Photography

A False Start

Katrinka and a Soviet Start

My old Soviet Start camera is my problem child.

It was fine at first– the initial roll was a beauty and I couldn’t wait to lug this glorious brick all over the city.

Then, in the middle of the second roll, the jamming started.

Sneaky Cat

The camera works in a strange way: after a picture is taken, the viewfinder goes dark until you wind to the next frame. When the camera is working, this isn’t a problem and you’re never in danger of missing a moment because your film isn’t wound. When the camera jams, winding the film doesn’t open the viewfinder. This makes it impossible to frame or focus a picture.

That’s a big problem.

Lucy and Bokeh

At first, I managed. Usually the jamming resulted in sharp shards of light leak, which led to fortuitous roughness in my images. I like that. The unpredictability of film is part of the appeal.

Then it started jamming frequently.

Then it stopped winding completely.

I got it repaired at a camera shop in Istanbul. It broke again. The camera man repaired it again for free.  I adjusted to the fact that this camera was just wonky, with weird quirks, and sometimes it just wouldn’t work.

Mt Nemrut BW

The Start is a heavy camera. I became reluctant to carry around a big metal machine that might only work for one or two images before becoming dead weight on my shoulder.

It’s a shame. I had hoped that the Start would be a dependable alternate 35mm camera to my Pentax. Instead, it’s a pretty, broken machine.

Yes, it’s broken again. I’ll take it back to my camera man. But I am still craving a nice old 35mm camera that I can depend on.

Turkish Coffee

The Start is beautiful. It’s 50 years old, full of history, truly special. Even through all the frustration, I love the camera and I would be thrilled if it began to work again.

Until then, it will sit on my shelf, looking lovely and seeing nothing.

4 Comments

  • Katie Yang
    October 14, 2014 at 11:46 AM

    I have a similar problem with my Zenit TTL – the film rewind settings sometimes get cranky but fortunately the camera still works as long as I am gentle with it. I keep expecting myself to break it one day, though, and it will also be sitting pretty and seeing nothing. Those Soviet cameras are sure heavy machines to carry around but the images they make are so, so worth it. I hope you get yours working again, Katrinka!

    Reply
    • Katrinka
      October 15, 2014 at 10:09 AM

      Thank you Katie! This was my first Soviet camera, but hopefully not my last– though hopefully the next one will hold it together a bit longer 🙂

      Reply
  • Polly
    October 14, 2014 at 2:24 PM

    The only real answer is obviously to come visit me in Russia and I’ll take you to all the flea markets where you can choose whatever soviet contraption you’d like 🙂

    Reply
    • Katrinka
      October 15, 2014 at 10:09 AM

      You know that I would LOVE to… someday!!

      Reply

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