Leica III Compared to FED 1g Questions

[David Hughes]

Exactly, and anyone who reads the posts about Leicas on these forums will not get the impression that they are 100% perfect and never fail. And usually they fail for the same reasons as FEDs, Zorkis and any other maker you care to think of; it has a lot to do with how the previous owner(s) treated them...


Regards, David

 

[tunalegs]

With the Soviet cameras, you're sort of looking for a sweet spot regarding age. Cameras that aren't old enough to be decrepit, but were made before quality took a nose-dive over there. With the LTM Leicas, they're all pretty much decrepit now unless recently serviced (in fact some of them have been too well cared for and are sluggish/gummed up from lack of use).

My experiences with 70's and later Soviet cameras has indeed been bad, but the 1960's Zorki and Fed I have, have never let me down. Indeed the quality of these cameras from this era compares favorably with those consumer-grade cameras made in Japan during the same era. And I write this as somebody who has repaired quite a few vintage cameras.

 

[pippy]

Philip, that's more or less correct - although some early FEDs did have lugs.

I can't remember which was the last model to have the lugs, but my FED 2a has them. 🙂

I could be wrong but believe the OP is discussing only the 1934 - 1955 'Barnack'-style Feds - the Fed 1 cameras - none of which had strap lugs. The early Fed 2's did have them fitted, as is the case with yours, but the 2 appeared just as the 1 was discontinued. According to the Sovietcams site, the strap lugs were dropped from the 2 series sometime around 1962; i.e. towards the end of the Fed 2D model.


As far as I know the earliest "Fed" cameras to have the lugs were the TSVVS cameras which are highly collectable and are priced to match! Fewer that 1000 TSVVS cameras were made in either 1949 or 1950. An FSU Barnack-style alternative with strap lugs would be the Zorki 2 but these, too, are considerably more expensive than either a Zorki 1 or a Fed 1 and almost on a par with a 'User' Leica III.



Going back to the Fed 1g; I have some late 1f and 1g cameras and, without exception, they are all in perfect working order. It is possible to find these things in almost new condition and, because they are deemed less collectable than, especially, the pre-WWII cameras they are usually the cheapest versions on offer.



The III Leicas are smoother, without a shadow of a doubt, but a well-kept Fed 1f or 1g would make for a fabulous alternative for about the same price a Leica lenshood...


Pip.

 

[David Hughes]

Yes, just look at the price of a 1930's lens hood for the 35mm lens of that vintage. I'd sooner buy a Zorki-2 and have strap lugs and a lens hood for pennies but, well, um...


Regards, David



PS The problem with exotic old USSR made cameras is getting them repaired. Few can do it. And then there's the rumours, thanks to the internet...

 

[pippy]

Yes, just look at the price of a 1930's lens hood for the 35mm lens of that vintage. I'd sooner buy a Zorki-2 and have strap lugs and a lens hood for pennies but, well, um...


Regards, David

I couldn't agree more, David.


And it's not just the slightly rare Leica hoods which are silly money; recently I've bought a pair of used, dead common, run-of-the-mill Leitz 12585 hoods and they each cost fractionally more than my best - truly near-mint condition- Fed 1g with a collapsible 50mm and equally fine leather case. The hoods were £45 + postage each and the 1g a paltry £44.95 inc. postage.


I also like the provision of the 'T' shutter lock-open feature of the 1g. It is a VERY fine model in my opinion.


Philip.

 

[David Hughes]

Yes, and Leica prices follow anything vaguely usable on a Leica; 36mm slip on filters and hoods cost a fortune instead of a pound or two like other sizes. Luckily the Chinese hoods are good and cheap. Luckily I bought all my ex-USSR accessories years ago when prices were reasonable; rectangular lens hoods for pennies and so on...

As for the old USSR made ones, I like the way they started with the Leica II clone but then took it in a different direction and added some refinements to it. It's fascinating to think what might have happened if the cold war hadn't tied their hands and blocked modern technology.


Regards, David

 

[davidnewtonguitars]

I bought all my FSU cameras & lenses from a camera tech in Kiev, who became an ebay seller when the selling got good. Everything was serviced by him, his word is his bond, and so far, no lemons. Watching his stock over the last several years, I think the Ukraine is running out of the better stuff to sell to the West.

PS The problem with exotic old USSR made cameras is getting them repaired. Few can do it.

 

[tbhv55]

I could be wrong but believe the OP is discussing only the 1934 - 1955 'Barnack'-style Feds

Ah, Ok - that had escaped my attention. 😱