Mosasaurus2
Member
Hello. My name is Ad. I am new on this forum. And first of all: my apologies for my somewhat poor English. My subject is a FED camera.
This summer I went on vacation in Germany. Being a collector of (rangefinder) cameras I bought in the neighbourhood of Dresden three cameras in a small, dark "antique"/junk-store: a Kiev (3A) and two Leica copies, Russian, according to the seller. One copy with a (CZJ - Tessar, nr. 3617223) lens, the other without a lens. I saw that one of the Leica-copies was chromed. All 3 together: € 50. Three weeks later, at home again, I discovered some strange things on the two Leica-copies: no inscriptions for example, and a square mounting plate behind the lens. I'm no "connaisseur" of Leica cameras or Leica-copies. So I contacted "TomTiger" Piel (https://tomtiger.home.xs4all.nl/fakes.html ).
He assumed these two cameras were Feds with a Contax-mount (T.S.V.V.S F93- "No Name", from the "Princelle" Catalogue). (Very?) Rare. But he also wrote that these types were often counterfeited! (The camera looks exactly like the PH1005 on the website: http://www.sovietcams.com/index.php?1556498228, except the lens of course.)
So, before I will spend some money for a CLA and/or a repair, I want to know if these 2 old cameras are original FED's TSVVS F93-No Name or fakes ...........
I hope this forumsite can give me more information.
My question to you is: Can anyone tell me how I can see whether these cameras are original "No Name" FEDs or counterfeited?
Also I'll have to detect if the cameras are well functioning. Therefore I have to read a manual of the FED 1d first. If a repair is necessary (and when it is unmistakable that the copies are original), I would be interested in CLA costs and persons who are capable to do a CLA. (Assuming it is too difficult to do it yourself, follow the link, for example, to J.Javier: http://jay.fedka.com/index_files/Page466.htm). Later I will be interested in the strange history of this hybrid camera. But first of all I'll have to wait for answers at my first question: original or not.
In advance, thanks for your answers and responses, any help will be appreciated.
Kind regards,
Ad
*) P.S. I saw that that there are 4 very minor differences between both oldies: on the chromed version are 2 inscriptions of small arrows: one (curved) nearby the button/switch of the reversing lever, the other (straight) nearby the filmcounter; otherwise on the other version is on the bottom a small black button mounted (looks like a flash contact...). And last: the 6 screws on de upperplate (3 front, 3 back) are not exactly placed on the same spots.
This summer I went on vacation in Germany. Being a collector of (rangefinder) cameras I bought in the neighbourhood of Dresden three cameras in a small, dark "antique"/junk-store: a Kiev (3A) and two Leica copies, Russian, according to the seller. One copy with a (CZJ - Tessar, nr. 3617223) lens, the other without a lens. I saw that one of the Leica-copies was chromed. All 3 together: € 50. Three weeks later, at home again, I discovered some strange things on the two Leica-copies: no inscriptions for example, and a square mounting plate behind the lens. I'm no "connaisseur" of Leica cameras or Leica-copies. So I contacted "TomTiger" Piel (https://tomtiger.home.xs4all.nl/fakes.html ).
He assumed these two cameras were Feds with a Contax-mount (T.S.V.V.S F93- "No Name", from the "Princelle" Catalogue). (Very?) Rare. But he also wrote that these types were often counterfeited! (The camera looks exactly like the PH1005 on the website: http://www.sovietcams.com/index.php?1556498228, except the lens of course.)
So, before I will spend some money for a CLA and/or a repair, I want to know if these 2 old cameras are original FED's TSVVS F93-No Name or fakes ...........
I hope this forumsite can give me more information.
My question to you is: Can anyone tell me how I can see whether these cameras are original "No Name" FEDs or counterfeited?
Also I'll have to detect if the cameras are well functioning. Therefore I have to read a manual of the FED 1d first. If a repair is necessary (and when it is unmistakable that the copies are original), I would be interested in CLA costs and persons who are capable to do a CLA. (Assuming it is too difficult to do it yourself, follow the link, for example, to J.Javier: http://jay.fedka.com/index_files/Page466.htm). Later I will be interested in the strange history of this hybrid camera. But first of all I'll have to wait for answers at my first question: original or not.
In advance, thanks for your answers and responses, any help will be appreciated.
Kind regards,
Ad
*) P.S. I saw that that there are 4 very minor differences between both oldies: on the chromed version are 2 inscriptions of small arrows: one (curved) nearby the button/switch of the reversing lever, the other (straight) nearby the filmcounter; otherwise on the other version is on the bottom a small black button mounted (looks like a flash contact...). And last: the 6 screws on de upperplate (3 front, 3 back) are not exactly placed on the same spots.
David Hughes
David Hughes
Hi,
Welcome aboard. You got your monies' worth there.
The site you quoted is a good one for basic info.
As for manuals, I've only seen them in Russian for the FED's but a search will find several translations done by individuals. The one thing you should know, now, is that the shutter speed should not be changed until the film winder knob has been turned fully and the shutter cocked.
It's rather late at night here, so I'll apologise for this short answer and expect others will fill in the blanks for you.
A photo of the cameras would help a lot.
Regards, David
Welcome aboard. You got your monies' worth there.
The site you quoted is a good one for basic info.
As for manuals, I've only seen them in Russian for the FED's but a search will find several translations done by individuals. The one thing you should know, now, is that the shutter speed should not be changed until the film winder knob has been turned fully and the shutter cocked.
It's rather late at night here, so I'll apologise for this short answer and expect others will fill in the blanks for you.
A photo of the cameras would help a lot.
Regards, David
xayraa33
rangefinder user and fancier
The forum site that will have the proper answers to your questions about the rare TSSVS camera is http://ussrphoto.com/Forum/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=8
Vlad Kern on that forum and Jacques, who I believe is also a forum member here on RFF, have the expertise on that model of rare FSU camera. http://ussrphoto.com/Forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2094
davidnewtonguitars
Family Snaps
As for CLA, it would help to say where you live.
Alex in Ukraine is someone I would recommend.
Alex in Ukraine is someone I would recommend.
Mosasaurus2
Member
Hello David H.,
Thanks for the tips. Showing the pictures of the two Fed-cameras is not so easy for me. I'll have to do some inquiries how to copy/upload the pictures to RFF.
Regards,
Ad
Thanks for the tips. Showing the pictures of the two Fed-cameras is not so easy for me. I'll have to do some inquiries how to copy/upload the pictures to RFF.
Regards,
Ad
Mosasaurus2
Member
Hello Xayraa33,
Thanks for the tip. I will post my question on their site too.
Regards,
Ad
Thanks for the tip. I will post my question on their site too.
Regards,
Ad
Mosasaurus2
Member
Hello David Newton,
Thanks for the tip.
BTW I live in The Netherlands ...
Regards,
Ad
Thanks for the tip.
BTW I live in The Netherlands ...
Regards,
Ad
David Hughes
David Hughes
Hi,
Do you have a web site that you can put the photos on?
If you have it will be easy to link them here.
Regards, David
Do you have a web site that you can put the photos on?
If you have it will be easy to link them here.
Regards, David
johannielscom
Snorting silver salts
Hi Ad,
Welcome from Assen, hoofdstad der Drenthen!
I'm thinking I encountered a close relative of the Mosasaurus once, it looked like this:
hexar-flash by Johan Niels Kuiper, on Flickr
at the Gemeentegrot, Valkenburg.
You're from Maastricht, I'm guessing?
Anyway, do contact Jacques on the possible TSVVS, it might be worth more in original condition if you have found a real one!
If you can post any pictures (best put them on Flickr and get the BBCode from there to paste into your message here, like I did) that would be most interesting!
Welcome from Assen, hoofdstad der Drenthen!
I'm thinking I encountered a close relative of the Mosasaurus once, it looked like this:
hexar-flash by Johan Niels Kuiper, on Flickr
at the Gemeentegrot, Valkenburg.
You're from Maastricht, I'm guessing?
Anyway, do contact Jacques on the possible TSVVS, it might be worth more in original condition if you have found a real one!
If you can post any pictures (best put them on Flickr and get the BBCode from there to paste into your message here, like I did) that would be most interesting!
farlymac
PF McFarland
I don't understand the "square mounting plate behind the lens" part (unless you are talking about the accessory shoe on top), and you have differences between the two bodies that should indicate at least one of them could be a fake.
So yeah, photos would be nice. If you have an account with any photo storage site (such as Flickr, Photobucket, etc.), you should be able to just copy the BB Code, and paste it into your thread post.
Even if they are not real TSVVS cameras, a good working copy is not bad to have.
PF
So yeah, photos would be nice. If you have an account with any photo storage site (such as Flickr, Photobucket, etc.), you should be able to just copy the BB Code, and paste it into your thread post.
Even if they are not real TSVVS cameras, a good working copy is not bad to have.
PF
Mosasaurus2
Member
Mosasaurus2
Member
Mosasaurus2
Member
Mosasaurus2
Member
Hello Johannielscom,
Yes, you are right. I was born in Maastricht. Nowadays I live in Meerssen (between Maastricht and Valkenburg, as you will know).
Greetings from Meerssen, the place where Europe was divided by the 2 grandsons of Charlemagne/ Karel de Grote in 870....
Ad
Yes, you are right. I was born in Maastricht. Nowadays I live in Meerssen (between Maastricht and Valkenburg, as you will know).
Greetings from Meerssen, the place where Europe was divided by the 2 grandsons of Charlemagne/ Karel de Grote in 870....
Ad
Mosasaurus2
Member
Hello Fairlymac,
As you can see on the pictures, the square mounting plate is the "Contax"-bayonet mount. It's a "hybrid" system ...
Regards,
Ad
As you can see on the pictures, the square mounting plate is the "Contax"-bayonet mount. It's a "hybrid" system ...
Regards,
Ad
nukecoke
⚛Yashica
johannielscom
Snorting silver salts
Holy!
I've never seen anything like this before, Ad.
They may have been built after WWII from spare parts that were smuggled out of Contax factories and sold off on the black market to get some cash. But I'd say the bodies are TSVVS to start with.
Is the rangefinder view on the camera with lens correct? That would be really special!
I think you have the stuff here that collectors go wild over!
I've never seen anything like this before, Ad.
They may have been built after WWII from spare parts that were smuggled out of Contax factories and sold off on the black market to get some cash. But I'd say the bodies are TSVVS to start with.
Is the rangefinder view on the camera with lens correct? That would be really special!
I think you have the stuff here that collectors go wild over!
David Hughes
David Hughes
And the 1930's shutter button and square strap lugs; fascinating.
And a search on TSVVS will give you a lot of information. Try here:- http://sovietcams.com/index.php?1442418119
Regards, David
And a search on TSVVS will give you a lot of information. Try here:- http://sovietcams.com/index.php?1442418119
Regards, David
xayraa33
rangefinder user and fancier
The extra front screw on the body edge below the RF window near the shutter speed dial plus the tight fit of the lens mount plate and the smallish VF front window is very much in the vein of a genuine one when compared to the fake lash-ups, but anything is possible.
farlymac
PF McFarland
Ah yes, I didn't catch that when looking at the Soviet Cams site. Variances in manufacturing during a production run like the ones you mentioned are not uncommon from any camera manufacturer, and I don't see anything from the outside that would indicate these are other than the real thing. Interior details might tell a different story though.
PF