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@@Streetphotog-dn1zy You need to look through the viewfinder with a lens to see if it responds to light. If you can't try the camera in a shop, find another shop

@@BavarianM just enough oil

Yes on the 2003 and 2004 models only. The 05 and up have an internal filter. Part number is: 25450-P7W-003 if you want to see the part diagram for yourself.

The Leica lenses are probably the only thing worth looking at when purchasing a Leica camera, but you could always just buy some vintage lenses like a Zeiss Jena for another camera and get the same look. I deeply love the Leicaflex SL though. The lag on the R series cameras are crazy annoying. Almost a 1/2 shutter delay on this CLA'd R6 when shooting in -20 f temps

It is very sound advice to go with a Leicaflex for the best Leica SLR experience.

The R6 camera out in 1988, so it's only 36 years old. Plenty of photojournalists from around the country had used them, although not nearly as much as Nikons and Canons due to the issues of maintenance or repair (since they had to be sent out to Germany for repair vs Nikons and Canons could repaired in house or locally). The only thing pro about an M series is the amount you lose for paying for it.

"Only" 36 years old? Good YT fodder, sure. Usable camera; I guess.

There's a pretty big cult following for Leica SLR's now, especially after COVID for some reason. Most of the R bodies are basically a fancy Minolta with a red Leica badge. The Leica rangefinders aren't anything all that special either besides being wildly overpriced.

Leicas are low volume cameras, they're not over priced. The Leica SL3 is roughly the same price as other flagship bodies. The Sony A1 ii is a better camera, but is very specialized for pro sports photographers. The Canon R1 is around that price range with 40 less mp. The Z9 is much cheaper but has no mechanical shutter. The Leica is a studio camera directed at high end professional photographers who're attracted to L-Mount Leica glass. The top 3 brands have lenses costing more. Leica branded lenses are expensive, but Sigma makes art lenses for them with reasonable prices. As for old Leica cameras, that's not the fault of Leica the company. That's the result of its community.

@@dct124 The discussion was about film cameras and my comments are perfectly correct. The Leica R series started with the R3 which really was a Minolta. In the 1970's Leitz did not have any expertise in producing zoom lenses so the 1970's zoom lenses were designed and made by Minolta, but sold as the R 3 was, at a premium price. The R series cameras up to the R8 were all reliant on Minolta for parts. If you look at the specs of any Leica camera they are not cutting edge, neither was the performance. Leica relied on their reputation created before the Japanese camera industry really got going. In the secondhand market, because this was a discussion about film cameras, you could probably buy half a dozen Nikon F90X's for the cost of one Leica R6. I bought mine with two zoom lenses for £80. The Nikon is by far the better camera. Indeed for not much more than the cost of a Leica R6 you could purchase a really good Rolleiflex 6003 and enjoy the ultimate in medium format film cameras. Leica fan boys always shout loudly but empty vessels make the most noise.

@@davidjenkins8009 excerpt "2023 was “the best year in Leica’s history,” Dr. Andreas Kaufmann, majority shareholder and chairman of the supervisory board of Leica Camera AG, told the French magazine Phototrend. Those results are driven by the sale of more than 11,000 M11s and M11 Monochroms, said Kaufmann, plus an explosion in demand for film cameras. Leica is producing almost 5,000 M6 and MP 35mm cameras this year, up from just 500 in 2015; a number previously so low that the company considered disposing of the production equipment. And the compact Leica Q3 has taken off like a rocket, according to Leica officials.

@davidjenkins8009 You are absolutely correct- Leica's have sort of become the "Hasselblad" where you're paying for the brand name and not the actual camera quality or features. Unfortunately many people want to show off loyalty to brand name verses have more features or lens mount options. The repair guy that I go to always has issues finding parts for the R series cameras since many are Minolta parts and have long since been discontinued. I've always been a firm believer that lens are far more important than camera bodies especially with film so I have no issue using a Zenit, Zorki, or a Praktica with limited shutter speed options but nearly an unlimited amount of M42 or M39 lenses. If I really need the crazy shutter speeds or E-ttl flash, I can just grab my Canon A2E and use all my L series lenses- All of which, in my eyes, are far superior to the R6 with the proprietary R- mount.

@AleksUsovich Leicas value when adjusted for inflation cost the same as when they were released in the 50s, 70s, etc. The reason other brands are cheaper is from pushing manufacturing offshore into cheaper labor markets. Leica is still manufactured by hand in Germany. What happened, is they became collector items when the company nearly folded in 2004. You guys are taking a very shortsighted approach instead of actually looking into what happened. The Nikon F cost $262 brand new in Silver and $282 in Black. The Leica M3 cost $270 new. The cumulative price increase is 1,209.81% putting a Leica M3 at $3,536.48. A Leica M3 for the last several decades has not passed $2,000. A product only holds its value based on the buyer, not the company as these products are sold second hand. Leicas market was professional photojournalists not the consumer market, which back then really didn't exist anywhere near like today. The only expensive Leicas are special edition super low volume which are collectors items. A Nikon S3 rangefinder cost more than a Leica M3 today at $2300. There are sellers asking for even more. Places like Japan where the models are more prevalent sell for much less at under $1k. Understand this. Cameras were never originally designed to be sold into mass production. Today's cameras are made cheaply.

I first got roped into the Leica world by getting an amazing deal on a Leica R4s, then only to find out the cheapest lens was $350 just for a 50mm f/2 since it's a special mount. Being too far into it already, I bought the lens and shot a ton of rolls, then got the Leicaflex SL, and finally found a decent deal on the R6. I believe the R4 was made in partnership with Minolta which coincidentally was also one of the most notoriously unreliable cameras they made. It's kinda funny that the more that I use my bare bones Soviet cameras, the less I like the refined gear. It's crazy that my Zorki 4 has the same shutter speed options as this complex R6 for at least 1/10th the price. I'll stick to my Zorki, Zenit's, and one Praktica that I own instead of the R6. I appreciate your continued viewership and awesome comments!

@AleksUsovich . I have seen two zenits at local salvation army stores last and this year, but did not buy them due to lack of lenses. I became used to using the sunny 16 rule with my Lubitel and Seagull WWSC cameras. While using program mode exclusively on my Nikon D3300 has produced good results that can be instantly retaken if needed, transitioning to my recently purchased Minolta autofocus film camera program exposure will still feel strange until I have the first roll processed next year. As I now have a praktica MTL-5, I will watch for m42 mount lenses at camera shows using the list you posted.

The Praktica L series cameras were introduced in 1969 and all of them with the exception of special versions that were deliberately under specified to be sold at even lower prices (usually through Dixons) had 1/1000 second top speed. The VLC cameras had interchangeable viewfinders too although the VLC was not introduced until very late in 1974.

@@trevorlevick1564 Glad to help!

If a cluttered work station is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty workstation?

@@KevinLarsonIsAwesome Watch the back minutes of the video... You can see the camera there. Plus this is an introduction to the camera and not the last video for this camera.

@ yeah thanks. but i lost interest and didn’t finish. i think thats the point im making. cheers!

Unfortunately some of the Lubitel 166s seem to have bad build quality especially once LOMO took over production.. I've had three Lubitel's so far and love the 3 element lens on it, it's such an iconic look especially close to wide open; plus all the copies that I've had were super sharp once stopped down. I've always wanted to try a Seagull and a Zeiss Ikon Ikoflex TLR's- hopefully will find a good deal on one someday. I bought a Mamiya C22 TLR and used that for years but it built too well- it was so heavy that I never wanted to bring it anywhere. I actually went from my Lubitel 166 to the C22 and back to a Lubitel after that. I do really miss the ability to switch lenses though.

@AleksUsovich I also briefly owned a used Mamiya TLR (C330). As you experienced , it was so heavy I did not want to carry it much and sold it at a camera show. IIRC the Lubitel was my next 6x6 purchase. Very small and easy to carry but the vignetting and increasingly difficult winding resistance prompted me to buy the Seagull. I have been satisfied with the Seagull TLR as it has a hand crank advance ( luxurious compared to the Lubitel ) and the 3 element lens is sharp enough stopped down due to normally using the sunny 16 exposure method. Supposedly the 4 element seagull lens is even better than my 3 element lens per a Popular Photography article from about 2001

This brown / titanium color is extremely rare. Most if not all the Zenit ET's are either Silver or Black.

There's plenty of rare and special Soviet cameras such as the Leningrad or the Drug.

Junk? This camera was designed for the general public, the mechanism is simple and durable enough for his proposal and the lens that normally come with this camera are beautiful... All that for a fraction of a Canon ae-1 (for instance). Cameras are tools, it is what you make with them that counts, using a Zenit or Leica, the quality of the results are the same because they depend on you, don't blame the tool when you are a fool.

@Luis181098 Perfectly said!

@@Luis181098 In 2015 I looked into Zenit viewfinder which is owned by the ex KMZ assembly line engineer in-charge. Best build Zenit you could imagine. Still junk. Fool? I was taking film exposures by kilometers per year from 2012 to 2022. Build my own darkroom. My wet prints are in private collection in Russia, Canada, USA and Australia. I was interviewed, published, won contests with my film photography. I also repaired dozens of film cameras. The only fool here is the author who is claiming to use FSU camera without even checking if it actually works (via test negatives :) )

Since publishing the video, I have shot and developed 3 rolls of film from the camera and verified the shutter speeds with an Arduino test tool to verify they are correct. While this isn't the best camera out there, it's as enjoyable to use as my Leciaflex SL or Leica R6. This camera is simply a tool for me and not a X-Pan to flaunt. Good photos are easier to create when limited either by shutter speeds, viewfinders, or film options. The more options out there, the less composition seems to matter as other pressing matters like metering, focus types, and shutter speeds seem to be more important.

I will definitely be using this camera and putting some film mileage on it.

Don’t worry, it’s not like I defaced the Mona Lisa-these things now are barely worth the price of lunch.

I have owned a few for the Zenit 19's and have had my heart broken each time they broke since they're not mechanically reliable and eventually break and are practically irreparable due to being electronically controlled. I'm quite an avid Zenit user since I've owned a few 11s, 12xp, 12sd, and TTL's. The 11 holds a special place in my heart since it is one of the most reliable camera's that I own- it hasn't let me down when taking photos at -50F to 115F and since the shutter just keeps on going and no battery to worry about. I keep these Zenits that have a selenium meter inside of their leather cases to make sure that the meters continue to work perfectly for the next 50 years. I appreciate your comment!

One man's trash is another man's treasure.

Jupiter and Carl Zeiss Jena were best eastern block lens manucaturers look for them. Some of Helios-44 series are also good like 44-2 and 44-3

@exn1h1lon1h1lf1t thank you. The most recent local camera show had dealers selling some Soviet cameras and lenses. I will check the next show to see what may be useful. I was checking for Japanese lenses with the same threaded lens mount but they are apparently not considered collectibles.

You can't go wrong with the Helios- 44-2 - which is my favorite preset type lenses which seems have a more unique looking bokeh compared to the Helios 44-4. The Industar 50-2 is a great choice although a little harder to use since the aperture ring is located on the front of the lens- great image quality and the lens is pretty chap. The Jupiter 9 is a 85mm lens that is amazing for portraits or crazy smooth bokeh- I bought it last year and it practically lives on my Zenit 11. I like the Meyer Optik Domipan 50mm f/2.8 (the one in the video) as it's sharp and pretty compact, shame that it's an f/2.8 but still gets the job down when it gets dark. My other two M42 lenses are both Japansese- A Pentax Super Takumar 50mm f/1.4 (for when it gets dark) and a Pentax Super Takumar 28mm f/3.5 (very slow but sharp wide angle lens). I have had a few Zeiss Jena's but have sold all of them due to either needing maintenance or not being my style; this is just my personal opinion but I noticed that the photos taken with the Zeiss Jena's were too "clinically sharp". That sounds crazy to say but the lenses were so sharp that the photos started to look like they had an HDR effect especially when paired with pushed Tri-X 400 or JCP camera hunter 400. The bokeh also looked a little too block-y for my tastes. It would probably help the Zeiss lenses to have a little haze inside and soften the photo up a bit. The consensus online is that people LOVE the Zeiss lenses but I have avoided them since I actually prefer my photos to be fairly sharp but not crazy sharp. I actually sometimes use very vintage Soviet m39 enlarging lenses in my enlarger when printing some photos to take away some sharpness from photos I'm printing. Sharpness is good but too much of it in my option distractions from the art and purpose of the photo.

@@AleksUsovich It's interesting that you enjoy Industar. Most people from my post-Soviet country think of it as cheap and low-quality, but from your whole comment, I can see why you'd like it.

@@AleksUsovich thank you! Very useful for my visits to future camera shows📷

I cherish my cameras and take relatively good care of them but don't own cameras to have them collect dust, I like to enjoy using the cameras. I keep all the original boxes and manuals to collect though! They're too valuable to throw away.

@AleksUsovich the boxes can be interesting and attractive decoration. Wish I'd kept the box from my first slr: a Minolta SRT-101. Regrettably, my Kiev 88 cameras (1991, 1995 and 1999), one Kiev 60 (1987) and the Praktica were purchased used so no boxes😥 I also have a small Kiev magazine fed 16mm movie camera with lenses purchased used. Unfortunately the lens threads are different from the small magazine fed American version I own.

I enjoy buying cameras that have the original boxes but only a few are left in that condition. It's pretty rare to find used cameras with boxes anymore unless collector kept. Fortunately or unfortunately, I believe the Kiev 16 movie camera uses m32x0.5 thread mount that no one else uses, I don't believe anyone else uses a flange distance close to that (if so, you could just adapt another lens mount to use other lenses if flange mount distance is close). I know the Kiev 16mm cine lenses are highly sought after and frequently have high prices for them.

@AleksUsovich very interesting info about the kiev 16 lenses. I did find info on line before purchase that stated the Kiev lens thread mount is different from American lenses. I bought the Kiev 16 mm magazine fed camera to compare with the American version and because the Kiev was sold with a film magazine. I have three American film magazines purchased three decades ago in storage but have not had time to look for them before winter forced me to allocate time for last minute chores. The Kiev and Revere cameras still function but my Revere turret camera is missing lenses. I notice that magazine fed 16 mm American movie cameras are currently very popular with collectors so it may be a while before I am able to use my Revere turret camera. I do have a single lens version, however.

Would have loved to get some shots from further away if everything wasn't so tightly packed in on the Pilot. Glad you found it useful!

Glad it was helpful!

The tool is simply called "universal filter thread repair tool"

Glad you liked it!

@@U.Boonmee use the built in metal spools.

Yes, it is nearly the same camera

@@MrBrassboy a transmission leak? Absolutely -if the tranny fluid gets low enough, it'll drive and shift rough.

Glad to help! Hopefully this fix provides you with peace and quiet once completed.

I'm temporarily partially at peace just knowing the source of that noise isn't something that's going to cause me to lose control in traffic! (Can you hear the attempt to comfort myself despite the fact that the noise still annoys the heck outta me? LOL!)

@@jyotishman752 probably a problem with the mirror mechanism.

Glad it was helpful!

Awesome! Thank you!

Yes, this particular camera is made for hand holding or keeping on a tripod. This camera is much too heavy and fragile to attach to clothing or attaching to a bike. You'll have better luck with a dedicated sport camera like a GoPro or the DJI Osmo Action.

Check the set screw that is in the metal shutter selector dial. If it is loose, it may not actually be changing speeds for 1/30 and bulb. If not, you will need to do a CLA with particular attention to the slow speed mechanism. There are a few resources online and I have CLA'd two Zorki 4's before; it is not super easy but not extremely difficult if you have ever repaired a camera before.

@@AleksUsovich thanks. I will try that

It probably wouldn't hurt to have it checked, but if you only do a side at a time, it should be pretty spot on.

@@伊万诺夫维克多 find a manual to figure out what the problem is with the flash sync or send it to Arax in Ukraine for repairs

Not sure what you mean. Filter was changed out

Generally you can stop down the aperture to ensure you have everything in focus although you lose out on the depth of field. I can certainly print out the model for you if you would like, you would have to source the actual viewfinder for it though. Send me an email at alex.usovich@yandex.ru if interested.

Thank you! I absolutely love the viewfinder of the Leicaflex SL and it's still the best I've ever used. It's crazy to me that you can get a Leicaflex SL for almost the same price as a Pentax K1000 or Canon A-1; granted the price for the R cam lenses is pretty steep! There actually was a Leicaflex SL2 MOT that fell 8000 meters before crashing into the sand and was still operational, although it sustained some damage.

@@AleksUsovich That is an impressive record for the Leicaflex. In terms of cost, my understanding that initially Leicaflex cameras were rather expensive. About fifteen years or so ago, the demand just tanked and the prices went down by more than 80% virtually overnight.

@@throtol I haven't checked Leica prices, but film camera bids on the goodwill auction website have been increasing rapidly over the past year for anything that might be collectible.

English is not my native language, a mix of Russian / Belarussian is my native language. The 1D IV is a fantasitc camera and I often chose it over my 5D II when I had both years ago. I love carrying two cameras with different lenses and being prepared for anything with dual focal lengths.

@@davem.539 It's a usually drain and fill for ATF but there is also a filter. I'd do the filter every 50K-100K. Not every drain and fill if you do the recommended 15k drain and fill intervals

@@terry5373 They more than likely will. You'll probably have to drill them out and put in new bolts and nuts. Not too hard of a procedure

Glad it helped!

You are welcome!

Does the camera work like does the shutter fire at different shutter speeds?

This lens is certainty heavy especially paired with the 1DS II. Jack of all trades but master of none, especially not a master of being light weight.

Thank you very much for your kind words! Comparison to the work of others definitely seems to devalue my own work but you certainly make a great point in saying that it is poetic with it's flaws and not being perfect. I had not even considered that possibility before!