I want a quality LTM body for my I-61 ...

[paulfish4570]

... and I-50. As much as I like my FED-2d, I just cannot trust it day in, day out.
Thanks to all of y'all's advice on other threads, I have a short list and want to know what you think of it:

Canon P (figure fresh CLA in purchase cost or post-purchase)

Bessa R (figure that grip thingy or a Zhou half case, or a machined plate for the bottom to add a little weight)

Leica iiif or iiic (figure fresh CLA in purchase cost or post-purchase, and Zhou half case to add a little weight)

Thanks,

[Bingley]

Canon P is the best bet if you want a solid camera body that's simple to load. Prices are v. reasonable right now. A CLA'd P is a really nice camera, particularly if you use mainly 50. The other cameras on your list are also fine (I had an R, and have a IIIc as well as a P), but if I had to pick one from that list it would be the P.

[NathanJD]

Be aware Paul, that your FSU lenses may require some shimming and adjustments to fit the cameras you have mentioned as the lenses are not true LTM. I used my Jupiter 8 on a Bessa R2A and it back focussed.

i would suggest that the choice depends on your preferences - do you want a barnack, a Leica M style vintage camera or a modern M style camera? each one is a good choice and i doubt you'll be disappointed whichever way you turn :)

[paulfish4570]

Nathan, I am aware of the potential shimming issue. It is no big thing at all. Both of my lenses are easily shimmable ...

[Mudman]

owning a leica iii, I don't think you need a case to add weight to it. they're small but dense.

[ZorkiKat]

Be aware Paul, that your FSU lenses will require some shimming and adjustments to fit the cameras you have mentioned as the lenses are not true LTM. I used my Jupiter 8 on a Bessa R2A and it back focussed.


)

Not all the time.

In my experience, I've used not only Industar but the big aperture or long Jupiters as well, on many Barnack copies. My I-50 and I-61 (several of them) focus properly on my Canon, Nicca, Shanghai, and the Leica themselves;

I can say the same for Jupiter-8 and Jupiter-3, as well as the 85mm J-9. I have friends who have Jupiter-3 which focus right on their Bessa cameras too. Mine does great on my Bessa-derived RD-1s.

Many of the malfunctioning lenses are usually bad factory outputs or funked repair jobs. Ask Marc James Small. He has his own subsection here, and an authority on non-Leitz LTMs. :)

[NathanJD]

Nathan, I am aware of the potential shimming issue. It is no big thing at all. Both of my lenses are easily shimmable ...

True that. no big thing at all, but a potential bugbear to those who may not know. shimming lenses is straight forward with a loupe and ground glass.

I hope whatever you choose brings you lots of pleasure ;)

[paulfish4570]

Both of my I's focused properly on my former Bessa R ...

[NathanJD]

Not all the time.

In my experience, I've used not only Industar but the big aperture or long Jupiters as well, on many Barnack copies. My I-50 and I-61 (several of them) focus properly on my Canon, Nicca, Shanghai, and the Leica themselves;

I can say the same for Jupiter-8 and Jupiter-3, as well as the 85mm J-9. I have friends who have Jupiter-3 which focus right on their Bessa cameras too. Mine does great on my Bessa-derived RD-1s.

Many of the malfunctioning lenses are usually bad factory outputs or funked repair jobs. Ask Marc James Small. He has his own subsection here, and an authority on non-Leitz LTMs. :)

Sure, you're not guaranteed the issue but it does come up as you have said. my J-8 focuses perfectly on my Zorki-4k and my FED-2. i am under no illusions that any of my ebay bargain find lenses are of anything approaching 'decent' in construction or accuracy. as many people have said here over and again, there are no guarantees with FSU equipment

[Brian Legge]

Mine is still in need of repair, but the earlier Canon rangefinders may be worth looking at.

I just picked up a Canon IIf as a project camera. Similar styling and feel as a screw mount Leica but heavier and with a unified finder that has 3 levels of magnification. I shoot mostly 50mm lenses so being able to either frame a full shot or switch to the most magnified zoom when focus is really important feels like it would be nice.

[ZorkiKat]

Sure, you're not guaranteed the issue but it does come up as you have said. my J-8 focuses perfectly on my Zorki-4k and my FED-2. i am under no illusions that any of my ebay bargain find lenses are of anything approaching 'decent' in construction or accuracy. as many people have said here over and again, there are no guarantees with FSU equipment


You did say,

... that your FSU lenses will require some shimming and adjustments to fit the cameras you have mentioned as the lenses are not true LTM.

And that is a blanket statement based - according to what you say- as one sample J-8.

Statistically speaking, I have perhaps more than two dozens Jupiters and Industars of various types (they came attached to cameras) and almost all focus right. Those which don't, the prewar Industars which came with early FED-1, have a different camming, as well as focus register, than the later Industars like the 61.

[NathanJD]

:rolleyes: i do apologise i SHOULD have said may require shimming. my 12 day old son didn't let me sleep last night and i'm not feeling the brightest button right now lol. i'll shut up now.

P.S. post edited for clarity - note made in edit notes.

[paulfish4570]

Well, Nathan, you must a photo or two of your new son in the gallery. My oldest son and his bride are expecting their first child - a son - in three weeks. He will be our second grandchild ...

[paulfish4570]

My former j-8 also focused properly on my former Bessa R ...

[paulfish4570]

Brian, I sppreciate the thought on the older Canons, but I want something more common ...

[Mablo]

Canon P is the best bet if you want a solid camera body that's simple to load. Prices are v. reasonable right now. A CLA'd P is a really nice camera, particularly if you use mainly 50. The other cameras on your list are also fine (I had an R, and have a IIIc as well as a P), but if I had to pick one from that list it would be the P.

I feel exactly the same way. P is an efficient and practical workhorse.

[buzzardkid]

The Canon P is the heaviest and sturdiest of the bunch you listed, and also has a 1:1 finder.

Should you need a less lightweight camera to easier steady and a good viewfinder, the P is it.

[shadowfox]

Another vote for Canon P.
My Jupiter-8 seems to focus just fine on it.

[MV72]

Canon P and Jup-8 match and handle very well indeed.
High quality body.

Marc

[wolves3012]

Why not a properly serviced FSU?

[Steve M.]

For the price of a IIIc or IIIf you could get a dead reliable R2a or R3a and have AE. Just use a M to LTM adapter. But if an all manual camera is fine for you a Bessa R would be cheaper (although these seem to be going up and up in prices lately). A Canon P or 7 are excellent cameras, but as old as they are I would figure in a CLA for them as well.

Least amount of outlay for a dead reliable LTM camera? Bessa R.

My choice for the best dead reliable LTM old classic camera? A Leica IIIa w/ CLA. If you don't mind the wider spacing on the RF and viewfinder, I think these are better built than the later cameras, and you can often pick them up for less to begin with.

[David Hughes]

Why not a properly serviced FSU?

I'll second that; just get the Fed 2 serviced...

Regards, David

[paulfish4570]

I am glad to see this thread rear its ugly head. I have been musing most of this morning about a dead reliable platform for my two FSU lenses. In fact, I took a few shots with my FED-2d.
Raid says Eddie Smolov is in poor health and not doing repairs right now. I understand Oleg is good, but $25 for shipping. Anybody closer other than fedka who would tune it properly?

[rxmd]

Raid says Eddie Smolov is in poor health and not doing repairs right now. I understand Oleg is good, but $25 for shipping. Anybody closer other than fedka who would tune it properly?

What do you mean, closer than Fedka? I thought the US was the US, shipping-wise?

Oleg, on the other hand, has about twelve FED-2s for sale for $50 each plus $22 shipping, which is not outstandingly cheap, but he CLAs the cameras he sells and for that it's a very fine price. If it ends up broken, Oleg will fix it, and an Oleg FED-2 will pretty much keep its price if you decide that you don't want it after all. I don't think you'll get yours CLAd anywhere for less than $72 including shipping both ways, so I'd say just go and buy a FED-2 from Oleg, rather than sending yours off.

If you don't fancy the idea, I'd go with a cheap sub-$200 Bessa R (sold mine for 99 EUR back then on RFF) and the lower part of a Kiev-4 case to make a cheap-but-good half case. You'll get the best viewfinder of any LTM camera, plus a meter.

[Brian Sweeney]

http://fedka.com/Frames/Main_Frame.htm

Fedka is located in New York City.

Oleg is overseas, two different repair resources.

Fedka's repair services:
http://fedka.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=48

[paulfish4570]

I poorly wrote what I was trying to get across on repairs. Let me try again:
1) Eddie smolov is in poor health.
2) Oleg is a LONG way away.
3) I wonder if there is a reputable fsu camera service in the states other than those offered by fedka and Smolov.
The FED I have now came from fedka.

[paulfish4570]

fedka is in Chicago, isn't it?

[ferider]

Brian, I sppreciate the thought on the older Canons, but I want something more common ...

Hmm. I recommend the Canon P too. Very, very sturdy, 1:1 finder with parallax correction. Should cost less than US 200.

BTW, made in roughly 100,000 copies. Not sure what you mean by "more common".

[paulfish4570]

I reckon, ferider, that is common enough ... :)

[rxmd]

BTW, made in roughly 100,000 copies. Not sure what you mean by "more common".

Well, the Zorki-4 was made in something like 1.7 million copies, so even if 9 out of 10 Zorki-4s were bad, this still leaves more good Zorki-4s than Canon Ps ;)

[paulfish4570]

:) :) :) :) :)

[healyzh]

What are people's opinion of Fedka? I see several items on their site that are of interest.

As for the original question, I'd personally go with either the Bessa or Leica, or you can do like I do with my Jupiter-8 and use a M-mount adapter. I use my J-8 on an M6 TTL, but have been thinking of picking up a IIIf.

[paulfish4570]

I have considered a iiif or iiic or M3 or Bessa r3m ...

[Brian Legge]

I've only purchased a J8 from Fedka but I am totally happy with it. Several of my favorite 35mm shots this year were taken with that lens.

[paulfish4570]

I may have a trade working for a CLA'd FED-2 ...

[Frontman]

To continue the FSU theme, but with a more interesting camera, the Zorki 3 is pretty neat. As for the Canons, the Canon 7 is also a good option. I've been selling a few of these (P's and 7's) on eBay recently, and the prices are lower than what most Bessas go for.

Here in Japan there are any number of interesting LTM cameras, such as the early Minoltas and Yashicas, as well as Leotax/Chiyotax/Nikka, etc. All are of considerably higher quality than the FSU cameras, and they aren't prohibitively expensive.