My wife asks me about my birthday...

[Fedzilla_Bob]

My wife opened a discussion with me while we were out to dinner Friday. She wanted to know what I want for my birthday. She also said that now that I am into cameras she figures there must be something I want for that.

I don't know about the rest of you but that sent me into a kind of tailspin. I begged her to give me a range since there are so many possibilities. like...

• Iskra
• Argus C-44 (it's a style thing)
• Kiev 4am w/Helios 103 or J8
• CV 35mm classic for my R
• Voigtlander Prominent
• Maserati Coupe (this last one is obviously a pipe dream)

She won't give me a range. Any suggestions?

[Roman]

Exept for the Prominent (I heard operation is very quirkiy, with focussing done with a spring loaded knob that prevents holding the camera well) they all sound like good presents - particularly the Maserati...

Roman

[Gordon Coale]

But is the Maserati a rangefinder?

[Fedzilla_Bob]

Well no... but one can dream.

Maybe I should have asked for a DucatI? ...

http://www.cameraquest.com/ducati.htm

[Fedzilla_Bob]

OK, I now have a range- up to $100

Which I could still get into lots of trouble with.

An iskra or c-44 are still posibilities. Probably would have more fun with the Iskra. And, the C-44s are dirt cheap it seems.

[CleverName]

Maybe you could get a C-44 and then get new leather covering kit for it?

something cool...Zilla skin.

[Fedzilla_Bob]

I think the Hasselblad skin (black) at cameraleathers.com most resemble "Zilla skin."
http://www.cameraleather.com/hasselblad/

Unfortunately they don't cover [no pun] the C-4.

[tedwhite]

Olympus XA (if you haven't already got one). Mint for easily under $100. A true rangefinder, so small you can put it in your shirt pocket. Killer Zuiko lens. She'll take one look and think she's funded the purchase of a toy camera.

But a toy it's not.

Ted (owner of one)

[wlewisiii]

Fedzilla, I may be simply not remembering, but have you given Kievs a try? Otherwise, I'd try to find a nice Iskra. There is simply no finer folder ever made. Anywhere. Anytime. It's really that good.

That said, the film transport is fragile. Treat it right, though, and it will treat you right. The glass will more than make up for your efforts as it is quite possibly the finest Tessar ever produced. By anyone...

Hope this helps,

William

[Fedzilla_Bob]

Thanks guys- I have had both XA and XA2- love 'em both. The XA froze up years ago. never had it repaired. I used to take it skiing, it lived inside my EB parka. I think the steam is what hosed it. I sold the XA2 to purchase the FED2. Not that the XA2 was bad. Nice lens and scale focusing is great when you want to hip shoot. I have a Minox EL that fills that role now. The "drawbridge" is held together with gaffer's tape.

I am leaning toward the Iskra because I would like a medium format camera, especially with the landscapes I am surrounded by.

Yep, a Kiev 4a is interesting, but I have a bunch of 35mm cameras with my FEDs and the Bessa R, and a Canon T70 that does SLR duty now and then.

Ted- Could you find the "Flitz?"

[jdos2]

Personally, I'd get the Prominent. Ultron or Nokton are wonderful lenses. Easy to clean the rangefinder/viewfinder, reliable shutter, and simple operation that demands both hands (stable!).

"Takes nice pictures."

And if you want one with far too man lenses... :-)

[tedwhite]

Bob: Not yet. However, I am on my way to beautiful downtown Sierra Vista today (home to Fort Huachuca, US Army World-Wide Communications Center, Intelligence Center and School, Joint Inter-operability Test Center, and where they make the un-manned drone reconnaissance aircraft that fly all over Iraq); a somewhat conservative town at best. Its strong points are Walmart and AutoZone, alleged purveyor of Flitz.

In order not to forget, I had my girlfriend write "FLITZ," using her lipstick, in large letters on my forehead - backwards of course, so I can read it in the rearview mirror of my car. If my photography students should make inquiry, I'll tell 'em it's the name of a 1950's Russian camera.

Give your wife free rein. Tell her to get you something that has nothing to do with photography.

Ted

[Fedzilla_Bob]

Ted- if the Autozone doesn't have it there is always "Bed Bath and Beyond" where they sell it for polishing fancy schamncy pots and pans.

Remember the Autozone also carries "mother's" alloy polish in a small plastic jar. Similar to flitz. Both will work great with your motorcycle too!

As for the wife, she got me into eB*y, so the Iskra would be a little project for her .

Watch out for low flying "Predators."
Later-
Bob

[Tom Diaz]

What a great post and a nice problem! Anyway, if she is like my wife, it'd be good to choose something you will use frequently, so she will see it in your hands, feel good for getting it for you, etc.

[Fedzilla_Bob]

oh, I would use the Maserati every day. I promise