View Full Version : What happens when waiting for new old toys from Russia?
Fedzilla_Bob
03-25-2005, 21:18
Having won a Jupiter 9 on e*ay, I am now in that curious state one achieves knowing that a new toy is out there winging it's way from Moscow.
Its kind of like what would happen to me a week after Thanksgiving when I was a little kid. I knew Christmas was out there. My Aunt Magaret would create stealth packages to torure me at every visit from Thanksgiving through Christmas Eve. They were wrapped in brown craft paper and string (not unlike my packages from Russia and the Ukraine). On each one there would be a tag with initials- mine, my sister's, my brother's and cousin Donald's. Each would also be labled fragile or do not open. All of them were strategically placed in an upstairs bedroom or in a coat closet in the den where we would play pool, cards or slot cars. I knew what that paper smelled like and I would always find the packages and... of course, shake each and every one of them to see if I could devine what they contained. Many were decoys. One even had sticks and ashes one year. I know, because I peaked.
So, here I wait- no stealth packages to shake, but I get to read all about the lens until it arrives.
One box, one little box is all I need. So I can shake it until Ruscamera comes through for me. :angel:
Bob, I know what you mean. No matter how many packages I get from the FSU countries, it's exciting to anticipate the arrival of the next one. I'm hoping to get one tomorrow myself! :)
Walker
wlewisiii
03-25-2005, 21:35
I have a Kiev 2 on a slow boat from china (yes, literally...) and a Fed 5 enroute from Moscow. I feel your pain... :)
William
2maneekameras
03-25-2005, 21:42
Don't dispair. I once got a fed2 from the Ukraine that arrived to the US west coast in six business days. In the mean time keep reading GAS posts on the RFF. Sometimes the anticipation is the best part.
Fedzilla_Bob
03-25-2005, 21:49
To make it even more painful I just found a pro lab 10 minutes from my house that will process, no prints, for $3.20. And, they are known for clean work, unlike Ritz which had crystals on my first ever batch of BW400CN last Wednesday. (there I've told the world :p )
But I got there late on a Good Friday and they had shut down the machine because no business was coming in. They even said it would take 20 minutes for my $3.20. I'll have to wait until Monday... That's If I can get there by 5:30 Monday evening. I start my new job Monday. Sheesh.
Maybe they will have a shiny new laptop at the new job. Oh, and get this my new boss is an amature photgrapher and pilot.
Maybe I will make it until the J9 comes home to Papa.
I know the feeling...my very first FSU cam (a dark green FED-2 w/I-26M) is on its way to me now from the Ukriane. The aniticipation is killing me. To pass the time unitl the FED arrives, I've been "mentally" composing and shooting images with it.
Good luck with your new J9. I hope you are not kept in suspense much longer. Was it Tom Petty who once sang "the waiting is the hardest part"?
tedwhite
03-26-2005, 16:21
I just joined all you who wait. Bought, five minutes ago on ebay, a FED 2 from Alex for $28.00. Comes with INdustar 2.8/52. Auction #7503858880.
It looks OK. Anyone know the reputation of the Industar?
Ted
That's an Industar 26m - a Tessar-clone; not bad, but not outstanding, either, very 'middle-of-the-road' ;)
Roman
tedwhite
03-26-2005, 16:43
Hmmm. Not good news, but not necessarily bad, either. OTOH, I have a Jupiter 8 on the way. Probably a better lens?
Ted
My wait is over! As luck would have it my FED-2 arrived today. It's in great shape, I wiped it down and now it's ready for film. It's a lovely little camera...much smaller than I anticipated and very pleasant to hold. It's got to be almost 50 years old and it's still working well. Can't wait to begin shooting the test roll.
Alex is a good seller. I'll defintiely buy from him again. Package made it from Donetsk to Boston in nine days. The camera I bought was actually a little nicer than described.
Happy snapping...
Hmmm. Not good news, but not necessarily bad, either. OTOH, I have a Jupiter 8 on the way. Probably a better lens?
Ted
Yes, a J-8 would be better, but the I-26m is useable; you might also look for a collapsible I-26 or I-50, since they make for a very small, pocketable combo with a FED 2.
Roman
tedwhite
03-26-2005, 17:37
Roman: The I-26 or I-50 collapsible is what I really wanted, for two reasons:
1. The early Leica look.
2. As you pointed out, the pocketability. I can't really "pocket" my two Bessas. When I want to do that I grab the Olympys XA. When I ride a dirt bike (1975 Hodaka 2 stroke) out in the desert I fear taking the bessa R. Might jar the RF out of alignment. The Bessa L has no such problem. The Oly fits into a motorcycle jacket pocket easily, as I hope the Fed 2 will.
I just read Matt's website and a few others. Seems I bought either a FED 2(d) Version 8 or a FED 2(e) Type 1 Version 9. From the ebay photo I can't tell.
Ted
You might ask Alex whether he would exchange the I-26 for a collapsible lens (maybe for a few dollars more) - he did that for me (but with a Helios-103 vs. a J-8m on a Kiev).
Roman
Fedzilla_Bob
03-26-2005, 18:26
Looks like we all go to the same watering holes. Alex, Ruscamera, I have even seen others use Suvorov
Talk about anticipation. I've been waiting for a Zorki 1C in pristine to arrive from eastern Siberia since March 2002. I'm beginning to get a little apprehensive.
Correction: Western Siberia -- Barnaul to be exact. Probably why nobody in Siberia seems to be selling cameras now.
Fedzilla_Bob
03-26-2005, 18:30
Talk about anticipation. I've been waiting for a Zorki 1C in pristine to arrive from eastern Siberia since March 2002. I'm beginning to get a little apprehensive.
Ouch! Thats gotta hurt.
For real?
tedwhite
03-26-2005, 19:01
Roman: I did just that. Email Alex and asked him about the lens exchange.
Tee
In my experience, I think twelve days is the shortest time I've had to put up with the 'anticipation' bug. About 12-15 days seems about the going rate.
I'm trying to put together a set of Zorkis from 1 to 6. At this point I have everything but a 2. The 2's weren't produced for very long and are a little more scarce. And amore expensive than some others.
The early Zorkis - 1 and 3 especially, are the "classic Leica" look. Never having had a real screw-mount Leica, I was rather surprised at how smallish the Zorki 1 is. With the collapsable lens (mine is Industar-22) the Zorki-1 is a quite compact little beast. The Zorki-3 has the slow-speed dial of the Leica III.
All in all, the waiting game has been worth it. When I buy, I really watch the illustrations and read some of the feedback from previous buyers.
pangkievrange
03-28-2005, 07:13
I have not received jupiter 3 for kiev. The waiting game is about 28 days. I was told that it's almost impossible for the registered mail to be lost in shipping. I sent an email to the seller (Zhanna) to check it out. I did receive Kiev 5 won later on from her.
pangkievrange
tedwhite
03-28-2005, 21:46
Alex answered. He said sure. Send him $8.00 more and he'll switch lenses.
I sent him the eight bucks. He also said he would ship tomorrow.
Ted
pangkievrange
03-29-2005, 08:22
I got my Jupiter 3 for kiev yesterday. I opened up the lens and cleaned up every element.
pangkievrange
I once waited 48 days for delivery of a package from the Ukraine. I paid for air mail and they sent it surface, all the while claiming to have air mailed it. The package was purposely sent surface and had no "Par Avon" stamps or markings on it. No apology from the seller and no refund of postage. They have no idea how much those few dollars and the time wasted has cost them in sales. Even if they offer something I want badly, I refuse to buy from them again.
A package from Zhanna arrived this morning in the mail. It took 10 days from the time it was mailed. The only problem I've had with Grizzly33Bear was once when my money was received by their Stateside Banker and they didn't get the word. The Banker corrected that problem quickly and it all turned out well.
I feel certain that Zhanna or her partner(s) will get your problem sorted out. Hang in there.
Walker
My Zorki 3M is still visiting Oleg's Health Spa and I got so twitchy waiting for it to come back home I bought Joe's Bessa R :D
Gene
Ouch! Thats gotta hurt.
For real?
For real. I corresponded with the woman for more than a year. She even sent my pictures of the package that was returned to her by the Siberian postal service. I'm not sure if I believe her but she claimed they have an antiquties law that requires people sending any item more than 50 years old get a special release (which usually requires greasing someone's palm). I know when I first was looking for FSU gear three years ago there were several Siberian sellers. Now there don't seem to be any. I think the bureaucracy over there just made doing business too difficult.
She did manage to get a Jupiter 12 and 25 brand new take-up spools through to me but never the camera.
In my experience, I think twelve days is the shortest time I've had to put up with the 'anticipation' bug. About 12-15 days seems about the going rate.
I'm trying to put together a set of Zorkis from 1 to 6. At this point I have everything but a 2. The 2's weren't produced for very long and are a little more scarce. And amore expensive than some others.
The early Zorkis - 1 and 3 especially, are the "classic Leica" look. Never having had a real screw-mount Leica, I was rather surprised at how smallish the Zorki 1 is. With the collapsable lens (mine is Industar-22) the Zorki-1 is a quite compact little beast. The Zorki-3 has the slow-speed dial of the Leica III.
All in all, the waiting game has been worth it. When I buy, I really watch the illustrations and read some of the feedback from previous buyers.
The Zorki 2 is a nice camera with the later type shutter dial, self timer and, most important, strap lugs -- all in a Z1 size case. There were only about 10,000 made. I bougth mine directly from http://www.sovietcamera.com.ua/. It already had new curtains.
"What happens when waiting for new old toys from Russia?"
1. Your postman sees you standing by your mailbox in a fur hat 8 days in a row and greeting him with, "Hey! Yo! Comrade!"
2. You call in sick at work so you can stay home and watch The Hunt for Red October .......... for the 16th time.
3. You cross your heart and make a vow in front of your children to wear your "Lucky yak-hair socks" every day until your little lost lens arrives safe and sound.
seewhatimsayin?
Fedzilla_Bob
04-01-2005, 21:26
You call in sick at work so you can stay home and watch The Hunt for Red October .......... for the 16th time
Yeah... "One ping Mr. Vassily. One ping only." (I had to chuckle about your list)
My bottle of Stoly is done, and still my lens isn't here.
Guess I will have to drink Grey Goose instead. Stirred Not Shaken.
tedwhite
04-02-2005, 06:22
We have Saturday mail delivery, so there's still hope.
No Stoly, no Grey Goose. Only Speyburn single malt.
There's a bar a few miles away right on the Mexican border called The Gay Nineties. Bar itself is 'L' shaped. On one side sit all the Mexicans, drinking Bud Lite. On the other sit all the gringos, drinking Corona.
Go figure.
Ted
The gringos get blasted faster.
tedwhite
04-02-2005, 17:03
Right now huge media event at the Port of Entry in Naco. Minutemen, deputy sheriffs, all kinds of unmarked cars full o unmarked Feds, protesters pro & con. Media vans with roof satellite dishes, even Mexican media vans: Telemundo, univision.
All good for Gay Nineties business, I'll wager.
We locals stayed away in droves.
Ted
vBulletin® v3.6.8, Copyright ©2000-2009, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.