Asking advice

Group,

Been all my life fascinated by Hassy but never had cash reserve to buy one.

So this has led me to question very similar like Hamlet

a) buy ARAX88 (Kiev) model with lenses I consider fullfilling the basic
photographic subjects - pets, persons, scenery, architecture

b) or tighten the belt one notch more and save save save and buy
refurb Hassy 500CM or similar and couple lenses

Advice is asked - to B) or not to B)

Yours truely

/Jukka aka Bugs

Bugs Bunny schrieb:

So this has led me to question very similar like Hamlet

a) buy ARAX88 (Kiev) model with lenses I consider fullfilling the basic
photographic subjects - pets, persons, scenery, architecture

I am using a Wiese K88 Six in it´s sixth year. And I am _very_
satisfied with it. And Georg of Arax has earned himself a good fame
within us Sovkam users, but his company is little more than a year old
by now.

The "Kiev bargain" is not the camera, it´s the system and the lenses.
You gain access to a wide range of affordable lenses, to accessoires
and stuff you will never be able to afford if made in Goeteborg.

A Shift lens for less than 400USD? A 30mm for 300USD? A groundglass
for 30EUR? A spot meter prism?

My favourite is using the Arsat PCS C 4,5/55, I recently got a
groundglass for improved image control.

The late Zeiss Jena lenses and the current line of Zavod Arsenal glass
is fine, some lenses are just excellent, even if you don´t take the
price tag into account.

Do you depend on the magazines (will you change films often or use bw
and slide or CN parallel?), do you need a look-a-Hassy for your ego or
a functional camera? If the latter, a Kiev60 might be better suited.
It´s mechanically more sound and further developed..

Yours truely

/Jukka aka Bugs

Gruss, Roman

"Bugs Bunny" wrote in message
...
Group,

Been all my life fascinated by Hassy but never had cash reserve to buy
one.

So this has led me to question very similar like Hamlet

a) buy ARAX88 (Kiev) model with lenses I consider fullfilling the basic
photographic subjects - pets, persons, scenery, architecture

b) or tighten the belt one notch more and save save save and buy
refurb Hassy 500CM or similar and couple lenses

Advice is asked - to B) or not to B)

I say (C): get something you can afford to buy good glass for. Kiev and
Arsenal are crap shoots in regards build and optics quality. Life is too
short to have to go back to reshoot, and you will, once you get the better
lens.

"MikeWhy" schrieb:

I say (C): get something you can afford to buy good glass for. Kiev and
Arsenal are crap shoots in regards build and optics quality.

Have you ever handled a Zavod Arsenal (aka "Kiev") lens? What do you
base your claim "crap optics" on?

Life is too
short to have to go back to reshoot, and you will, once you get the better
lens.

Life is too short to miss a shot because you can´t afford the gear.

Gruss, Roman

Roman J. Rohleder wrote:

[...]
Life is too short to miss a shot because you can´t afford the gear.

Life is too short too to be wasted being dissatisfied with every shot you
haven't missed because you bought the cheap gear, knowing that if only you
had been brave enough to buy the right gear...

Q.G. de Bakker wrote:

Roman J. Rohleder wrote:

[...]
Life is too short to miss a shot because you can´t afford the gear.

Life is too short too to be wasted being dissatisfied with every shot you
haven't missed because you bought the cheap gear,

Why would they be dissatisfied? The optics seem fine to me.

knowing that if only you
had been brave enough to buy the right gear...

Wow so all I have to do is "Be brave" and a schneider 55mm shift lens is
going to show up in the mail? Or is it that money starts growing on the
trees out side? :-)

How many shift lenses have you been "brave enough to buy" for your blad?
Spring for the Zeiss 30mm fisheye yet or are you going to toss back the
sour grapes -It's not a very useful lens- when you've never used one?

I could easily afford a -very used- 500c and a couple of lenses (50 and
150), but that would be it as far as a len budget goes and doubt I could
afford even the 40mm much less anything else.
--

Stacey

Stacey wrote:

[snip]

Must we really have this miserable "things are good because they are cheap"
thing all over again?

Amazing, isn't it Stacey, how once again this matter appears to be solely
one of finances...

"Roman J. Rohleder" wrote in message
...
"MikeWhy" schrieb:

I say (C): get something you can afford to buy good glass for. Kiev and
Arsenal are crap shoots in regards build and optics quality.

Have you ever handled a Zavod Arsenal (aka "Kiev") lens? What do you
base your claim "crap optics" on?


He said "crap shoot" which implies that the quality of the optics you get
may be good or may suck but you'll have no way of telling before you get it
and use it, not "crap optics" which implies that the quality sucks with no
chance of getting anything good from them.

Jeffery S. Harrison

"Roman J. Rohleder" wrote in message
...
"MikeWhy" schrieb:

I say (C): get something you can afford to buy good glass for. Kiev and
Arsenal are crap shoots in regards build and optics quality.

Have you ever handled a Zavod Arsenal (aka "Kiev") lens? What do you
base your claim "crap optics" on?

Crap shoot, as in gamble. Gamble, as in not being certain of consistent good
quality.

Reason number four for buying good gear: never feeling like you have to
explain why your weenie is so small.

Life is too
short to have to go back to reshoot, and you will, once you get the
better
lens.

Life is too short to miss a shot because you can´t afford the gear.

Indeed. It's too short.

Bugs Bunny wrote:

Been all my life fascinated by Hassy but never had cash reserve to buy
one.

So this has led me to question very similar like Hamlet

a) buy ARAX88 (Kiev) model with lenses I consider fullfilling the basic
photographic subjects - pets, persons, scenery, architecture

b) or tighten the belt one notch more and save save save and buy
refurb Hassy 500CM or similar and couple lenses

Advice is asked - to B) or not to B)

What do you want, strive to make the best photos you can, or save a penny or
two?