Camera Leica Copy
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Best Russian Vintage Cameras?
I want to get a relatively good (but cheap) vintage (preferably russian) camera.
It seems that a lot of the ones that I have found on the internet are 'Leica Copies' (for example, the FED-3). Are these any good/What is the best one?
I do not know that much about vintage photography, but I want the camera to be manual (focus, aperture etc.), and preferably from 1960s/70s.
Alternatively, if there are any non-russian vintage cameras (under £40) that you would recommend.
Thanks!
CK, it's really cool you want to try out a russian camera. The best Russian camera, however, is simply one that works! Russian cameras and lenses are known for very wide quality control tolerances. People who use them typically buy several copies of whatever particular item they want to use and keep the best copy then sell the rest. It's really hit or miss. Some people enjoy this adventure, others, like me, stay away from it.
You'll find a lot of Leica copies, particularly of the 1930's Leica screw mount cameras which don't feature on board light meters, combined viewfinder/rangefinders or several other standard conveniences of most other cameras made in the 1950's and forward. Many ads will claim random, more modern (with light meters and combined finders) Russian cameras to be Leica copies simply because that is what Russian cameras are known for but they are not anything like Leica rangefinders of any era at all.
The nice thing about FED Leica copies is that the later, more correctly built ones, can actually take Leica or other M39 mount lenses that are of a very high quality. FED cameras that have actually been converted to bare Leica logos usually have new shutter curtains that are fairly accurate, which wouldn't be the case with a typical real Leica from that period, so it's sort of a cheap way of getting into Leica.
Personally, however, I prefer Japanese and German rangefinders for their reliability and nicer construction. The Canon Canonet series are popular as are the Olympus 35 series and Yashica Lynx and Electro series. Most classic camera shooters also own at least one Kodak Retina (which is actually a German camera.) Voigtlander and AGFA also maee affordable compact, fixed lens rangefinders in the 1960's. The AGFA Silette and Optima series are very affordable, simple but quirky cameras. They tend to have the unique character people enjoy in Russian cameras but with higher quality lenses and greater reliability.
So it all depends on what features you want. Most cameras from this period are fully manual or can go fully manual. The next big question is if you have a built-in meter, is the meter selenium (no batteries) or CDs (powered by a zinc air or silver oxide battery,) how fast of a lens do you want (what is the maximum aperture) and what body you enjoy.
Late model Canonets are very small and usually have fast lenses. Yashica's are quite a bit bigger and usually have fast lenses. Olympus cameras are somewhere between Canonets and Yashicas in terms of size and have a variety of maximum apertures. Olympus are perhaps the most logically laid out to me. Canonets have auto exposure and the meters don't work in manual mode, only auto, which I always found silly. AGFA's tend to have slower lenses but they have that great German bokeh and interesting design.
Feel free to email me at any point in your journey! JohnnyMartyr@Hotmail.com
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