Once more into the breach...

[rbiemer]

I haven't bought a "new" FSU camera in a while. In fact, I'm down to, well, none right now. The FSU lenses I've loved are still my mainstays but I use them on my Bessa cameras. Except for not being able to use the J-12, the FSU/Bessa combo is one I really like.
But I have been missing the FSU aesthetic--or something--and so I bought my self..... a FED 4.
A black re-paint. The optimist that I am, I am looking forward to getting this beauty in a couple of weeks:

No strap lugs and the slowest rewind ever...

I can't wait! 😀
Rob

 

[paulfish4570]

no need to hurry on the rewind, right? looks sort of, well, tankish. i have a newly purchased bessa r. it sports a borrowed industar 50 right now, but a jupiter 8 is on the way. what all you shoot on yours?

 

[rbiemer]

no need to hurry on the rewind, right? looks sort of, well, tankish. i have a newly purchased bessa r. it sports a borrowed industar 50 right now, but a jupiter 8 is on the way. what all you shoot on yours?

OK, I should have put the word "beauty" in quotes...😀
Yes, it is a bit tank like.
Paul, I like the I-50 [I have both a rigid and a collapsible version of that lens] but my main 50mm is a very nice Jupiter 8. That lens I use on my Bessa R and, with an adapter, on my R2A.
The FED 4 has an Industar 61 on it and I will use that lens on it mostly--if I can use the camera at all; it is being sold as working but I won't know for certain until I get it! That is, for me, a part of the fun with FSU cameras. I am just a little bit of a gambler.
Rob

 

[pakeha]

QUOTE
OK, I should have put the word "beauty" in quotes...😀
Yes, it is a bit tank like.

oh yes, on the plus side it is not the sorta camera you worry about, i`ve had mine on me in a soccer game, in the pool and its been dropped, still going fine.
Also, its design matches my old Volvo 240. Maybe the camera looks a little better 🙂

 

[rbiemer]

Before I decided to get this FED, I'd been thinking about either a very early FED or Zorki or a Kiev 5. I've owned or used most of the other FSU cameras and didn't want to replace any of the ones I've had before. And the FED 4 seems to get the least notice and I'm vain enough to want to have the least appreciated leica mount FSU camera just so I can be in the cool minority!
And, I can't afford the FED 6 prototypes I've seen...😀
Rob

 

[payasam]

Sorry to say, Rob, that this don't place you in a particularly small minority.

I don't know if, with machines, beauty should be defined by anything other than function. The first Leica was unlike any camera in existence, and many did not like its appearance. Over time Leicas came to pretty much define the appearance of cameras, and of course their working.

 

[pakeha]

QUOTE
I don't know if, with machines, beauty should be defined by anything other than function.

Beauty and function in a machine payasam, would you agree that this below has both
http://www.coffinman.co.uk/images/Velocette-Venom-Thruxton-500.jpg

well they functioned most of the time. regards

 

[paulfish4570]

form follows function ...

 

[payasam]

The Venom was something of an icon, pakeha, but I'd choose the Rapide any day: though the nearest I got to that was a B44 Victor. While I agree with paulfish4570 (le Corbusier?), I do not believe that function and beauty are mutually exclusive. As supporting evidence I offer the snail. Er, I don't hold it out.

 

[squirrel$$$bandit]

I just bought a Zorki 3M from Brian. At least I know it works, coming from him, and that the lens is adjusted right!

I don't know why...maybe once a year I get amnesia about all my former FSU headaches and think yeah, this is gonna be great! It'll be just like a Leica, except, you know, different!

 

[paulfish4570]

american architect louis sullivan coined the phrase. le corbusier and other modernists agreed.

 

[SCOTFORTHLAD]

A Fed 4 was my earliest Rangefinder,a gift from a mate.I have seldom been without one since.I've given a couple away as well,but always returned to owning one.
Solid and shiny--beauty very much in the eye of the beholder,in which category I very much include myself🙂

 

[Dave Wilkinson]

A Fed 4 was my earliest Rangefinder,a gift from a mate.I have seldom been without one since.I've given a couple away as well,but always returned to owning one.
Solid and shiny--beauty very much in the eye of the beholder,in which category I very much include myself🙂

Hi Brian! how ya doing?....never learn....do we? but it's good (cheap) fun! 😀
Dave.

 

[pepper]

Hi I've got a FED 4 along with quite a few other FSU cameras, mine I'm afraid came from my Father who passed away last July.

We always thought he had about 50 cameras, but so far I've counted 126!

I've been selling lots of the more common cameras on Ebay, Rollei, Voigtlander, Olympus Pens, Minox etc.

But I'm reckoning on keeping the OM slr system cameras as it was what I grew up with and the OM1-n will compliment my OM10 and of course I will be keeping all the Leicas as they are a great collection, but I reckon to keep the FSU cameras as the lenses can be used on the Leicas and of course my Dads obligatory Bessa R.

My first camera was a Zenith EM (which I still have), so I have fond memories of these soviet union cameras.

 

[rbiemer]

This will be the second camera I bought from the seller. The first was as described and is still working so I'm optimistic about this one.
I do have a black FED 5 that works well and doesn't look too bad...until you get close and can see where I've had to touch up the paint. I suspect this FED 4 will have the same "quality" paint job.
There is another thread talking about the J-12 lens and I haven't owned a J-12 in a while--haven't had a camera I could use one on--that will be my next lens for this FED 4.
The I-61 lens that is on it is a lot earlier than other I-61 lenses I've owned before, the "panda" look is fine and I'm hoping the lens will feel better that the last I-61 I had.
Rob