In love with my FED-2

[cbass]

Just got back my test roll from my new/old FED-2. This is my first FSU cam. I have to say that the little FED-2 surprised me quite a bit. The camera fits neatly in the hand and is easy to focus. It's obviously no Leica but the FED-2 is clearly not to be underestimated. The camera feels very robust and the lens is much, much sharper than I expected. It's a pleasure to use. In short, I am very impressed! 🙂

I bought it from "alex-photo" on eBay and the camera arrived from the Ukraine in nine days. Alex-photo proved to be a great seller. I just wiped it off, cleaned the glass surfaces, and loaded the film. I found no light leaks, no film transport problems, no RF alignment problems, no shutter problems (except that 250 runs a tad fast) and no lens problems. The camera is probably close to fifty years old and the darn thing worked great right out of the box.

Things I like: very durable and compact; easy to focus with accurate RF; nice lens. Things I don't like: Ouch, that rewind knob!; tiny VF.

I've enclosed a picture of the camera and a few scans from the test roll. Used Fuji Superia 400 and had developed & scanned at a local one hour lab. This little FED now has me hooked on RFs again. I love it!

 

[einolu]

its awsome, russian cameras actually make your fingers callously, like playing the guitar or something. who needs girly leica groomed hands anyway?

 

[tedwhite]

No girly-leica-manicured fingers here, by gory. Rusky camera owners have dirty fingernails, so there! Last winter, wandering the streets with a borrowed Kiev 4A, an occasional tourist would peer at it and ask, "Is that a real camera?" I would trot out my best facsimile of a Russian accent. "Is Russian camera. Is work good. What, you no like?" Of course I couldn't pull that off with the locals.

My favorite local art gallery owner, Bruce, would look at it and say, "Oh, Teddy, you've got another of those darling teensy cameras from the Old World. Let me have a look."

And, Chris, I too was surprised at the quality of the prints fromthe Kiev. I've got a FED 2 on order, also from Alex, and it should be here any day. Well, maybe I should say "someday."

Also, Chris, what did you do for a light meter with the FED? I've got an old Gossen Sixtomat that I used with the Kiev and exposures were perfect. Which means the camera was functioning as it should.

Ted

 

[Solinar]

The FED 2 is my bicycle camera for 2005. I used a 70's Oly 35RC in the past, but the FED just fits my style. Here are a couple of photos from last week's commute to work. With regards to the crusty fire hydrant, I pass by it everyday. This was the first time I noticed its existance.

 

[tedwhite]

Andrew: Those are very classy photographs. Makes me want to move to Austin. The shot with the bicycle has a serene and timeless look to it. When you meander down streets on a bicycle you notice what you wouldn't in a car.

In fact, in May, I'm driving my girlfriend, Barbara, to San Marcos so she can visit with any ailing childhood friend. Looking at the map, Austin doesn't seem all that much farther.

Ted

 

[Oldprof]

Yeah! We don't need no wussey Leicas! And we use leaves instead of toilet paper! 😀

 

[Solinar]

Ted, San Marcos is 35miles to the Southwest. It's still small and nice.

Austin on the other hand is sprawl. I live in the center of the city, about 20 blocks north of my lab. So my commute is atypical of the average Austin commuter.

 

[cbass]

Comrade Ted - I used the good old Sunny-16 rule for the photos I posted. My only other meter is a Sekonic AutoLumi L-158, which I used on a few test shots. Enjoy your new FED-2. I'd like to try a Kiev one of these days...

Comrade Andrew - Nice photos. Is that a Trek Clyde in the first one? Cool bike (I am a cyclist, too). The FED is just the right size for a bike camera, as long as you don't mind the wieght. I got a case with my FED-2 and thought it is a little worn it is still useable and has a wonderful "Indiana Jones" look & feel to it.

I'm looking forward to a bad case of "FED Finger" this summer. Comrades, I say nyet to Leica! Long live the FED!

 

[Solinar]

Comrade Andrew - Nice photos. Is that a Trek Clyde in the first one?

It's definitely a Clyde, which suits me just fine. I'm 51, so no more mountain bikes. My other bike is an old Raleigh Tourist with rod brakes.

 

[FrankS]

I have a great deal of respect and admiration for my 2 FED cameras. (thank you, Andrew) I am not some kind of Leica snob. I like simple and effecient mechanical cameras, and for the money, my FEDs are great!

 

[jon_flanders]

I think the Fed is an ideal ASA 200, Sunny 16 walk-about camera. You just have to remember to keep that diopter set correctly.

Here's a couple of shots from my Italy series, shot in Rome with a Fed 2.

 

[RML]

WHAT?! Now we have Leica bashing here on RFF as well?! Where's the moderator when you need one?!

😛

 

[Solinar]

Oh a Leica is nice to have too, but I'm not so sure you would want it jostled around in a bicycle pannier.

 

[RML]

Solinar, I don't like my Leica as much as my Bessa R or Leitz Minolta CL, and they get thrown in my back without much regard. My Leica is just gathering dust on the shelf in its Japanesque Gold cover because I can't get really used to not having an internal meter. Too bad really because otherwise it's a fine camera.

 

[cbass]

Jon, very nice photos. That must have been some trip! You and I also have the same three "user" cameras: FED-2, XA2 and SR-T 101.

IMHO, the lack of automation is one of the positive qualities of the FED-2. It's a durable and mechanically elegant device (like the SR-T 101). That said, I did miss having a meter during some high-contrast situations. And I did miss having a wind lever, also.

 

[jon_flanders]

Jon, very nice photos. That must have been some trip! You and I also have the same three "user" cameras: FED-2, XA2 and SR-T 101.

IMHO, the lack of automation is one of the positive qualities of the FED-2. It's a durable and mechanically elegant device (like the SR-T 101). That said, I did miss having a meter during some high-contrast situations. And I did miss having a wind lever, also.

I dunno, I kind of like the knob. It creates a thinking space between shots.

 

[Solinar]

The film advance knob is rather reassuring actually. You can feel every millimeter of film advancing forward.

 

[varjag]

Right, the Fed-2 has a knob for advance, but a good one at that. It feels far smoother and located more conveniently than on Zorki-4: on the Fed with practice you can advance with a signle move. The limb on my Kiev-4A also requires much more force to advance, despite that the Kiev feels like a better built camera overall.

 

[gabrielelopez]

I'm into my first rolls with my fed-2, too, and i'm loving it a lot. It creates a thin connection between you and the shots you take, and it looks really strong.
I have done a couple of rolls that I will develope these days ( I never istantly develope shots cause I like being cold when i watch results..) and I'm having even more fun due to the fact that I've bought a CV 25 f4..that makes her a fast-istinctive block notes.
I've read somewhere that someone is starting again to realize these kind of cameras in Russia, handly..is this true or just legend?

 

[varjag]

I've read somewhere that someone is starting again to realize these kind of cameras in Russia, handly..is this true or just legend?

The FEDs (FED-5) were manufactured well into 1990s, in the independent Ukraine. It has also been suggested to KMZ officials countless times to at least make a run of modernized Zorki-4K alikes: given a proper quality control they could compete with the Bessas. KMZ was saying for a few years that they study the idea, but this year they're shutting down their camera division altogether, preferring the "safe bets" of the military contracts.