Any of you bought a body from Oleg?

[paulfish4570]

I have read here he is the guy to fix one's fsu, and looked up his web site. $50 plus $20 shipping for a body he deems "good" might be the best way to get one that will work well upon arrival. I want a body with strap lugs on it.
I much like my FED-2d, but it occasionally caps. I am thinking of sending it to Oleg for fixing, and ordering one of his FED-2 bodies at the same time ...

 

[Bill58]

I would opt to buy from Fedka. His stuff is the best and his CLAs are tops too.

 

[paulfish4570]

Fedka is where this one came from, and it was a swap for a FED-2b that had holes in the shutter ...

 

[gb hill]

I've heard mostly good out of Oleg but then I've heard good out of Fedka & you had a bad experience, so I don't know. Seems like a lot of money they charge for a camera.

 

[Steve M.]

I've had good, and bad, results w/ both. At least Fedka is in the states, so a return is a much easier thing if necessary. Never had any luck getting a FSU camera repaired (it's always been shutter issues w/ mine), and if I had to get a camera for LTM lenses I would definitely go w/ a Bessa R. More money up front, but you get a meter, and my cameras have been dead reliable.

 

[paulfish4570]

My FED from Fedka is gorgeous, and caps just every now and then. I think it needs a tiny adjustment but I am having trougle undertsanding from threads how to do it ...

 

[Joao]

I had a very positive experience with Oleg - among others, he fixed my Kiev-10 and ressuscitated my Iskra (he does not work in these models anymore).
A couple of cameras I bought from him were fine, except perhaps for the cosmetics. I had no need of his expertise in the last two years and I remember some recent posts (at RFF ? elsewhere?) mentioning problems in getting in touch with him.
Just my experience...
Joao

 

[Ducky]

Never dealt with Oleg, have had mixed results from Fedka but he is an easy dealer to work with.

 

[Bill58]

With the purchase of a lens or a body, I've found it's best to get Fedka to do a CLA of the item. Many more defects can be detected during that work and you experience less problems afterwards.

 

[newspaperguy]

I've bought four cameras from Oleg over the past 10-years.
They all turned out to be excellent choices. I have nothing but
good to say about the products and service he provides.

 

[john neal]

My FED from Fedka is gorgeous, and caps just every now and then. I think it needs a tiny adjustment but I am having trougle undertsanding from threads how to do it ...

Most likely the spring on the 2nd curtain release needs adjusting, or the end of the pawl is tarting to wear. Adjusting the spring is relatively easy - it needs to push down and inward (i.e. towards the front of the body). The crescent arm needs to trap the release pawl every time to avoid capping.

If it's not the spring, you could try cleaning up both the pawl and the notch in the arm very carefully with something like a small Arkansas stone (a file can be way too abrasive).

I would stooge around the FSU thread and ask the user Wolves3012 - he knows these things, and has helped me in the past.

 

[rbiemer]

I bought at least two bodies from Oleg and have had him work on a couple others.
And have been happy with each transaction. Good prices, quick service and informative emails. Frankly, shipping times have varied a bit but that is not something Oleg has control over. Quickest was about 6 days from Mari-El to me, longest was almost three weeks.
I've not been using FSU cameras much lately but if I were to want another one, Oleg is who I'd deal with.
Rob

 

[wotalegend]

I paid premium price for a Kiev body from Fedka some years ago based on people on this and other forums building up his reputation. It turned out to have a dragging shutter curtain, but I was not offered an exchange, only a discount on a CLA. I live on the other side of the world and the added price (albeit discounted) of a CLA plus two-way postage just meant it was not viable. No more Fedka for me, but there are plenty who still swear by him.

 

[paulfish4570]

Thank you all ...

 

[ctdogs]

Recommendation for Oleg

Recommendation for Oleg

I have purchased three camera bodies from Oleg. Have used them for about a year now without problems. I am a shooter, not a collector. Only problem I see is that his stock is somewhat limited (he didn't have 4k) and only of user quality. From my experience, if you want a shooter that will work upon arrival, you can get a good deal from Oleg. He checks his cameras out before selling them.

Hope this helps!

 

[paulfish4570]

Thanks again to all ...

 

[mnmleung]

I bought a Zorki 1, Fed 2 and Kiev 4 from Oleg and have used them lightly. Shipment to Australia took about a month. I have not had problems with them, and would buy from Oleg again if I am looking for FSU gear. I have not bought from anywhere else.

When I bought my Kiev 4, I wrote to him first because he did not have any on his website. So I think it is worth writing to ask even if you don't see what you want on his website.

Ming

 

[januaryman]

My FED from Fedka is gorgeous, and caps just every now and then. I think it needs a tiny adjustment but I am having trougle undertsanding from threads how to do it ...

I has positive experiences from Fedka. If one of his cameras was not right, send him an email and he'll make it right.

As for his repairs, he farms them out to someone in Brooklyn, I believe. He did my Fed 2d, and it was not fixed the first time. It needed to go back again and still has issues that stop me from relying on it when I NEED to have the photos come out as expected.