Which flash for Zorki 4 rangefinder?

[DuchanC]

Any idea on what type of flash I can use on a Zorki 4 model? I'm new to rangefinders, so I haven't the slightest idea about contemporary flashes and compatability with Soviet style rangefinders.

Thanks and greetings
Duchan

[straightarm]

So can get quite a cheap one. Something like a Vivitar 283 or 285 would be very good. The are powerful, but controllable. They are quite big, but you can get a bracket or grip for them. Make sure you get the remote sensor cable. that way you can mount the sensor on the camera and have the flash to one side.

One point about the zorki is that it does not have a hot shoe, so you need a flash that can be fired from the pc socket

Simon

[another view]

Do you really want a flash to use with a camera like that? I have a very small Vivitar I bought on ebay for $.01 (not a typo, but $6 shipping) which will work with my Canonet, since it has a hotshoe. I haven't used it at all and really didn't buy the camera to use with flash anyway but couldn't beat the price.

Since you don't have a hotshoe, you'd have to get a bracket of some sort, maybe a small Stroboframe. Then get a hotshoe to PC adapter, bolt it to the top of the stroboframe and plug it into the PC socket in the camera. Any flash will work, maybe look for something with an auto mode (sensor inside the flash) which will make life a little easier. 283's and 285's have them, as well as many others.

[Irakly Shanidze]

it is considered bad taste to use a flash with rangefinder cameras. the whole idea of using a rangefinder is to be inobtrusive and unnoticeable. what can possibly be more inobtrusive than the flash? if you really want one, any automatic tyristor flash would do.