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Subject: Sputnik and what to look out for when buying?
Date: 2017-12-11 04:11:24
From: jeppeln
Hello everyone,

I'm new to stereo photography and have understood that a Sputnik is a good choice for MF photography.
It apparently needs some tinkering, but if you do your job it will be a good shooter. Or so I've read.

There are heaps of them on Ebay and I'm wondering what I should look out for when buying one.

* Is there a certain version that is more desirable than others?
* Are there certain problems to look for that makes a it a bad buy or even a stay-away-from item all together?
* Is there anything too look for that puts it over the top? To make it a good buy? Or even a good find?

What should I look for? : )

I will use it for both making contact prints at home and color slides.

I hope there are someone here that can give me some nice input in the matter.
I'm so excited about this I can't even describe how I feel.

I bought a Fujifilm W3 and, it's not bad, it's just not MF analogue. : ) and quality is far more important than "easy and convenient", in my opinion.
Besides, the lenses are 75 mm apart instead of 64 mm like the average eye-spacing as I understand it, I don't know exactly how that affects the viewing experience, but it has to affect something?


With kind regards,
Jesper


Subject: Re: Sputnik and what to look out for when buying?
Date: 2017-12-11 05:04:23
From: Bob Aldridge

Where are you based?

The supply of Sputniks seems to vary depending on location...

I don't have enough experience with Sputniks to be able to advise you about how to choose one - I've heard stories about the variability of lens sharpness etc and that is hard to detect on Ebay listings.

Many Sputnik owners have had problems with light leaks from the back - easy to apply a temporary fix of e.g. black insulating tape over the edges of the back if you need to prove that is the cause of any leaks.

Others have found that the inside of the film chambers have reflected light onto the film etc etc.

But I guess I was lucky. I only bought one, and it hasn't suffered from any of these problems :)

I've shown a box of MF stereos containing images taken with Rolliedoscop, Sputnik and twin Hasselblad cameras using a Saturnslide viewer. And no-one has ever correctly identified the Sputnik slides.

I do tend to shoot MF using a tripod with the lens stopped down to f16, though.

So, unless you are on a really tight budget, I'd suggest just buying one and see how you get on. :)

Bob Aldridge


On 11/12/2017 10:11, jeppeln@yahoo.com [MF3D-group] wrote:
 

Hello everyone,

I'm new to stereo photography and have understood that a Sputnik is a good choice for MF photography.
It apparently needs some tinkering, but if you do your job it will be a good shooter. Or so I've read.

There are heaps of them on Ebay and I'm wondering what I should look out for when buying one.

* Is there a certain version that is more desirable than others?
* Are there certain problems to look for that makes a it a bad buy or even a stay-away-from item all together?
* Is there anything too look for that puts it over the top? To make it a good buy? Or even a good find?

What should I look for? : )

I will use it for both making contact prints at home and color slides.

I hope there are someone here that can give me some nice input in the matter.
I'm so excited about this I can't even describe how I feel.

I bought a Fujifilm W3 and, it's not bad, it's just not MF analogue. : ) and quality is far more important than "easy and convenient", in my opinion.
Besides, the lenses are 75 mm apart instead of 64 mm like the average eye-spacing as I understand it, I don't know exactly how that affects the viewing experience, but it has to affect something?


With kind regards,
Jesper



Subject: Re: Sputnik and what to look out for when buying?
Date: 2017-12-11 09:21:33
From: jeppeln
Hi Bob, thanks for the reply.
I live in Sweden and have seen quite a few around in the parts of eastern Europe.
Interesting with your mix of slides and that people haven't been able to identify a sputnik slide from the others.

Yes I am definitely set out to get a sputnik, just wonderiring if there are anything in particular to look out for to get a good one. The light leaks I am not too concerned about and the reflective areas inside the chamber should also be a lesser problem to fix.
Is there anything except for that that I need to be conscious about so I don't buy the pig in the basket?
Subject: Re: Sputnik and what to look out for when buying?
Date: 2017-12-11 10:09:29
From: Linda N
Lens focus and sharpness will be difficult to assess until you use the camera. Consider purchasing from someone who will offer a 30 day return option? Or take your chances. Linda

Sent from my iPhone

On Dec 11, 2017, at 9:21 AM, jeppeln@yahoo.com [MF3D-group] <MF3D-group@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

 

Hi Bob, thanks for the reply.
I live in Sweden and have seen quite a few around in the parts of eastern Europe.
Interesting with your mix of slides and that people haven't been able to identify a sputnik slide from the others.

Yes I am definitely set out to get a sputnik, just wonderiring if there are anything in particular to look out for to get a good one. The light leaks I am not too concerned about and the reflective areas inside the chamber should also be a lesser problem to fix.
Is there anything except for that that I need to be conscious about so I don't buy the pig in the basket?

Subject: Re: Sputnik and what to look out for when buying?
Date: 2017-12-11 11:18:46
From: Vladimir Galkin
If you are in Europe you will have plenty to choose from when it comes to getting a Sputnik - as you can imagine the biggest issue is the lenses, so see if you can get the seller to send you close up pictures of the lenses.  I have a couple of sputniks and have been pretty happy with them, but one of them has ALWAYS had a sticky shutter, which is really annoying, and not something that is easily (or cheaply) fixed.  I think the suggestion to buy one and try it is good, but I would see if they can send you photos of the lenses and check to make sure that the shutters fire at different speeds... the light leaks and reflections can all be fixed easily.  I always put tape on the back of mine (unless you plan to keep it in the faux-leather case) cause the clasp to keep the back closed is pretty jinky, so you want to make sure it doesn't pop open. 

Good luck, and enjoy MF!

Vlad

On Monday, December 11, 2017, 7:24:22 AM PST, jeppeln@yahoo.com [MF3D-group] wrote:


 

Hi Bob, thanks for the reply.
I live in Sweden and have seen quite a few around in the parts of eastern Europe.
Interesting with your mix of slides and that people haven't been able to identify a sputnik slide from the others.

Yes I am definitely set out to get a sputnik, just wonderiring if there are anything in particular to look out for to get a good one. The light leaks I am not too concerned about and the reflective areas inside the chamber should also be a lesser problem to fix.
Is there anything except for that that I need to be conscious about so I don't buy the pig in the basket?

Subject: Re: Sputnik and what to look out for when buying?
Date: 2017-12-11 11:46:56
From: John Thurston
On 12/11/2017 1:11 AM, jeppeln@yahoo.com [MF3D-group] wrote:
> Hello everyone,
>
> I'm new to stereo photography and have understood that a Sputnik is a good choice for MF photography.
> It apparently needs some tinkering, but if you do your job it will be a good shooter. Or so I've read.
>
> There are heaps of them on Ebay and I'm wondering what I should look out for when buying one.
>
> * Is there a certain version that is more desirable than others?

A clean one.

A dirty camera indicates it has been sitting loose
somewhere. The lenses are likely to have a film of dirt
stuck to them. The clockwork in the shutter is going to be
dusty. There will be dust everywhere inside the camera. The
cheap steel will start to corrode. You can't tell if a
camera has good lenses from the photos, but you can tell if
it is dirty.

Sputniks are not 'rare'. If it is dirty, move on to the next.

> * Are there certain problems to look for that makes a it a bad buy or even a stay-away-from item all together?

Pass on samples with:
cracks in the body
corroded mirror in the finder
converted to 35mm film
dirt
visible corrosion on the metal

> * Is there anything too look for that puts it over the top? To make it a good buy? Or even a good find?

Look for indications it was actually used by someone who
cared about their images.
Does it have a spirit level attached?
Is there a hot-shoe on the top?
Has it already been flocked or baffled?
Does it have a large advance knob?
The above modifications may be done well, or poorly, but
they indicate the camera was probably owned by someone who
tried to get the best from their camera.

. . .
> I hope there are someone here that can give me some nice input in the matter.
> I'm so excited about this I can't even describe how I feel.

Dig in the archives of this list. There is a lot of
information about making adjustments to Sputniks.

Improvements I suggest in decreasing order of value:
Exercise the shutter
Clean the visible dirt, inside and out
Use tape on the seams and hinges
Synchronize the apertures
Flock/baffle the interior
Adjust the focus
Apply damping grease to the focus

I further suggest completely ignoring the self-timer. I've
seen more than one of those old timers jam. Don't touch it
even to experiment. If you ever have the shutter mechanism
open, remove the the self-timer.



--
John Thurston
Juneau Alaska
http://stereo.thurstons.us
Subject: Re: Sputnik and what to look out for when buying?
Date: 2017-12-11 16:34:07
From: Brian Reynolds
In [MF3D-group] Jesper wrote:
>
> I'm new to stereo photography and have understood that a Sputnik is
> a good choice for MF photography. It apparently needs some
> tinkering, but if you do your job it will be a good shooter. Or so
> I've read.
>
> There are heaps of them on Ebay and I'm wondering what I should look
> out for when buying one.
>
> * Is there a certain version that is more desirable than others?

I find that the version with the Cyrillic nameplate makes a good
conversation piece when I'm out shooting.

> * Are there certain problems to look for that makes a it a bad buy
> or even a stay-away-from item all together?
>
> * Is there anything too look for that puts it over the top? To make
> it a good buy? Or even a good find?
>
> What should I look for? : )

As others have said, a clean Sputnik is a good starting point. Think
of the Sputnik as a kit camera. You will have to modify it.

At a minimum the camera should have internal flocking/baffles,
something done to deal with the light leaks around the doors, and lens
shades. These will help keep the contrast under control. My Sputnik
case isn't in very good condition, so I keep my camera in a camera bag
between shots.

You'll also want to check the focus (make sure it matches the scale,
and that left matches right). In practice I use a handheld
rangefinder to verify that my subjects are within the depth of field
I'm shooting for, and then I zone focus based on my chosen aperture
(usually f/22 or f/16), and the scale on the focus gear. A DoF app or
table (like Depth of Field Master) will help you determine DoF and
focus setting.

The shutters and apertures will need to be checked to make sure that
the left and right exposures are matched. Don't worry if the shutter
speeds don't match the markings. What you want is a shutter that is
reliably consistent. Once you know the actual shutter speeds (put
them on a label on the camera body) you can use them when setting your
exposure meter instead of the ones on the shutter.

You might want to see if there is someone near by who works on
Sputniks, and can do any of the trickier bits for you. I'm lucky and
was able to get someone to first tune, and then repair (after it fell
on a concrete hangar floor) my Sputnik. It's currently a sort of
FrankenSputnik made from Sputnik and Lubitel parts.

There are a few accessories that make working with a Sputnik nicer.
Besides a handheld meter, and a rangefinder, I carry a string monopod,
and a bean bag. These can provide a lot of stability without having
to lug a tripod around. I have shot in a lot of places that don't
allow tripods, but had no trouble with these devices.

A flash, bracket, and PC cord can make the Sputnik almost a point and
shoot. Set a usable shutter speed (Sputniks have a leaf shutter, and
sync at all speeds), set aperture based on flash setting, set focus
based on aperture/DoF, and shoot away. However you may find it hard
to get a flash setting that works at a good stereo/Sputnik aperture
(generally f/22 or f/16).

I have attached a bulls-eye bubble level to the top deck of my
Sputnik. As I look down into the waist-level finder I can check for
level, and by looking to see if the bubble is bouncing, gauge how
steady the camera is when I am hand holding.

> I will use it for both making contact prints at home and color
> slides.

I started with a pair of Lubitel 166 Universals with the intent of
mounting contact prints to make stereo cards. I find that 6x6 contact
prints are a bit too small.

--
Brian Reynolds | "It's just like flying a spaceship.
reynolds@panix.com | You push some buttons and see
https://www.panix.com/~reynolds/ | what happens." -- Zapp Brannigan
NAR# 54438 |
Subject: Sputnik and what to look out for when buying?
Date: 2017-12-11 21:14:20
From: Boris Starosta
There's an easy mod to stop the apertures down to f-32, which further increases the sharpness and depth of field.  I shoot mine at f32 whenever possible.  Once you get the Sputnik of your dreams and you find it works well, let us know.  I'll post pictures of how the aperture modification is done.

On mine, the little rollers / drums that transport the film over the edge of the film gate were worn out (at one point).  There might be a way to identify that in a close up picture of the opened camera back, if the seller is willing to shoot that for you.  The drums need to appear perfectly parallel with the edge of the film gate.  If they are worn, the drums will start to sag on one side or the other, as the drum's journal is being eaten away by the bearing, and that will make film transport very difficult once the camera is in use.

If you do see worn rollers, of course it might be a good sign... the camera has been used a lot!  But it might also mean you need to get a second one, because those rollers cannot be fixed.  They can only be replaced, cannibalized from a "parts" camera.

(Thanks again to John Thurston!!)

Boris


––––
Contemporary work in the Stereoscopic Arts:  www.patreon.com/retroformat
––––

Science is the belief in the ignorance of expertsRichard Feynman

On Mon, Dec 11, 2017 at 7:57 PM, <MF3D-group@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

7 Messages

Digest #1567

Messages

Mon Dec 11, 2017 2:11 am (PST) . Posted by:

jeppeln

Hello everyone,

I'm new to stereo photography and have understood that a Sputnik is a good choice for MF photography.
It apparently needs some tinkering, but if you do your job it will be a good shooter. Or so I've read.

There are heaps of them on Ebay and I'm wondering what I should look out for when buying one.

* Is there a certain version that is more desirable than others?
* Are there certain problems to look for that makes a it a bad buy or even a stay-away-from item all together?
* Is there anything too look for that puts it over the top? To make it a good buy? Or even a good find?

What should I look for? : )

I will use it for both making contact prints at home and color slides.

I hope there are someone here that can give me some nice input in the matter.
I'm so excited about this I can't even describe how I feel.

I bought a Fujifilm W3 and, it's not bad, it's just not MF analogue. : ) and quality is far more important than "easy and convenient", in my opinion.
Besides, the lenses are 75 mm apart instead of 64 mm like the average eye-spacing as I understand it, I don't know exactly how that affects the viewing experience, but it has to affect something?


With kind regards,
Jesper



Mon Dec 11, 2017 3:04 am (PST) . Posted by:

"Bob Aldridge" belplasca

Where are you based?

The supply of Sputniks seems to vary depending on location...

I don't have enough experience with Sputniks to be able to advise you
about how to choose one - I've heard stories about the variability of
lens sharpness etc and that is hard to detect on Ebay listings.

Many Sputnik owners have had problems with light leaks from the back -
easy to apply a temporary fix of e.g. black insulating tape over the
edges of the back if you need to prove that is the cause of any leaks.

Others have found that the inside of the film chambers have reflected
light onto the film etc etc.

But I guess I was lucky. I only bought one, and it hasn't suffered from
any of these problems :)

I've shown a box of MF stereos containing images taken with
Rolliedoscop, Sputnik and twin Hasselblad cameras using a Saturnslide
viewer. And no-one has ever correctly identified the Sputnik slides.

I do tend to shoot MF using a tripod with the lens stopped down to f16,
though.

So, unless you are on a really tight budget, I'd suggest just buying one
and see how you get on. :)

Bob Aldridge

On 11/12/2017 10:11, jeppeln@yahoo.com [MF3D-group] wrote:
>
> Hello everyone,
>
> I'm new to stereo photography and have understood that a Sputnik is a
> good choice for MF photography.
> It apparently needs some tinkering, but if you do your job it will be
> a good shooter. Or so I've read.
>
> There are heaps of them on Ebay and I'm wondering what I should look
> out for when buying one.
>
> * Is there a certain version that is more desirable than others?
> * Are there certain problems to look for that makes a it a bad buy or
> even a stay-away-from item all together?
> * Is there anything too look for that puts it over the top? To make it
> a good buy? Or even a good find?
>
> What should I look for? : )
>
> I will use it for both making contact prints at home and color slides.
>
> I hope there are someone here that can give me some nice input in the
> matter.
> I'm so excited about this I can't even describe how I feel.
>
> I bought a Fujifilm W3 and, it's not bad, it's just not MF analogue. :
> ) and quality is far more important than "easy and convenient", in my
> opinion.
> Besides, the lenses are 75 mm apart instead of 64 mm like the average
> eye-spacing as I understand it, I don't know exactly how that affects
> the viewing experience, but it has to affect something?
>
>
> With kind regards,
> Jesper
>
>
>

Mon Dec 11, 2017 7:21 am (PST) . Posted by:

jeppeln

Hi Bob, thanks for the reply.
I live in Sweden and have seen quite a few around in the parts of eastern Europe.
Interesting with your mix of slides and that people haven't been able to identify a sputnik slide from the others.

Yes I am definitely set out to get a sputnik, just wonderiring if there are anything in particular to look out for to get a good one. The light leaks I am not too concerned about and the reflective areas inside the chamber should also be a lesser problem to fix.
Is there anything except for that that I need to be conscious about so I don't buy the pig in the basket?

Mon Dec 11, 2017 8:09 am (PST) . Posted by:

"Linda N" ljnygren

Lens focus and sharpness will be difficult to assess until you use the camera. Consider purchasing from someone who will offer a 30 day return option? Or take your chances. Linda

Sent from my iPhone

> On Dec 11, 2017, at 9:21 AM, jeppeln@yahoo.com [MF3D-group] <MF3D-group@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
>
> Hi Bob, thanks for the reply.
> I live in Sweden and have seen quite a few around in the parts of eastern Europe.
> Interesting with your mix of slides and that people haven't been able to identify a sputnik slide from the others.
>
> Yes I am definitely set out to get a sputnik, just wonderiring if there are anything in particular to look out for to get a good one. The light leaks I am not too concerned about and the reflective areas inside the chamber should also be a lesser problem to fix.
> Is there anything except for that that I need to be conscious about so I don't buy the pig in the basket?
>
>

Mon Dec 11, 2017 9:18 am (PST) . Posted by:

"Vladimir Galkin" vlagal57

If you are in Europe you will have plenty to choose from when it comes to getting a Sputnik - as you can imagine the biggest issue is the lenses, so see if you can get the seller to send you close up pictures of the lenses.  I have a couple of sputniks and have been pretty happy with them, but one of them has ALWAYS had a sticky shutter, which is really annoying, and not something that is easily (or cheaply) fixed.  I think the suggestion to buy one and try it is good, but I would see if they can send you photos of the lenses and check to make sure that the shutters fire at different speeds... the light leaks and reflections can all be fixed easily.  I always put tape on the back of mine (unless you plan to keep it in the faux-leather case) cause the clasp to keep the back closed is pretty jinky, so you want to make sure it doesn't pop open. 
Good luck, and enjoy MF!
Vlad
On Monday, December 11, 2017, 7:24:22 AM PST, jeppeln@yahoo.com [MF3D-group] <MF3D-group@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

 
Hi Bob, thanks for the reply.
I live in Sweden and have seen quite a few around in the parts of eastern Europe.
Interesting with your mix of slides and that people haven't been able to identify a sputnik slide from the others.

Yes I am definitely set out to get a sputnik, just wonderiring if there are anything in particular to look out for to get a good one. The light leaks I am not too concerned about and the reflective areas inside the chamber should also be a lesser problem to fix.
Is there anything except for that that I need to be conscious about so I don't buy the pig in the basket?

Mon Dec 11, 2017 9:46 am (PST) . Posted by:

"John Thurston" juneau99803

On 12/11/2017 1:11 AM, jeppeln@yahoo.com [MF3D-group] wrote:
> Hello everyone,
>
> I'm new to stereo photography and have understood that a Sputnik is a good choice for MF photography.
> It apparently needs some tinkering, but if you do your job it will be a good shooter. Or so I've read.
>
> There are heaps of them on Ebay and I'm wondering what I should look out for when buying one.
>
> * Is there a certain version that is more desirable than others?

A clean one.

A dirty camera indicates it has been sitting loose
somewhere. The lenses are likely to have a film of dirt
stuck to them. The clockwork in the shutter is going to be
dusty. There will be dust everywhere inside the camera. The
cheap steel will start to corrode. You can't tell if a
camera has good lenses from the photos, but you can tell if
it is dirty.

Sputniks are not 'rare'. If it is dirty, move on to the next.

> * Are there certain problems to look for that makes a it a bad buy or even a stay-away-from item all together?

Pass on samples with:
cracks in the body
corroded mirror in the finder
converted to 35mm film
dirt
visible corrosion on the metal

> * Is there anything too look for that puts it over the top? To make it a good buy? Or even a good find?

Look for indications it was actually used by someone who
cared about their images.
Does it have a spirit level attached?
Is there a hot-shoe on the top?
Has it already been flocked or baffled?
Does it have a large advance knob?
The above modifications may be done well, or poorly, but
they indicate the camera was probably owned by someone who
tried to get the best from their camera.

. . .
> I hope there are someone here that can give me some nice input in the matter.
> I'm so excited about this I can't even describe how I feel.

Dig in the archives of this list. There is a lot of
information about making adjustments to Sputniks.

Improvements I suggest in decreasing order of value:
Exercise the shutter
Clean the visible dirt, inside and out
Use tape on the seams and hinges
Synchronize the apertures
Flock/baffle the interior
Adjust the focus
Apply damping grease to the focus

I further suggest completely ignoring the self-timer. I've
seen more than one of those old timers jam. Don't touch it
even to experiment. If you ever have the shutter mechanism
open, remove the the self-timer.

--
John Thurston
Juneau Alaska
http://stereo.thurstons.us

Mon Dec 11, 2017 2:34 pm (PST) . Posted by:

"Brian Reynolds"

In [MF3D-group] Jesper wrote:
>
> I'm new to stereo photography and have understood that a Sputnik is
> a good choice for MF photography. It apparently needs some
> tinkering, but if you do your job it will be a good shooter. Or so
> I've read.
>
> There are heaps of them on Ebay and I'm wondering what I should look
> out for when buying one.
>
> * Is there a certain version that is more desirable than others?

I find that the version with the Cyrillic nameplate makes a good
conversation piece when I'm out shooting.

> * Are there certain problems to look for that makes a it a bad buy
> or even a stay-away-from item all together?
>
> * Is there anything too look for that puts it over the top? To make
> it a good buy? Or even a good find?
>
> What should I look for? : )

As others have said, a clean Sputnik is a good starting point. Think
of the Sputnik as a kit camera. You will have to modify it.

At a minimum the camera should have internal flocking/baffles,
something done to deal with the light leaks around the doors, and lens
shades. These will help keep the contrast under control. My Sputnik
case isn't in very good condition, so I keep my camera in a camera bag
between shots.

You'll also want to check the focus (make sure it matches the scale,
and that left matches right). In practice I use a handheld
rangefinder to verify that my subjects are within the depth of field
I'm shooting for, and then I zone focus based on my chosen aperture
(usually f/22 or f/16), and the scale on the focus gear. A DoF app or
table (like Depth of Field Master) will help you determine DoF and
focus setting.

The shutters and apertures will need to be checked to make sure that
the left and right exposures are matched. Don't worry if the shutter
speeds don't match the markings. What you want is a shutter that is
reliably consistent. Once you know the actual shutter speeds (put
them on a label on the camera body) you can use them when setting your
exposure meter instead of the ones on the shutter.

You might want to see if there is someone near by who works on
Sputniks, and can do any of the trickier bits for you. I'm lucky and
was able to get someone to first tune, and then repair (after it fell
on a concrete hangar floor) my Sputnik. It's currently a sort of
FrankenSputnik made from Sputnik and Lubitel parts.

There are a few accessories that make working with a Sputnik nicer.
Besides a handheld meter, and a rangefinder, I carry a string monopod,
and a bean bag. These can provide a lot of stability without having
to lug a tripod around. I have shot in a lot of places that don't
allow tripods, but had no trouble with these devices.

A flash, bracket, and PC cord can make the Sputnik almost a point and
shoot. Set a usable shutter speed (Sputniks have a leaf shutter, and
sync at all speeds), set aperture based on flash setting, set focus
based on aperture/DoF, and shoot away. However you may find it hard
to get a flash setting that works at a good stereo/Sputnik aperture
(generally f/22 or f/16).

I have attached a bulls-eye bubble level to the top deck of my
Sputnik. As I look down into the waist-level finder I can check for
level, and by looking to see if the bubble is bouncing, gauge how
steady the camera is when I am hand holding.

> I will use it for both making contact prints at home and color
> slides.

I started with a pair of Lubitel 166 Universals with the intent of
mounting contact prints to make stereo cards. I find that 6x6 contact
prints are a bit too small.

--
Brian Reynolds | "It's just like flying a spaceship.
reynolds@panix.com | You push some buttons and see
https://www.panix.com/~ reynolds/ | what happens." -- Zapp Brannigan
NAR# 54438 |



(Message over 64 KB, truncated)
Subject: Re: Sputnik and what to look out for when buying?
Date: 2017-12-12 12:04:41
From: jeppeln
Wow, what a fantastic response, thank you all so much for the great information!!! : )

I will start my journey by finding a suitable Sputnik, then I'll get back to all the modifications needed to be done. I don't think there is any Sputnik repair shops in my area, Sweden doesn't have much of anything really, it's pretty much all IKEA and meatballs.
But I don't mind, I find cleaning and making an otherwise unusable camera nice and usable again half the joy. : ) Though adjusting shutter speeds and syncing shutters is new o me, so that might be a bit too challenging, but with the right guidance I might succeed.
I will do my best to get one that doesn't have those problems though.

My fun-budget is a bit low at the moment and my wife wouldn't like me to break it, so I have to wait a bit before buying one, but I will sure examine the ones available and prepare my buy-finger.


With kind regards,
Jesper
Subject: Re: Sputnik and what to look out for when buying?
Date: 2017-12-12 12:30:05
From: John Thurston
On 12/12/2017 9:04 AM, jeppeln@yahoo.com [MF3D-group] wrote:
> Though adjusting shutter speeds and syncing shutters is
> new o me, so that might be a bit too challenging, but
> with the right guidance I might succeed.

Adjusting the focus is fiddly, but required nothing more
complicated than _good_ screwdrivers and a bit of frosted
glass. The Soviet steel I've seen in Sputniks is about as
hard as frozen butter. Use good quality screwdrivers, and be
sure each fits the required slot tightly. "Close enough"
isn't close enough with Sputnik screws. The risk of ruining
the slot is high.

Shutter timing is best ignored. If you can find (or build) a
timer, measure what times the shutter delivers. Record those
settings and don't try to change them.

Shutter sync between the lenses on a Sputnik is done with
the pivoting bar between the lenses. There is only one
timer. The other shutter is tripped by the "master". I've
only heard of one case where the shutters were out of sync.

Aperture sync between the lenses is done with the swing-bar
below the lenses. That is a dead-simple adjustment which
should be clear to you when you have a camera in hand.

Please let us know how it goes!

--
John Thurston
Juneau Alaska
http://stereo.thurstons.us
Subject: Re: Sputnik and what to look out for when buying?
Date: 2017-12-13 05:43:19
From: jeppeln
"The Soviet steel I've seen in Sputniks is about as
hard as frozen butter. Use good quality screwdrivers, and be
sure each fits the required slot tightly. "Close enough"
isn't close enough with Sputnik screws. The risk of ruining
the slot is high."

Now that is some valuable advice right there.
I can almost feel the frozen butter give way already. : )
I will make sure the screw driver is a perfect fit!

Thank you for the great advice and information, I will definitely let you guys know how it goes.
I just need to get my hands on a sputnik first. Probably in late January as I promised my wife not to buy anything until then.
Subject: Re: Sputnik and what to look out for when buying?
Date: 2017-12-13 10:50:27
From: JR

DIY on 3D cameras is a real good way to learn the manufacturing techniques that were used to design and build them.  Nearly all of these companies had experience with 2D cameras or other photo-optical equipment, but very little, if any, with 3D.

The usual procedure was to essentially build two 2D cameras into one housing, and then mechanically link them together,  either internally or externally.

When you work on them, be careful to keep track of where each part goes, and the type and size of each screw.

A digital camera, or even a cell phone, can be very useful for this.  As each part is removed, take a picture of the part, both before and after removal, showing the screws that were removed.  Placing a scale (ruler) next to the screws in the shot will help to identify them.  When it comes time to reassemble, trust me, you will thank yourself for doing this.

On Dec 13, 2017 3:43 AM, "jeppeln@yahoo.com [MF3D-group]" <MF3D-group@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
 

"The Soviet steel I've seen in Sputniks is about as
hard as frozen butter. Use good quality screwdrivers, and be
sure each fits the required slot tightly. "Close enough"
isn't close enough with Sputnik screws. The risk of ruining
the slot is high."

Now that is some valuable advice right there.
I can almost feel the frozen butter give way already. : )
I will make sure the screw driver is a perfect fit!

Thank you for the great advice and information, I will definitely let you guys know how it goes.
I just need to get my hands on a sputnik first. Probably in late January as I promised my wife not to buy anything until then.

Subject: Re: Sputnik and what to look out for when buying?
Date: 2017-12-13 11:56:02
From: Timo Puhakka
You can also put the small parts and screws in an icecube tray in the order they come out. Then you are less likely to miss a step putting it back together.

Timo


On Wed, Dec 13, 2017 at 11:50 AM, JR stereoscope3d@gmail.com [MF3D-group]
wrote:
 

DIY on 3D cameras is a real good way to learn the manufacturing techniques that were used to design and build them.  Nearly all of these companies had experience with 2D cameras or other photo-optical equipment, but very little, if any, with 3D.

The usual procedure was to essentially build two 2D cameras into one housing, and then mechanically link them together,  either internally or externally.

When you work on them, be careful to keep track of where each part goes, and the type and size of each screw.

A digital camera, or even a cell phone, can be very useful for this.  As each part is removed, take a picture of the part, both before and after removal, showing the screws that were removed.  Placing a scale (ruler) next to the screws in the shot will help to identify them.  When it comes time to reassemble, trust me, you will thank yourself for doing this.

On Dec 13, 2017 3:43 AM, "jeppeln@yahoo.com [MF3D-group]" <MF3D-group@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
 

"The Soviet steel I've seen in Sputniks is about as
hard as frozen butter. Use good quality screwdrivers, and be
sure each fits the required slot tightly. "Close enough"
isn't close enough with Sputnik screws. The risk of ruining
the slot is high."

Now that is some valuable advice right there.
I can almost feel the frozen butter give way already. : )
I will make sure the screw driver is a perfect fit!

Thank you for the great advice and information, I will definitely let you guys know how it goes.
I just need to get my hands on a sputnik first. Probably in late January as I promised my wife not to buy anything until then.

Subject: Re: Sputnik and what to look out for when buying?
Date: 2017-12-13 12:29:38
From: Jon Hoggatt
There is a fellow who repairs them. Ted took my two and made one good one for about $100. As I recall. I will look up his email and send it to you. 
Best, 
Jon Hoggatt

Sent from my iPhone

On Dec 12, 2017, at 1:04 PM, jeppeln@yahoo.com [MF3D-group] <MF3D-group@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

 

Wow, what a fantastic response, thank you all so much for the great information!!! : )

I will start my journey by finding a suitable Sputnik, then I'll get back to all the modifications needed to be done. I don't think there is any Sputnik repair shops in my area, Sweden doesn't have much of anything really, it's pretty much all IKEA and meatballs.
But I don't mind, I find cleaning and making an otherwise unusable camera nice and usable again half the joy. : ) Though adjusting shutter speeds and syncing shutters is new o me, so that might be a bit too challenging, but with the right guidance I might succeed.
I will do my best to get one that doesn't have those problems though.

My fun-budget is a bit low at the moment and my wife wouldn't like me to break it, so I have to wait a bit before buying one, but I will sure examine the ones available and prepare my buy-finger.


With kind regards,
Jesper

Subject: Re: Sputnik and what to look out for when buying?
Date: 2017-12-15 17:43:41
From: coronet3d
Ted Baskin does an outstanding job of tuning and upgrading the Sputnik.  He is a member of this group but I'm not sure he watches it that closely.  If you contact the administrator of the group, they can forward your e-mail to Ted.  He is in USA but the Sputnik is light and shouldn't cost that much to ship.  Ebay legend "cupog" from Slovakia is also an excellent camera repairman but I'm not sure he knows all that's needed to tune-up a Sputnik.
Steve
Subject: Re: Sputnik and what to look out for when buying?
Date: 2017-12-15 17:58:12
From: Linda N
I would also recommend Ted Baskin for Sputnik "tuning". He did one for me, combining a Spud and a couple of Lubitels for parts and a viewfinder from a 
Polaroid, to comprise my "FrankenSpud". I can send the email address I have for him offlist to anyone who needs it, although I would not guarantee that it is current. And hopefully he is still doing this work. -Linda

On Fri, Dec 15, 2017 at 5:43 PM, coronet3d@yahoo.com [MF3D-group] <MF3D-group@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
 

Ted Baskin does an outstanding job of tuning and upgrading the Sputnik.  He is a member of this group but I'm not sure he watches it that closely.  If you contact the administrator of the group, they can forward your e-mail to Ted.  He is in USA but the Sputnik is light and shouldn't cost that much to ship.  Ebay legend "cupog" from Slovakia is also an excellent camera repairman but I'm not sure he knows all that's needed to tune-up a Sputnik.

Steve


Subject: Re: Sputnik and what to look out for when buying?
Date: 2017-12-15 23:32:34
From: Brian Reynolds
In MF3D-group Linda wrote:
>
> I would also recommend Ted Baskin for Sputnik "tuning". He did one for me,
> combining a Spud and a couple of Lubitels for parts and a viewfinder from a
> Polaroid, to comprise my "FrankenSpud".

Ted also built my FrankenSpud, and I highly recommend him.

--
Brian Reynolds | "It's just like flying a spaceship.
reynolds@panix.com | You push some buttons and see
https://www.panix.com/~reynolds/ | what happens." -- Zapp Brannigan
NAR# 54438 |
Subject: Re: Sputnik and what to look out for when buying?
Date: 2017-12-16 17:45:49
From: Vladimir Galkin
Since we are talking Sputniks - I was just wondering if anyone has discovered anything new in the way of film - I've been shooting Fujichrome provia 100 - since my beloved Ektachrome has gone - anybody find anything new/interesting to shoot?

Vlad

On Friday, December 15, 2017, 9:32:36 PM PST, Brian Reynolds mf3d@reynolds.users.panix.com [MF3D-group] wrote:


 

In MF3D-group Linda wrote:
>
> I would also recommend Ted Baskin for Sputnik "tuning". He did one for me,
> combining a Spud and a couple of Lubitels for parts and a viewfinder from a
> Polaroid, to comprise my "FrankenSpud".

Ted also built my FrankenSpud, and I highly recommend him.

--
Brian Reynolds | "It's just like flying a spaceship.
reynolds@panix.com | You push some buttons and see
https://www.panix.com/~reynolds/ | what happens." -- Zapp Brannigan
NAR# 54438 |

Subject: 120 film
Date: 2017-12-17 01:14:17
From: depthcam
> I was just wondering if anyone has discovered anything new in the way of
film - I've been shooting Fujichrome provia 100 - since my beloved Ektachrome has gone - anybody find anything new/interesting to shoot?


According to Kodak, they are set to re-introduce Ektachrome in 2018.

https://petapixel.com/2017/09/13/return-kodak-ektachrome-film-nigh/

Francois
Subject: Re: 120 film
Date: 2017-12-17 08:08:11
From: coronet3d
No mention of 120 and depressing statements on Kodachrome in that statement.
Steve
Subject: Re: 120 film
Date: 2017-12-17 08:30:04
From: JR

Back in the day...   In the 1960's, 1970's, and the 1980's, I was doing commercial and industrial photography with 120, 4x5, and 8x10 cameras, both 2D and 3D.  Large format film and processing was very expensive, so you had to make each shot work.  Before clicking the shutter on the LF camera, it was reasonably common for LF and even MF photographers to first shoot Polaroids, checking the composition, lighting, stereoscopic depth, and other factors.  But, even Polaroid was not cheap enough for randomly clicking away on every possible angle and setting. 

Today, however, we have digital; we can be quite cavalier in the use of our digital and cellphone equipment.  Therefore, when shooting film now, especially in 3D, we can test out lots of ideas digitally first, before committing to comparatively expensive film and processing.

For many reasons, shooting on film today can be more productive than it ever used to be.

On Dec 16, 2017 11:14 PM, "depthcam@yahoo.ca [MF3D-group]" <MF3D-group@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
 

> I was just wondering if anyone has discovered anything new in the way of film - I've been shooting Fujichrome provia 100 - since my beloved Ektachrome has gone - anybody find anything new/interesting to shoot?


According to Kodak, they are set to re-introduce Ektachrome in 2018.

https://petapixel.com/2017/09/ 13/return-kodak-ektachrome-fil m-nigh/

Francois

Subject: Re: Sputnik and what to look out for when buying?
Date: 2018-01-23 05:06:13
From: jeppeln
Hi all, just to let you know.

One of the members here were so amazingly kind as to donate one of his Sputniks to me.

Big thanks to John Goodman!


It was serviced by another member from here that sadly passed away, Chuck (Charles) Holzner.
So it should be more or less ready to take on the stereo world.

I have some questions, but I think I will put those in a new conversation to not clutter up too many topics in one thread.


All the best,
Jesper
Subject: Re: Sputnik and what to look out for when buying?
Date: 2018-01-24 10:45:36
From: borisstarosta
Congratulations!  That's likely to be a good camera.  Mine was also from Chuck Holzner.  I propose that anyone who receives a Sputnik as a donation be required to join one of the MF3d folios  -  either Thurston's or Reynolds folio;-)  (and suffer all the "good advice" that we dish out).
Subject: Re: Sputnik and what to look out for when buying?
Date: 2018-01-25 05:11:04
From: jeppeln
Haha ok, yes that may be a good advice though ;)
Oh really, it sounds like Chuck contributed quite a lot to the stereo world.
Subject: Re: Sputnik and what to look out for when buying?
Date: 2018-01-30 22:41:46
From: Timo Puhakka2
I was posting some images for printing stereo images from the Sputnik, so I thought I would show off my tricked out Sputnik. Visible are the top and bottom plates of 1mm thick polystyrene to block light getting in. I machined some pretty unsophisticated lens shade holders and mounted adaptor rings to hold the vented shades. On the left lens adaptor, I have mounted a depth of field scale, similar to the one on my TL120, only with blind mans numbers for easy reading. There is a cold shoe to hold my VCII meter and posts for a neck strap. (I'm using the one that came with the TL120 to fool people ;-) ). I also added the shutter linkage, similar to much more complex folding linkages I have seen on old folding cameras. There is also an extension attached to the shutter cocking lever, because that is just too dangereous under normal conditions.
Not visible is the blackened edges on the front elements of the lenses and the telescope flocking on the inside of the light chambers.

I just recently discovered that I don't need to get the shutters adjusted. Talk on this list suggested that I check that the apertures are matched. They weren't. In the process of correcting that, I wound up replacing the crappy Russian thumb screw, with a proper hex socket head cap screw.

As to the f32 aperture modification, you can see from this image that it is not possible on my Spud. The linkage already makes contact with the cable release socket at f22.

Timo

On 2018-01-25, at 6:10 AM, jeppeln@yahoo.com [MF3D-group] wrote:

 

Haha ok, yes that may be a good advice though ;)
Oh really, it sounds like Chuck contributed quite a lot to the stereo world.