Extra Fitting on Early FED

[David Hughes]

Yes; both my 'Kommuna'-era came with their original vertically-fluted guards. Unfortunately my 'Kombinat' had lost whatever guard it originally had fitted but in the Sovietcams site (for what it's worth) the first appearance of the diagonally knurled guard coincides with this change of name engraving.

As far as the Fed in your photo is concerned are you sure you mean '39 and not '49, David?......

......
Nice lens! How do you find the performance of the f2 in comparison with the regular f3.5?

Philip.

Yes, brain fade at work. This is what comes of having too many cameras and too many photographs. I solved a similar problem with the Leicas by drastic prining and so I'll have to start think about the USSR made ones now...


As for the lenses, as far as I can remember I've only used the f/2 with B&W film and the f/3.5 with colour neg. So something else to put on the list.


Regards, David

 

[pippy]

Yes, brain fade at work. This is what comes of having too many cameras and too many photographs. I solved a similar problem with the Leicas by drastic prining and so I'll have to start think about the USSR made ones now...

I plead 'Guilty' to brain-fade, too, David. My father's Leica was a IIIb and not a IIIa as I wrote earlier. On which note...

The shutter blind replacement you are undertaking. Who do you use? I ask because my dad's old camera - which is now in the care of my elder brother - has the dreaded blind pin-hole rot and could do with having them replaced.

The problem of 'too many cameras' is not one which troubles me......yet. I have a few nice things and no exact duplicates so can justify having them all. Looking through the Sovietcams section just on the Fed 1 I believe I counted no fewer than 88 distinct versions

so I have quite some way to go yet!

On a more philosophical level what differentiates a 'Collector' from someone who simply has 'nice things' because they like having it lying around?

Philip.

 

[Dralowid]

My collection at it's height (plus Zorki 3m)

IMG_0053 by dralowid, on Flickr

 

[pippy]

My collection at it's height...

Lovely, Michael!...

...and rather spooky, too!...

At the moment in my "Barnack drawer" I have almost the very same FSU selection. Two 'Kommuna' and one 'Kombinat' (instead of 'one' and 'two') and a Zorki 2 instead of the later Zorki 1 would be the only real differences. My Zorki 1 is even the exact same PM1045 model as your early example...

Just for giggles I'll do a similar shot tomorrow.

Philip.

EDIT : Quick snap as mentioned. "Twins separated at birth..."?

 

[David Hughes]

I plead 'Guilty' to brain-fade, too, David. My father's Leica was a IIIb and not a IIIa as I wrote earlier. On which note...

The shutter blind replacement you are undertaking. Who do you use? (SNIP!) Philip.

The doyen of repairers is probably Malcolm Taylor but I also send stuff to Newton Ellis and Co and Skears. I've a rota to share things out as I figure we have to keep them going or else we'd lose them.

I'll try and come back with addresses etc but I've had a week of chaos and have a lot on my plate to sort out at the moment.

Regards, Davi


PS Please stop showing that Zorki-2, please...

 

[Dralowid]

EDIT : Quick snap as mentioned. "Twins separated at birth..."?

Seriously spooky!!!

 

[David Hughes]

Hi,


You can find Malcolm Taylor at Upper Lye Farm, Aymestrey, LEOMINSTER, HR6 9SZ


and then www.newtonellis.com should be obvious like http://www.skearsphoto.com/


All three are happy with classic cameras, imo.

BTW, it's best to ask the price of blinds. You might get a shock these days. I'm told they have to be made specially...

It's a pity the Chinese haven't started turning them out. They look simple enough.

Regards, David


PS Skears are worth a visit as it is a real camera shop...

 

[pippy]

Thanks very much for the listing, David.

I'll pass on the info to my brother. I did think that it might prove to be uneconomical as a repair considering it's possible to buy a working example for around the £150 mark. I'm not 100% sure he'll have it repaired as he doesn't use it and, to him, it's 'value' is mainly just a keepsake but if it were in my possession I'd have it sorted out.

Thanks again!

Philip.

 

[David Hughes]

Looking at all the cameras in these collections I wonder if I dare mention that I am trying to reduce the number I have...


I've managed to get down from nearly 2 dozen FED's and ditto Leicas to 5 or 6 Leicas and 7 FEDs and I am planning more sales to chop them back even more.


Regards, David

 

[Dralowid]

Looking at all the cameras in these collections I wonder if I dare mention that I am trying to reduce the number I have...


I've managed to get down from nearly 2 dozen FED's and ditto Leicas to 5 or 6 Leicas and 7 FEDs and I am planning more sales to chop them back even more.


Regards, David

All you need to do is to focus on what you want to spend the money on. All my Russian still cameras have gone, down to 6(ish) Leicas, some bits of Certo Dollinas and around 100 movie cameras...that aren't worth anything anyway!

 

[Livesteamer]

"100 movie cameras..." Sigh. All the memories those cameras have made, the cost and mechanical ingenuity that went into them and today worth little or nothing.


As a kid I looked down on Aunt Elizabeth with her little 8mm movie camera but she is long gone and those movies have been turned into video and they are a treasure.


Sorry to go off topic but I had to. Joe

 

[David Hughes]

All you need to do is to focus on what you want to spend the money on. All my Russian still cameras have gone, down to 6(ish) Leicas, some bits of Certo Dollinas and around 100 movie cameras...that aren't worth anything anyway!

It's hardest of all now the figures are so small. Getting rid of the first 300 was easy but then it got tricky.

I sorted the Zorkis without much trouble and now have an early one and a 6 but they tie up with the Zenits and then...

Edit: so I posted that and, once again, immediately thought about a Zorki-2. I hope someone's ears are burning ;-)

Regards, David

 

[Dralowid]

I have a friend who used to have a huge collection of cameras. Sold the lot.

These days his interest only lies in scratch built cameras, often made by apprentices. Absolutely fascinating and often quite weird...not too expensive either.

Oh...and yes, he enjoys wet plate photography, but that is another story.