.

Yes, the real Leica 1! Once You used to it.. there's no going back.
Still, FED nkvd up until "red flag" batch is excellent camera. Especially the Komandirski with f/2 50mm lens.

[Dali]

Yes, the real Leica 1! Once You used to it.. there's no going back.
Still, FED nkvd up until "red flag" batch is excellent camera. Especially the Komandirski with f/2 50mm lens.

Yes FED NKVD are excellent cameras once you change the shutter curtains, remove the old gummy grease, trash the rangefinder mirror and put a new one and adjust the flange to the lens you have. These are excellent cameras not because they are Russian or Ukrainian but because they are simple to overhaul and pretty easy to use. And, as a personal note, I consider the Leica II and its Soviet clones as one of the most elegant cameras ever built.

Take care.