davidtan
Established
I'm considering buying an FED 2 off a local craigslist posting. It looks to be in good condition, except for one thing: it's missing the knurled rewind knob. In its place, I can see a small hole over the diopter lever with a tiny shaft (screw?) jutting out.
Will I be able to rewind this camera somehow without having to look for a spare knob?
P.S. First post on RFF; very nice to meet you all.
Will I be able to rewind this camera somehow without having to look for a spare knob?
P.S. First post on RFF; very nice to meet you all.
rbiemer
Unabashed Amateur
Probably you could use some pliers to grip the shaft to re-wind but as inexpensive as FED 2s generally are, I wouldn't buy it. If it were cheap enough and I needed one for parts for another one, I'd consider it. With my main concern being what else is wrong with it.
Welcome to RFF!
Rob
Welcome to RFF!
Rob
NorpA
Established
I totally agree with you Rob,
if a such evident detail is missing, what about the rest of this camera? FEDs are cheap and quite available RFs, so I would buy it only in case of real bargain and only if I was looking for spare parts.
if a such evident detail is missing, what about the rest of this camera? FEDs are cheap and quite available RFs, so I would buy it only in case of real bargain and only if I was looking for spare parts.
davidtan
Established
Thanks for the responses.
The FED 2 is being sold for cheap enough; I guess I can consider buying it for the lens itself, an Industar 26M.
The FED 2 is being sold for cheap enough; I guess I can consider buying it for the lens itself, an Industar 26M.
Steve M.
Veteran
If the rewind knob is missing, you can safely bet there's other things wrong or missing as well. Plus, it's a Fed, so even in the best of circumstances, who knows? These are fine cameras when they're working, but shutter issues and/or light leaks are the normally unseen problems. Until you run a roll of film through and develop it that is. So, initial cost, add film cost and developing, then all the aggravation trying to diagnose and fix the problem....it's a lot simpler and cheaper to look for a working one w/ a n Industar 61LD.
rbiemer
Unabashed Amateur
I like the I-26 lens enough that, if the package is cheap enough, I'd probably take the gamble.
Rob
Terry Christian
Established
If you do end up buying it, it would be worth a try to contact Fedka.com to see if they have a spare rewind knob you could buy from them. You can buy an overhauled, perfectly working FED-2 body from them for just $79 (or $99 with the Industar 26M lens), so also consider how much the bother with Craiglist would be worth to you.
David Hughes
David Hughes
Hi,
A FED 2 in working order is a very nice camera and the lenses that come with it are usually good, too.
But a FED 2 is going to be about 50 year old and you've no way of knowing what it's like until you've put a roll of film through it. And that can be a pita if the thing seizes up halfway through the roll. (I had this happen with a Leica IIIc from a well known dealer recently.)
Bitter experience since the fifties tells me that the best thing to do with a FED or Zorki is find one that looks good, is cheap and all there and then send it to Oleg for a bit of his magic. That way you'll know it's been dealt with properly and when and you've a guarantee. That's my version of it.
Or you could buy one for a lot more from a dealer and get a guarantee with it. But that costs more and you still have to send it away and wait. Also dealers tend just to repauir what's wrong. Oleg and one or two others strip the things down and rebuild them as they should be.
Worst choice is to buy a damaged one or a "95% there" one and hope you can find the part. If the seller couldn't or couldn't be bothered then there's a clear message being sent.
Regards, David
A FED 2 in working order is a very nice camera and the lenses that come with it are usually good, too.
But a FED 2 is going to be about 50 year old and you've no way of knowing what it's like until you've put a roll of film through it. And that can be a pita if the thing seizes up halfway through the roll. (I had this happen with a Leica IIIc from a well known dealer recently.)
Bitter experience since the fifties tells me that the best thing to do with a FED or Zorki is find one that looks good, is cheap and all there and then send it to Oleg for a bit of his magic. That way you'll know it's been dealt with properly and when and you've a guarantee. That's my version of it.
Or you could buy one for a lot more from a dealer and get a guarantee with it. But that costs more and you still have to send it away and wait. Also dealers tend just to repauir what's wrong. Oleg and one or two others strip the things down and rebuild them as they should be.
Worst choice is to buy a damaged one or a "95% there" one and hope you can find the part. If the seller couldn't or couldn't be bothered then there's a clear message being sent.
Regards, David
davidtan
Established
I'm wishing that fedka wasn't brought up, because after looking through that website I'm not too sure what I want anymore. The offerings on fedka are very attractive.
In any case, the craigslist poster hasn't responded all this time to my query about the rewind knob, so I might cross out that option after all. If you guys can vouch for fedka, I might consider paying the extra cost to get a more desirable camera from there.
At the moment, I like the look of the Kiev 4a and the Zorki 3. At the risk of turning this thread away from its original theme, could some of you compare the two?
- Is the longer base length on the Kiev very important in practice?
- I heard the Zorki finder is larger and brighter than the Kiev's. How evident is the difference in the finders?
Edit: Actually, I'll just make a new thread about this decision.
In any case, the craigslist poster hasn't responded all this time to my query about the rewind knob, so I might cross out that option after all. If you guys can vouch for fedka, I might consider paying the extra cost to get a more desirable camera from there.
At the moment, I like the look of the Kiev 4a and the Zorki 3. At the risk of turning this thread away from its original theme, could some of you compare the two?
- Is the longer base length on the Kiev very important in practice?
- I heard the Zorki finder is larger and brighter than the Kiev's. How evident is the difference in the finders?
Edit: Actually, I'll just make a new thread about this decision.
Bill58
Native Texan
I'll second getting a working one instead from fedka. My lenses from them are awesome.
Crazy Fedya
Well-known
Actually, I have bought said FED-2 today together with FED-5B. It has rewind knob missing, cracks in curtains, 1/25 speed is slow, and back locks need to be adjusted. Fed-5B is in excellent shape, everything works like it should. With these two cameras I got I-26 with dented rim and I-61L/D. Glass is in good shape, very little dust. On my way home I stopped by the hardware store and picked up small knurled nut to fit instead of rewind knob, until it arrives from whereever I am going t get it from. It's a pity that nut is brass, because I like it better than original knob.
P.S. FED-2 is dark blue, by the way. It is only visible in strong light, otherwise it seems black.
P.S. FED-2 is dark blue, by the way. It is only visible in strong light, otherwise it seems black.
davidtan
Established
I see I have a camera-hunting rival in town. Congratulations on the purchase Crazy Fedya.
Am I right to assume that quite a few RFFers are based in NYC?
Am I right to assume that quite a few RFFers are based in NYC?
Crazy Fedya
Well-known
I wouldn't count myself as rival, since I have more cameras than I can use, anyway. I just couldn't let Fed-2 get away at that price, especially since I got Fed-5B for not much more.
I guess, it is a classic GAS situation.
As far as RFF-ers go in NYC, I met only one of them personally, but always wanted to attend one of the meets, but since I have 2 little kids, I couldn't bring myself to leave my wife alone with them on the weekend. I might come to one of them this summer.
I guess, it is a classic GAS situation.
As far as RFF-ers go in NYC, I met only one of them personally, but always wanted to attend one of the meets, but since I have 2 little kids, I couldn't bring myself to leave my wife alone with them on the weekend. I might come to one of them this summer.