Alexander, I have an experience as with Zenit, FED and Kiev bodies (the latest one I used was Zenit-122) as with Russian lenses. I also owned a medium format Lyubitel 166B. I used them during long time. Fortunately, 12 years ago (when I left Russia) I switched to Japanese brands. What can I say?... It's a different world.
It's sad, but even modern Russian bodies and lenses can only compete with "Kwanon" (1st Canon with 50mm Nikkor, made in 1934). In Russia I heard many times people talk about excellent quality of Russian optics. I don't know what's the source of that rumor, but it is so far from the reality (unfortunately). I met some people that used Russian lenses (like fish-eye and 1000mm mirror) on their Nikon's and Canon's (with adaptors), but all they were aware of poor optics quality. The only reason was the lens price (which also tells something about the quality). If you are still using Zenit, I'd like to recommend you to put it on shelf and run to photo-store and purchase Canon ASAP. Best wishes, George George Agasandian Software Development Tools Manager Wintegra Communications Semiconductor Solutions mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Phone: 972-9.7439998 x237 Mobile:972-64.295711 Fax: 972-9.7439992 URL: www.wintegra.com > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] On Behalf Of Bob Meyer > Sent: Friday, November 29, 2002 05:37 > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Re: EOS Russian lenses > > > --- Nick Taylor <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > IMO the long Cold War years have given the western > > world a biased view of > > Russia and its capabilities. > > Actually, it's experience with Russian devices, and > not Cold War bias, that gives me my vies. > > > I have not experience > > with Russian cameras > > or lenses, > > Then you shouldn't be jumping to conclusions, should > you? > > > > After WWII The Soviets acquired the entire Zeiss > > Jena factory including its > > technicians and R&D personnel. During the Cold War > > years they built very > > sophisticated optical equipment for medical and > > scientific applications, > > military use, and for the space program. > > I'm not terribly familiar with telescopes, but the big > problem with the Soviet camera industry is that, 30 > and 40 years after WWII, they were still using the > same tooling and technology that were in the factories > at the close of WWII. But with far less quality > control than Zeiss applied. > > > our > > bias against the Eastern Block countries will most > > likely persist for a > > very long time. > > Actually, Americans' show a remarkable ability to > forgive and forget, and buy quality regardless of > where it comes from. Ten years after WWII, Americans' > were happily buying Volkswagons, Mercedes Benz and > other German vehicles. East Germans were building and > buying Trabants. 30 years later East Germans were > STILL building and buying Trabants. Need anything > more be said? > > In the early 1970s, when I sold cameras, Minolta, > Canon, Pentax and a dozen other Japanese and West > German brands offered full aperture, match needle > metering, high quality optics, high precision, > reliable bodies. Zenit's offered technology that was > current 10 or 15 years before, and quality bettered by > even the cheapest Japanese brands. > > > > ===== > Bob Meyer > I wish I knew what I know now, when I was younger... > > http://www.meyerweb.net/epson > * **** ******* *********************************************************** * For list instructions, including unsubscribe, see: * http://www.a1.nl/phomepag/markerink/eos_list.htm ***********************************************************
