Behold the Rough, Tough, Loud Zorki 3C

     Here it is--direct from the country that gave you Sputnik, the T-34 tank, the Gulag, and the Kalashnikov AK-47. Manufactured in 1956 when Russia was known as the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the Zorki 3-C is just one of the thousands upon thousands of Leica copies made by KMZ back in the days before the Berlin Wall came down.
    Although it's said to be fairly rare, I think I paid less than $25 (plus shipping from Ukraine) for this giant among 35mm cameras. 
     The Zorki 3-C weighs almost half a pound more than a Leica IIA, is about half an inch longer, and stands about half an inch taller. Unlike some other Zorkis, it has just one shutter speed adjusting dial set on its top plate. Far from delicate, the shutter release button requires a very firm touch. What's more, when you depress the shutter release, don't expect to hear the subdued sound of a Leica or a Canon copy. Instead, what you hear sounds more like the sound of a mini explosion.

     Here's what Lily Schwartz wrote about this behemoth at the Film Shooter's Collective on the Internet.
   "Pretty much everything on this camera is as Soviet as it can get. It’s definitely not designed for usability, and most of the time it gets in the way badly. The lenses don’t have click stops, the shutter speeds are not predictably spaced and you’re likely to break your fingernails on both the shutter speed dial and the film forwarding dial.
    The shutter also makes a horrendous noise that sounds somewhat as if a robot just ripped his (metal) trousers - which can be good since it doesn’t really sound like a camera shutter at all. It’s basically stealthy by being completely weird and obnoxious"

    But there is a positive side to this camera. Compared to those I've seen on some other 35mm vintage cameras, the Zorki's viewfinder/rangefinder is first rate. The viewfinder window is bright and clear, and there's even a little magnifier lever beneath the rewind lever. The square rangefinder patch is easily discernible. Of course, I can't vouch for how accurate it is.
    Another nice touch is that, unlike many other Zorkis, the 3-C has strap lugs. And it has a top shutter speed of 1/1000. Also, the back is removable for easy loading.
     Shown in the photos is an Industar-50 3.5/50 lens. When I received it, the aluminum barrel was badly tarnished. Luckily, I was able to brighten it up somewhat with Mother's Mag & Aluminum polish and a bit of elbow grease.
      Truth to tell, if I were still shooting photos, I might want to use this camera--but only just one time and for fun. But as a regular user, I'd have to say "no." The Zorki is simply too heavy, too cumbersome, and too noisy for my taste. But it does look nice on the shelf with the rest of the cameras in my collection.

COMING SOON: Petri 2.8 Color Corrected Super