Shooting With A Weird Soviet Sniper Lens (complete kit review)
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- Опубліковано 26 вер 2024
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Shooting With A Weird Soviet Sniper Lens complete kit review
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#Photosniper #photography #vintagelens
The first Fotosnaipers were designed in the 40s, orignally for military use as an observation camera.
With the look and feel of a rifle, the photosniper was supposed to help you be more stable when shooting photos.
Over the years the Photosniper was redesigned for civilian use
In the 80' The FS-12 model was available as a camera for amateurs, nature photographers, spies and paparazzi.
The photosniper became more and more populer. it even appeard in a famous Soviet cartoon.
I found a complete kit at a flea market
I saw a metal case on a table, opened it, coldn't believe my eyes, a complete kit !
I Asked for the price thinking it would cost a fortune, but the old man selling it told me he was too scared to take it out nowdays and he wanted to get rid of it.
he asked me 15 euros for the box... I didnt hesitate a single second and bought it.
The kit includes :
a Zenit ES camera
Helios-44 58mm f/2 lens
Tair-3AS 300mm f/4.5 lens,
Two yellow filters
UV filter
Orange filter
Green filter
Two film cassette cases
Two screwdrivers
Lens hood
Trigger assembly
the metal wheel in the front of the gun let you focus.
The main problem with the Fotosnaiper? You’re unlikely to go unnoticed by people around you.
So in the best case scenario they will come and ask you what you are doing ( it happend to me five minutes after starting to shoot my test footage )
wors case scenario they will freak out and call the police because of the terrorist walking around with a grenade launcher.
I adapted the Tair lens on my A7III using a M42 adapter, and To avoid being shot by the police I tested the lens without the gun.
To have the best stability i mounted the lens on a monopod.
I must say i was blown away by the quality of the lens, it's incredibly sharp and when using a tripod you can really get some nice organic footage.
The 16 aperture blades gives you a great bokeh
it's a great lens for birds lovers but it could be really interesting to use it for portrait or more crazy experiments.
You are INSANE to go out with the gun version of this lens. I would never do it! hahahaaha. The regular Tair 3 is the non-gun version and it's also amazing (and much lighter).
Haha, I chose the less crowded part of the forest during a weekday ... Pretty sure no one saw me... can't believe in the 70's this kind of gear was " ok" to pull out in public
@@MathieuStern very different from in the United States. Cities are similar, yes, but guns have a much higher presence here, sadly
@@MathieuStern I'm pretty sure it raised a lot of questions even back than. My father told me in the 90's that this kind of gear was known through magazines and catalogs, but due to it's high prices it was very rare and mostly used by professionals only and certainly not for street photography or holiday snapshots. Press and sport events, nature photography and in situations were you needed a telephoto lens but couldn't afford a heavy tripod due to its heavyness or movability, were the fields of this kind of ... handheld stabilizers.
@@MathieuStern I love it and I'm not a gun person 🤣 I just just imagine explaining it to tsa that you're not carrying an actual gun.
As a marine ...if I'd see you pull a fast one like that ,you'll be dead in a sec
"I'm just taking a picture of the President..."
Mr. President can i have one shoot, please !
@@CahyoPrabowo *Cocks film reel
I hear this comment
Oh my god! How the hell did you even learn about Vacation in Prostokvashino cartoon? I mean, it blows my mind that people outside Russia realize it exists. Great research!
When we were kids in France in the 1980s there where some eastern Europe cartoons frequently going on on TV...
And even films festivals hosting creations from Eastern Europe (Bulgaria, Poland, Hungary, Russia/USSR, Czekoslovakia, etc.), with some even inviting talented cartoonists.
France is a country of cinematograph (a French invention) and the people has always been keen on all types of image creations, be it animation (not only cartoons), camera, CG imagery, etc.
Have a look at Georges Mélies, the man who invented special effects in cinema and all the necessary gear to create them. He is the man behind this masterpiece titled "The travel to the moon", the version in colours being the most incredible thing you can expect to see ! This man sort of sowed the seeds of love for wildly creative cinematography, for the centuries to come.
And TV channels broadcasting those cartoons from far away helped a lot in giving birth to millions of cinema fans. An exemple of this... aside from Japan, France is the n°1 country for "manga" and "anime", and I remember myself seating for hours to watch the early Goldorak adventures... then some heroes in Polish cartoons too.
I've been using a photosnaiper adapted to shoot with my Fuji X cameras for seven years and no one has scared with it. Even the police never gave me any trouble when they saw me using it on the street. It causes the opposite reaction on almost anybody: they will ask you about it, if it is a kit or you built it,...
I love it for several uses, including street.
What country do you live in?
@@jmd1770 Spain.
@@BadBCat For some reason i expected this kind of response from Spain. There is a lot of photographers in Spain though so maybe people are more used to seeing massive lenses and thus can spot cameras easier.
“Police gun down UA-cam Photographer”
‘He was armed with soviet rocket launcher’, say eyewitnesses.
(Be careful where you use it 😉)
😂😂
Lol
Likely safer to use in London than in Rome, given the difference in the level of military presence in the two cities, though I'd still say it'd be quite risky to pull out in any big city lol
That episode from "Prostokvashino" cartoon was the first thing I thought about when I saw the title of the video)))
That was the camera that started my whole vintage camera/lens collection. I found a new-old stock set in an antique shop for $50 15 years ago. Still the center piece of my whole collection.
I have a one i want to sell it for how much can i sell it
@@joecooper2529 you'd have to check Ebay, I don't know what the going rate is now. Probably more than I paid.
$15 euro!?! Dude. Damn. The magic is free at that price.
magic lens ? :)
And "don't get shot," was definitely my first thought living in the US.
that's 1/10 of its value!!!!
This will be expensive now
@@thibaultdubaret9863 1/20 after this video does the rounds :)
Got one myself and I've had no problems taking it downtown in Helsinki where I live. Never had anyone get scared by it. The reactions people have are actually quite the opposite from scared, it's a great conversation starter and a lot of people are interested in hearing about it. I've never had any problems with the police either when carrying it, closest to that is when a security guard gave me a wide smile when he saw it while I was walking at a metro station. 😄
Are you kidding me?? The Helios 44M itself is worth more than 15 euro!! Wow, amazing find
It's call the Good Luck 😊
The filters alone are worth more
Not by much.
@@travisshannon8562 What are you talking about? The Helios 44M is worth a bare minimum of $75. Can easily be sold up to $120 without breaking a sweat.
@@jakekaywell5972 OH WOW GEE WILLIKERS A WHOLE 120 DOLLARS PAPA?! THAT WILL SURELY BUY US TWO DAYS WORTH OF GASOLINE AND A COSTCO PIZZA, WE’RE SAVED! Lmao dude, I’ve literally given these things away and somehow still own three, gimme a break.
Edit: and since I wasn’t clear if you buy an original housing Helios for 120 bucks you’re a sucker.
Imagine the chats you'll have with airport security : )
Спасибо за интересное видео. Тоже хотел найти такой аппарат. Нашел только объектив Таир 3.
Кстати,этот мультфильм мой любимый)
Me living in U.S. using this kind of equipment:
*chuckles* "I'm in danger!"
Okay, now shoot photos from the hip, Rambo-style.
Then focusing will become a guesswork
@@GungKrisna12 not if you yell loudly enough
I'd definitely "shoot" film with this gear :D
As always much appreciation for making these videos!
thanks a lot for watching too
Those times when people did not think that it is something malicious in your hand and you come to harm them... Not needed video surveillance, "neighborhood watching" and other "looking for suspicious activity", everyone were much more open minded and without malicious intentions than today's madness..... simple people with simple pleasures.
I think that images quality is great. As well in general very nice idea and comfortable for long lens.
I KIND of want to try that thing!!!
for a test in the woods it's ok but forget about a city test :))
Guy to the right at 5:30 "He's got a gun! He's got a gun!" :P
That is one absolutely legendary cartoon in former Soviet countries! Everybody adores dog Sharik and cat Matroskin and their "uncle Feodor"! And there is a very memorable phrase in there too, when Sharik got tired pursuing a hare to take a picture and finally took it and Matroskin said:
- Now you're gonna run for half a day more...
- Why is that?
- To give him the picture!
It's a phrase all kids from 1980-90s know to express that something takes a long time =)
Well, now me too !
I'm a South Korean. I was surprised to see a South Korean movie in the middle of the UA-cam video. I have never seen the movie 'Over the Rainbow', but the movie scene is very interesting
When I bought it, I thought that the image quality wan't be good, becouse this lens has only 3 lenses in 3 groups, which is not that much. But I was impresed by very crisp image😮
me too !! what a good find
What's the magnification factor?
@@DucatiKozak I don’t know, depends on which sensor you using
The number of lenses are not an indicator of image quality. If the focal length corresponds with the physical length of the lens, you need only an achromatic lens with two cemented lenses. And that was done by novoflex in in combination with a moderate lensspeed. The image quality was superb and even Leica turned out the Leitz Schnellschuss Objektiv manufactured by novoflex. The Leica models were triplets instead of the only achromatic version. Later novoflex turned out a 400mm triplet under its own label.
@Александр Жуков having more lens elements in more groups in a lens like this doesn't necessarily mean better image quality! in fact, given the glass is of high quality and good build, less elements means more sharpness in most prime lenses with a not so wide aperture! more elements only makes wider apertures possible for prime lenses but not more sharpness really ... one reason zoom lenses cannot be as sharp as prime lenses is just that: so many elements and more groups! :-)
Hey there Mathieu. I don't know if you'll ever read or respond to this, but I just wanted to say your videos are beautiful and extremely creative. Last night I couldn't sleep because of my on-going insomnia and I stumbled upon your video about making a lens from ice. It is just captivating and creative and beautiful and emotional and inspiring and all the other positive adjectives I could ever think of, as well as all your 30+ other videos that I binge-watched last night. The music, the pictures, the video footage... toy photography tips, vintage and other weird lenses... You always have a story to tell and not just a review. It's simply beautiful. Kind of gives me some faith in humanity. Subscribed.
WoW that’s the most important comment I received in months ! Thank you so much to give me the energy to keep on doing my work
@@MathieuStern And thank you for your reply and for your lovely content!
I'd love to see some 35mm negative photo scans shot on this. Perhaps a follow-up vid?
I remember these for sale..They were cheap new, always been amazing value.
Yea, can't believe i got it for so cheap
I have exactly this, full kit, got it from my granddad. Very sharp and I like the look of photos
I have some film photos made on a 3.5/300 Tair, which was produced for local market. I also use PhS-12 (ФС-12) body, which seems to be a slightly altered Zenit TTL. Photos come out lovely, with similarly swirly bokeh of Helios series
Love those auto-winder sounds from the hand-wound Zenit-12 in the Korean movie!
I used to work in a camera shop in the late 80's.
A customer came in and wanted this kit. He had a look, was impressed and was about to part with his money when I asked him what he was planning to photograph. This bloke said that he was off to Belfast to photograph the Army.
It was at this point I realised that he hadn't really thought this through. Belfast at this time was still in the grip of the Troubles, to be on the street with a camera that looks like a firearm was dangerous, making him a target for both sides.
I told the bloke that I wasn't happy selling it and even got the manager to talk to him, he was from France I believe and really didn't understand what the Troubles were. When we explained that if he used it on the street his life expectancy would drop to just minutes he took on board what we were saying and very gracefully accepted our advice not to buy!
Well you saved a life and maybe the camera was used for better photography
I remember the Novaflex 'squeeze to focus' lenses back in the 70's. They got a few photojournalists shot at.
Yep, i review this bazooka lens 2 years ago :) and it was even more scary than this one
you can't find this in Russia in this pristine condition for this price, lol
on top of that you got the export version which is supposedly much higher quality than for inner soviet market
This is partly true, everything produced in our domestic market of photographic equipment was inferior in quality to please a wide range of buyers. For that, unlike imported models, domestic products were many times easier and faster to be modified. Since, in the USSR and in Russia, every 3 knows how to make homemade improvements. Therefore, old things can live with us for a very long time.
It was also within the country that, due to poor quality, Soviet lenses received a unique, inimitable blur pattern. Which is highly regarded by art photographers. For example, google photos taken with Helios 44/2 lens
Anyone remember the infamous German Novoflex design - the "schnellschuss" system ("quick shot"; official name was PIGRIFF I think) - that originally came out in 1955? Here the trick was basically to be able to focus really quickly - this design was quite popular until wide into the 80ies. And yes, a lot of photojournalists remember funny situation with security personnel...
I don’t know how much the UA-cam algorithm mess the colors of the picture but damn the pictures colors are realistic
I'm in Canada and I pretty much daily drived the thing for two summers. Mine's the multicoated version. Great conversation starter generally, just do not bring it to tense protests. It and the Kamlan 50mm f1.1 MKII are my two trump cards. The Photosniper is for wildlife and the Kamlan for portraits.
People WILL want portraits with this lens just to see what it can do.
One thing I've notived about Soviet lens (I have the MC Photosniper/Fotosniper 12 kit, Jupiter-21A, Jupiter-37A, MC Jupiter-9, Helios 44-2, and some others) is that they have great sharpness in the centre of the frame and still manage to have much better bokeh then their aperture sizes would suggest. Cromatic aberations are not great, but acceptable even with fixing in post. Their newer MC coating gives much more vibrant colours and deeper contrasts, but I prefer the look you get with the older puplish and gold coating.
I am incredibly jealous of your find!
Greetings from Russia! I have Tair-3 FS. And I will say that it is inconvenient to focus with it. I have several M42 adapters, and with only one of them, the focus ring is set correctly. With others, it is located on the side. This should be kept in mind! Therefore, I advise you to find an option with a classic focus ring. It will be much more convenient. The lens is in white. Very sharp, especially when the apertures are closed.
The lens can be found as Tair-3 without the FS, that one has a normal focus ring.
I AM JEALOUS MATHIEU! Such a cheap bargain you found!
I had a similar one once. Watching this I instantly can smell the case.
I have the same complete kit but it's all contained in a faux leather shoulder bag, which is original to the kit. Bought mine 15 years ago for $25 in Idaho USA. Like yours, the image quality of mine is excellent. The 58mm f/2 is also an excellent lens.
Thanks for the info!
Man, what a find! And the entire kit in that condition too. Interesting history, I didn't even know these were a thing.
The person who kept all that in that condition all packed together... Well done!
I also have a set. I placed a little switch where the trigger comes up and connected this via auxiliary to my cam. So you can use the set with digital cam. Pretty nice when you "fire" 10 pics/sec
I had one. I went out to have fun with it in my hometown, and it took like 5 minutes for the police to yell at me to put it down. Moments like this make me appreciate that I'm not living in America.
Отлично. Даже захотелось на барахолке найти такую штуку себе.
I have one of these. Very fun to use and just a great overall collectable. Can't use in public though 😅
Or get ready to have a lot of people chasing you with pitchforks
this is the one time where you WANT to have the lens cap OFF all the time when you're shooting outside
Круто! Прошлая цивилизация не просто производила, но и экспортировала такие аппараты!. Cool! The past civilization not only produced, but also exported such devices!
I remember when the Photography magazines of the 1970's looked at the Photo Sniper. The consensus was, the outfit was a bargain for junior/budget naturalists and voyeurs. Like with long-extinct Novoflex telephoto outfits, using such equipment might attract the attention of security/police forces.;) "Hey! You! Lower that RPG right now!"
Russian glass from that era is superb quality and very underrated. One of the best performing lenses I ever owned was on a Zorki 4K. I also used that same lens on my enlarger with superb results.
до этого момента, думал что фото ружье существует только в мультфильме Простоквашино, где пёс гонялся за зайцем
I just "inherited" one of these as a full kit, it's quite eye-catching
This combo is awesome what a beauty! All treasures, the camera, both lenses, etc. Can't stop thinking about what collectibles you must have in your shelf. Congrats! Greetings from Chile 🇨🇱 🙋♂️
Lovely stuff Mathieu, remember buying Zenit B and wanting the Photosniper kit as a teen. Memories ha ha.
I have the photosniper without the Gun. Such a nice lens and those Aperture blades!
Got mine, on a flea market as well, 80€ the complete set, mine is a bit older, full russion inscriptions, with URSS quality control stickers. Didn't use it with the "pistol" yet, I imagine that it could draw some strange looks 😂, I'm completely in love with it, shoots perfectly
I think I've seen the modern version of this in China 😂 used to "shoot" birds with big tele lenses.
Looks hilarious but kinda make sense
What a beautiful kit, seriously.
So strange yet beautifully crafted.
You practically robbed that guy at the flea market, man. GREAT find.
Thanks for Простоквашино!
Цены у Вас просто смешные !
I remember my Dad had one of those. I used to play with it as a kid.
Really beautiful lens quality
Looked like it was new! Nice find!
I own this gun too, every photo taken by this lens is brilliant
Yeah it really attracts attention, especially from guard in metro)
Wow. Great lens and what a deal. I WANT ONE !!!!!!
Very nice find, a complete kit in that condition, well done, I must say I would hesitate to go out shooting with the complete gear, looks dangerous !
If you don’t mind altering this collector item, painting it in a light color will make it obvious its is not harmful! (pink, blue, orange..)
I remember that camera I still have a zenith camera with helios lens
"be sure you eat the bell for notifications" hahaha dude!
yum
Tiempos de la añoranza analógica, ver a un tirador con esa cámara llamaba mucho la atención
Wow.. .it looks like it is in mint condition.. Im happy for you
I'd totally use something like this with my Fuji camera, it's comical and functional. Amazing 😎👍
Totally!
That's a absolute steal for that price
I sold mine about a month ago. Didn't find a good use to it. But it was fun. Instead, I bought Jupiter-8 and Jupiter-9, both in silver, from 1962-1963. They're awesome.
Yes Jupiter lenses are a must
The idea is really good, though.
What better a tried and tested stabilizing shape for a scope? Snipers would say this; and maybe a bipod, would be it.
One of my friend own this one in the UK and It is absolute freak machine. He got warning from the police and after that it just staying under he's bed.
I have got one as well. It was given to me by an unxle who actually used to use it! It looks and feels amazing. I am yet to take the lens out with my fuji camera but your video is making me really do it. Thanks for sharing!
That's awesome!
Well that was a bit of a blast from the past for me. I had one of these back in the 80's. This , of course, was before I gained more knowledge of photography and no longer believed the hype!
I have the photosniper, not in the best of shape, but it's still working. Have to say that when I use it outside it sure draws attention ;)
Lucky you!!!! That's was cheap and the complete kit!!
15€ for the box…. That is incredibly cheap. I also have it and i really love those 2 lenses. The sharpness and the Bokeh of the tair. Old Soviet lenses are my absolutely favorite.
5:30 the guy on the right saw the gun :D
thank you for this beautiful video, good work
Thank you
What a find! I appreciate how you put this video together!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I remember that photo riffle in photo store in 70th . Cost approx 300 soviet rubbles.
there used to be a diplomat in hanoi who would pull this badass out in the middle of the old quarter and shoot in the weekends.
I saw one similar to this when i was in Japan. dude i want one, Im actually thinking about making my own with a real AR15 lower receiver. I live in alaska, so yeah i can lol
le fameux catalogue Manufrance !
I have this one. In 2016 I front police in 3 min. after being shooting in Montreal
This 300 is the Soviet 300 prime I have been dreaming of! I won’t go above 5.6 as a personal rule and I can’t abide Corona/contrast loss in bright light-can’t say I see either here.
And the colors! That bird’s eye was as rich with micro contrast as anything I’ve gotten out of my Fuji glass.
My eye is out for this-
Oh, I remember those from back then, very intrigued by it, never got around to even fiddle with them.
That is insanely immaculate!
Наше фоторужьё. как у Шарика))
Это был милый мультфильм
I used to lust after this kit when I was a young, could never afford it though. 👍
Very unique video man
Loved it
Thanks a ton!
Remember these when oin sale new but never tempted to buy one as you were limited to Zenit (also Praktica and Exacta cameras by modification. ) Optically not bad and mechanically a very good kit. Leica/Leitz made a similar accessory for the longer teles for the Leicaflex and Leica/Visoflex which I tried out. The focusing tube was interchangeable between different focal length heads so you simply bought one tube and the heads you wanted. Nowhere near as inexpensive though!
great find, nice complete kit
Thanks 👍
Аппарат крутой . Думаю тоже взять . Спасибо ,друг
Recently, my dad gave me the whole set. He used to take some photos with it when I was just a small kido.
To be honest, so far I've used only the 58mm Helios, as I'm also quite afraid to take the whole gun outside haha
By the way, great video and great price for the whole set! You can easily make couple hundred if you'd sell it
Not going to sell it soon, but i hope it will be more than 15 euros :)
My whole city was builded around “KMZ Zenit” Hello from russia
I have lens from this kit. Tair 3s is amazing, especially iris. It's also fantastic for astrophotography.
Totally agree!