Picasso used a Fed 2

[mh2000]

If the FED-2 didn't have that annoyingly dark VF I might *almost* agree...

🙂

The FED-2 is a very nice camera though...

Because the FED-2 was better than the contemporary Leica. No silly bottom loading. Huge rangefinder base. Diopter adjustment...

 

[USSRPhoto]

It's rumored that Stalin himself presented him with this FED-2 as a present when the two met... can't confirm it though, just heard from different people.

As far as FED marketing campaign, I doubt it, USSR had no such concept or need, since products were in high demand and shortage as it is, unless it was T.O.E. in England that was doing it, but as far as I know they never exported FED-2s..

Vlad.

 

[CCCPcamera]

yeah

yeah

No need for persuasive tactics, Comrade. Soviet products were sometimes indeed superior. Nobody persuade me to buy them, even through advertisement. I drive a Niva 4X4, shoot FED and Zorki, and tell time by Vostok and Poljot, all made in the USSR. I use Soviet military binoculars. They have never let me down and I payed peanuts for them, compared to western consumerist overpriced and often useless "goods", which we feel compelled to buy because of constant bombardment of psychologically manipulative, "persuasive" advertisement.

Damn right 😉, Soviet stuff isn't that bad and is a lot better than the expensive stuff we buy now which is often of the same or worse quality. My J3 is awesome, I just developed a roll and it's amazing. Really just as good as my cv lens. That being said, some soviet stuff really is garbage, the kiev 4 comes to mind. Great photos, terrible reliability/quality control.

 

[Pherdinand]

"American components, russian components, all made in Taiwan!"
(Armageddon)

 

[Dave Wilkinson]

Picasso used a Fed 2......he must have!.....I saw it on Ebay, a while back, - black paint, with his autograph in white on the base! 🙂

 

[cysasam]

If the FED-2 didn't have that annoyingly dark VF I might *almost* agree...

🙂

The FED-2 is a very nice camera though...

I thought I was the only one who found the VF almost frustratingly dark.

 

[Dave Wilkinson]

I thought I was the only one who found the VF almost frustratingly dark.

Yes, the vf is dark, but on mine at least, the rf patch is exellent, the easiest of all my cameras to focus accurately and quickly.
Dave.

 

[outfitter]

It's rumored that Stalin himself presented him with this FED-2 as a present when the two met... can't confirm it though, just heard from different people.

Vlad.

Stalin was long dead when that model (Fed-2 type a or b with focusing tab Industar-26m) was made (1955-58).

Did you notice he's wearing two wristwatches? Perhaps this was a gag shot after all.

 

[Venant]

Two watches, of course !!
One for Paris time, the other for Moscow time !

 

[johnastovall]

I would suspect if Picasso used any camera, it would have been a Leica since he and David Douglas Duncan were such close friends and Duncan stayed at his home between assignments.

But here is Jacqueline with her camera (some kind of folder) taking a photograph of DDD.

 

[literiter]

From the time of manufacture of the FSU cameras like the Zorki 1s, Fed 1s, and Kievs 4s, can anyone suggest an equivalent US made 35mm camera that would have the same or better quality? Or look better?

Think; Kodak 35 or Kodak Signet, perhaps the Graflex Graphic 35. These things look like what we'd expect FSU cameras to look like.

I'd still like to get a nice Kodak 35 though.

 

[ErnestoJL]

The Kodak Signet 35 was designed for military use, finished in black (USAF) and olive green (Army). The civilian version was the same camera finished in brushed aluminum and it´s excellent. This was (IMO) the only US made camera (other than the 1941 kodak Ektra) which was able to compete (re. picture quality) with any other camera, be it either japanese, german or soviet made.

Lack of quality control (is it bourgeoise?) was the only reason why soviet made cameras don´t show as good as they would be.
The Kievs were close copies of the 1937 Contaxes and the FED/Zorki 1 were carbon copies of the Leica II. If the originals were good cameras, why not the soviet copies would be the same?

Thinking of Pablo Picasso, I don´t think he ever used a camera as his eyes were enough for what he wanted.

Ernesto

 

[Venant]

I should say that Jacqueline's folding camera is a Super Ikonta.
(Or maybe a Moskwa ??)