Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/11/15
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I like the Iskra just fine, but I thought I'd like it better. I haven't succeeded to trim in the close focus (wide-open) yet and you have to use a bit of force to trip the shutter, leading to camera shake at slow speeds. It's solidly built though. If you really want a reasonable alternative to a Rolleiflex F you should really, really take a hard look at the Rolleicords. Anything from Rolleicord IV and later would fit the bill for me (I want a Schneider Xenar, not a triplet taking lens). You can probably pick up one cheaper than an Iskra. My favorite Rolleicord is the V, but from what I understand the Rolleicord IV would work for me as well. I like to have the focusing knob on the right-hand side and the shutter release on the otherside (left-hand). The Rolleicord Va and Vb have both on the same side of the camera (left-hand side) and that forces me to fiddle around (focus, change position of the hands to steady the camera and then shoot. With the V and IV you do everything without having to change the position of your hands. With the big flexes it's not a problem either. They have focusing on the left, but shutters on the right). The Rolleicords are not "cheap" when it comes to quality construction, they've just left out a few niceties (feeler mechanism when loading film, film advance knob instead of crank, no automatic shutter cocking, but they do have double-exposure prevention). Rolleicords are real Rollei products. You _would_ want to pick up a brighter screen from redleica1 on that auction site (about 30 USD), or if you have money to spare, a Maxwell screen from Bill Maxwell (I have the latter on a Rolleicord and the former on an old flex). It seems even the Rolleicord III has the Xenar: 7561990676 (on that auction site). Daniel On 11/14/05, Matt Powell <wooderson@gmail.com> wrote: > On 11/14/05, Daniel Ridings <dlridings@gmail.com> wrote: > > And an Iskra: > > > > http://gallery.leica-users.org/album08/05v45_0035 > > How do you like the Iskra? > > I've been looking for a 6x6 alternative to the much more expensive > Rolleiflex F or a Mamiya 6 kit - the only downside to the Iskra's is > that I've heard the film advance is fragile. Any problems on your end? > > -- > MP > wooderson@gmail.com > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >