Show Off Your FSU

The camera doesn't seem to carry the green-death f@$#ing smell some of my other FSUs have. The case smells like it came from smoker though, but not too bad.

I wish I had a Tokarev TT-33 to finish off the 'Spy Kit' instead of a 1911 ;)
 
Old FED2

Old FED2

Here's my latest, just arrived today. The FED 2 changed a lot over its years of production; beyond the obvious cosmetic differences, this very early example, from the first 1000 built, has a few surprises.



The VF focus lever seems to cover a much wider range than it does in the later models, although it is still apparently the same excellent VF/RF as all FED2's. The focus cam follower is not the usual quarter circle sector, but the sharp point seen in very early FEDs and Leningrad cameras. The RF window is not just cosmetically different, but has a completely different mechanism for vertical alignment from that of later FEDs, which use a rotating collar like the Barnacks. The lens has a funny design of infinity catch, necessitated by the very thin lens mount flange.

It seems to be great mechanically as well as really nice cosmetically, and it looks like I need to burn some film.

Cheers,
Dez
 
Dez said:
Here's my latest, just arrived today. The FED 2 changed a lot over its years of production; beyond the obvious cosmetic differences, this very early example, from the first 1000 built, has a few surprises.



The VF focus lever seems to cover a much wider range than it does in the later models, although it is still apparently the same excellent VF/RF as all FED2's. The focus cam follower is not the usual quarter circle sector, but the sharp point seen in very early FEDs and Leningrad cameras. The RF window is not just cosmetically different, but has a completely different mechanism for vertical alignment from that of later FEDs, which use a rotating collar like the Barnacks. The lens has a funny design of infinity catch, necessitated by the very thin lens mount flange.

It seems to be great mechanically as well as really nice cosmetically, and it looks like I need to burn some film.

Cheers,
Dez
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A very rare one that is....found on the local market? :)
 
A Ukrainian vendor on ebay. I was a bit worried as he had some fake Leicas in his inventory, and worse, fakes of the FED Siberia and the Red Banner model, where the text was a bit unclear about whether this was a fake Leica, or a fake of a fake Leica. To be fair, I grumbled about that wording and he clarified it in later listings: a good sign.
the camera is in extraordinarily good condition, with no signs of repainting, and is not a fake manufactured from a later FED 2A. Delivery was fast, for Ukraine, and I am extremely happy with the camera.

Cheers,
Dez
 
Here's my Kiev 4AM + Helios-103 combo. Planning to get either a Jupiter-12 35/2.8 or the Jupiter-3 50/1.4

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Fed 2 with Jupiter 11

Fed 2 with Jupiter 11

Fed 2 with Jupiter 11 and Universal Turret.
 

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Man, you guys sure do have some pretty slick cameras. Though I heard chance-of-working is inversely proportionally to body condition, particularly with the Russian bodies (ie: if it didn't work, it stayed on a shelf and never got beat up).

Either way, the black paint examples are particularly stunning.
 
GWT said:
I know what you mean, I have one which I've only ever run one film through .

Great looking though!!!
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I've loaded up another roll anyway, we shall see.

Just so used to the massive viewfinder on my F100 SLR, quite hard to adjust to this dim yellow square!
 
I got my FED 2 and it is technically OK - the shutter seems quite accurate, no pinholes, everything works as promised........ but it STINKS!

I immediately disposed of the never-ready case that was flaky and smelled of 2 dozen unwashed feet. The camera is only a bit better. Musty cellar-smell, totally horrible!

It's a bit grimy, but not excessively so. Mainly the rough wind and rewind knobs and the lens barrel are dirty. The finder and the lenses are clean, no fungus found with my flashligt, just a little bit of dust.

I'll start cleaning it soon, before shooting a test film.

I though about using alcohol and cotton buds / Kleenex wipes. Any other advice to get a clean (psooibly shiny) FED? Any use polishing or will it never really shine?
 
MiniMoke said:
I got my FED 2 and it is technically OK - the shutter seems quite accurate, no pinholes, everything works as promised........ but it STINKS!

I immediately disposed of the never-ready case that was flaky and smelled of 2 dozen unwashed feet. The camera is only a bit better. Musty cellar-smell, totally horrible!

It's a bit grimy, but not excessively so. Mainly the rough wind and rewind knobs and the lens barrel are dirty. The finder and the lenses are clean, no fungus found with my flashligt, just a little bit of dust.

I'll start cleaning it soon, before shooting a test film.

I though about using alcohol and cotton buds / Kleenex wipes. Any other advice to get a clean (psooibly shiny) FED? Any use polishing or will it never really shine?
Click to expand...
Most FSU cameras smell somewhat like agricultural machinery, a kind of old-oil smell. Cleaning it with anything beyond alcohol or wipes is a bit pointless as the chrome on the bodies was always a semi-matt finish (with a very few exceptions) so you won't get it to shine. The alloy lenses polish up well but you risk removing the paint from the engravings if you're not careful.
 
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