underlord
Well-known
Thank you kindly. Last year I sold all of my FSU cameras but kept this one!
Show Off Your FSU
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ForestCap
Well-known
Kiev-4a + J12.
bobby_novatron
Photon Collector
Fed-3, Jupiter-8. Sturdy and reliable Proletarian camera.
tho60
Well-known
A photo of (most of) my FSU cameras. I try to shoot with them in rotation so that they all get some use. Except the Smena 8M. That's a terrible camera. No tactile joy in shooting with that plastic brick!
Why do not like your Smena-8m?
bobby_novatron
Photon Collector
Why do I not like the Smena 8M? It just feels very cheap. It's not fun to use and the image quality isn't great, in my opinion. There are many other decent Soviet cameras, like the Kiev 2a / Kiev 4a, Zorki-4 and Zorki-6.
Here's one of my favourite Soviet cameras, the Zorki-4. It has a wonderful viewfinder and it's very reliable.
Here's one of my favourite Soviet cameras, the Zorki-4. It has a wonderful viewfinder and it's very reliable.
tho60
Well-known
Why do I not like the Smena 8M? It just feels very cheap. It's not fun to use and the image quality isn't great, in my opinion. There are many other decent Soviet cameras, like the Kiev 2a / Kiev 4a, Zorki-4 and Zorki-6.
Here's one of my favourite Soviet cameras, the Zorki-4. It has a wonderful viewfinder and it's very reliable.
I appreciate your stance. However, the Smena8M was a cheap entry ticket into the world of photography. Many, many students learned the basics of taking pictures with this fully manual camera. I also have a Smena8M (sometimes it works erratically), but the image quality was not a problem for me, and the flash synch works with all speeds. I mean that this is a matter of taste.
cakrieg
Newbie
funny unknown FED 1
funny unknown FED 1
Hi, I'm new to this forum, but I have long liked to read here. I have a feeling that there really sit experts and I can get answers to my questions. I have some time ago a fairly comprehensive collection of Russian or Soviet cameras inherited (MIR`s, FED'S, Lemingrad, Zorkie's, Moscow, etc.). I somehow identify all cameras, but a Fed I can not classify. It seems like a fun gimmick or a fancy product.
I can read a litte the Russian language. The inscription means: 20 years USSR (means: the 20th anniversary of the founding of the USSR). The serial number 455247 indicates that the camera was made in 1954. But he USSR was founded in 1922!? Does anyone have an explanation? Is the inscription authentic or just a fancy name? Does anyone know similar cameras? The snakeskin incidentally appears to be genuine snakeskin. As someone has given a lot of effort with. Thanks, Carsten.
funny unknown FED 1
Hi, I'm new to this forum, but I have long liked to read here. I have a feeling that there really sit experts and I can get answers to my questions. I have some time ago a fairly comprehensive collection of Russian or Soviet cameras inherited (MIR`s, FED'S, Lemingrad, Zorkie's, Moscow, etc.). I somehow identify all cameras, but a Fed I can not classify. It seems like a fun gimmick or a fancy product.
I can read a litte the Russian language. The inscription means: 20 years USSR (means: the 20th anniversary of the founding of the USSR). The serial number 455247 indicates that the camera was made in 1954. But he USSR was founded in 1922!? Does anyone have an explanation? Is the inscription authentic or just a fancy name? Does anyone know similar cameras? The snakeskin incidentally appears to be genuine snakeskin. As someone has given a lot of effort with. Thanks, Carsten.
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David Hughes
David Hughes
Hi,
Welcome aboard.
There were, and are, some people buying old FEDs and making something pretty out of them. Then they sell them for a reasonable, perhaps, price on the internet. You will find cameras commemorating all sorts of events and people.
I'd agree with you about about the serial number being 1954 or so. But the plug in the back of the camera worries me; it means mid 30's and the film pressure plate should have a hole in it at the centre if it is the same date. The almost hidden, perhaps, screw also suggests the 1930's but I am not sure looking at the photo.
If the lens is the same age (1930's) then the apertures will be f/4.5; f/6.3 and so on.
Regards, David
Welcome aboard.
There were, and are, some people buying old FEDs and making something pretty out of them. Then they sell them for a reasonable, perhaps, price on the internet. You will find cameras commemorating all sorts of events and people.
I'd agree with you about about the serial number being 1954 or so. But the plug in the back of the camera worries me; it means mid 30's and the film pressure plate should have a hole in it at the centre if it is the same date. The almost hidden, perhaps, screw also suggests the 1930's but I am not sure looking at the photo.
If the lens is the same age (1930's) then the apertures will be f/4.5; f/6.3 and so on.
Regards, David
anfenglin
Member
Here's my beloved Zorki-3. Only roughly 50000 have been built, mine in 1955, and it runs on all speeds, looks still pretty good and sounds just right. I found this one in a foto shop here in town including the J-8 for a modest 85€. The range finder was horribly misaligned but now all is well. Still have to fill the first film with pictures and if all is well I'm truly happy.
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Fotohuis
Well-known
The Russian revolution was in 1917. So my FED-3 Jubileum version 50 years October Revolution 1917-1967, camera from 1967 starting with s/n 67 xxx.
cakrieg
Newbie
more details
more details
Thanks David for your quick reply. I think, the camerea is a melange from different FED1 generations. You are right, there is a hole in the film pressure plate. I think the rangefinder top comes from a 1d. The respool and the tensing knob has a very fine surface.
It seems to be from a 1a. The shutter knob can be from a 1a or 1b. Yes, the lens also seems older. The serial number is 178708. I can´t find any information in the net, when it was made.
Kind regards, Carsten
more details
Thanks David for your quick reply. I think, the camerea is a melange from different FED1 generations. You are right, there is a hole in the film pressure plate. I think the rangefinder top comes from a 1d. The respool and the tensing knob has a very fine surface.
It seems to be from a 1a. The shutter knob can be from a 1a or 1b. Yes, the lens also seems older. The serial number is 178708. I can´t find any information in the net, when it was made.
Kind regards, Carsten
David Hughes
David Hughes
Hi,
I like that word "melange" I would have called it a "Bitsa" which is a corruption of "bits of this and that" - you have to say it quickly several times and shorten the result...
Dating lenses is difficult as no one ever sells the camera with the right/original lens on it these days. I've just one USSR made camera with a known history and it was dated by the owners by an incident in 1947 that did not happen until the 50's. Luckily the camera had a clear 1953 serial no and so did the lens and the red "Π" was on the lens.
I've also 1950's cameras with just a four digit serial number on the lens and 1930's cameras with six digit numbers on the lens. I'd expect, based on FED f/2's and FED 100mm lenses the 30's serial numbers to be five digits.
BTW, the hole in the film pressure plate lasted until about 1939 when I guess the newer ones were made. And 20 years on from the revolution would be 1937, hmmm...
Regards, David
I like that word "melange" I would have called it a "Bitsa" which is a corruption of "bits of this and that" - you have to say it quickly several times and shorten the result...
Dating lenses is difficult as no one ever sells the camera with the right/original lens on it these days. I've just one USSR made camera with a known history and it was dated by the owners by an incident in 1947 that did not happen until the 50's. Luckily the camera had a clear 1953 serial no and so did the lens and the red "Π" was on the lens.
I've also 1950's cameras with just a four digit serial number on the lens and 1930's cameras with six digit numbers on the lens. I'd expect, based on FED f/2's and FED 100mm lenses the 30's serial numbers to be five digits.
BTW, the hole in the film pressure plate lasted until about 1939 when I guess the newer ones were made. And 20 years on from the revolution would be 1937, hmmm...
Regards, David
santino
FSU gear head
my beautiful Zenit 3M '50 years of revolution' edition with Helios 40 85mm f/1.5
I'm so jealous 😀 Do you have an m39 to whatever digital adapter for that Helios 40? Is it a good performer?
cakrieg
Newbie
hmmm, but why they take a pastwar rangefinder top with a pastwar serial number? I tend to that it is a unique camera made by a technician for himself. What ever, it looks good!
Dralowid
Michael
Hmmm, Carsten's Fed.
Old Fed lenses...
I'm currently selling a I(D) that has a lens number of 172756, yours looks like 176708 so it is probably a reasonable guess to assume that the lens comes from '39 - '41...I think the production numbers quoted for this camera are quite large.
Having said that there are plenty of old Fed lenses with no discernible numbers and others with numbers all over the place. I'm looking at one that has 9966 and 4 and 113 all in different sizes on camera no: 99109 and another 8350 on camera no: 8344. Interesting to see that the lens numbers sort of track the bodies.
I also wonder if old Fed lenses tended to stay with the camera far more often than with Leicas, after all, they rarely fit anything else!
The rest of the camera is a bit of struggle, it would seem that the body with the collimation hole is probably as old as the film advance knob, all older than the lens...
Who knows? I don't...
Old Fed lenses...
I'm currently selling a I(D) that has a lens number of 172756, yours looks like 176708 so it is probably a reasonable guess to assume that the lens comes from '39 - '41...I think the production numbers quoted for this camera are quite large.
Having said that there are plenty of old Fed lenses with no discernible numbers and others with numbers all over the place. I'm looking at one that has 9966 and 4 and 113 all in different sizes on camera no: 99109 and another 8350 on camera no: 8344. Interesting to see that the lens numbers sort of track the bodies.
I also wonder if old Fed lenses tended to stay with the camera far more often than with Leicas, after all, they rarely fit anything else!
The rest of the camera is a bit of struggle, it would seem that the body with the collimation hole is probably as old as the film advance knob, all older than the lens...
Who knows? I don't...
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David Hughes
David Hughes
Hi,
Thinking about the lens serial numbers I'd guessed that they were more or less in step with the camera bodies until the post-war production started.
That's because, as I see it, mostly they had the f/3.5 50mm lenses on them and only a few (as a percentage) were the odd ones like the f/2 version, the 28mm and 100mm ones.
F'instance the 1939 (perhaps!) stuff is numbered 108 to 111 thousand. That's lenses and bodies; bodies with Kombinat on them to be certain.
And (the case against the wicked dealers playing mix and match) I've 1950's FEDs with the f/3.5 FED lens numbered 7 or 8 thousand. Could those lenses be from 1935? I can't see any differences between the f/3.5 FED lenses and I've been looking at things like the iris position, the ∞ lock position, the lack of coatings and so on.
This is fun, isn't it. Just like being at work again...
Regards, David
Thinking about the lens serial numbers I'd guessed that they were more or less in step with the camera bodies until the post-war production started.
That's because, as I see it, mostly they had the f/3.5 50mm lenses on them and only a few (as a percentage) were the odd ones like the f/2 version, the 28mm and 100mm ones.
F'instance the 1939 (perhaps!) stuff is numbered 108 to 111 thousand. That's lenses and bodies; bodies with Kombinat on them to be certain.
And (the case against the wicked dealers playing mix and match) I've 1950's FEDs with the f/3.5 FED lens numbered 7 or 8 thousand. Could those lenses be from 1935? I can't see any differences between the f/3.5 FED lenses and I've been looking at things like the iris position, the ∞ lock position, the lack of coatings and so on.
This is fun, isn't it. Just like being at work again...
Regards, David
Dralowid
Michael
David,
It looks like there are fewer strongly held incorrect opinions about early Feds or maybe we have only just scratched the surface.
Seems like the black rim round the centre of the lens is less predominant on an old lens?
Or maybe this is just the way in which the ones I have on my desk were made.
Work? What is work? Never been so damn busy...
It looks like there are fewer strongly held incorrect opinions about early Feds or maybe we have only just scratched the surface.
Seems like the black rim round the centre of the lens is less predominant on an old lens?
Or maybe this is just the way in which the ones I have on my desk were made.
Work? What is work? Never been so damn busy...
David Hughes
David Hughes
Hi,
There's less early stuff on the internet for sale and so less lies told about them, imo. And people will do their research by looking at ebay. Have you seen this?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/gds/Your-Guide-to-FED-Cameras-/10000000178693919/g.html
Regards, David
There's less early stuff on the internet for sale and so less lies told about them, imo. And people will do their research by looking at ebay. Have you seen this?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/gds/Your-Guide-to-FED-Cameras-/10000000178693919/g.html
Regards, David
Dralowid
Michael
No I hadn't...and I really can't think of what to say about it.
When I used to work in publishing producing funny old things called 'books' (which was how people found out stuff in them days) we always tried to thoroughly research our topics for ourselves.
Chinese whispers....
Michael
When I used to work in publishing producing funny old things called 'books' (which was how people found out stuff in them days) we always tried to thoroughly research our topics for ourselves.
Chinese whispers....
Michael
ForestCap
Well-known
I've seen similar guides from eBay regarding FSU cameras, as well as guide like this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/gds/Top-3-Rangefinder-Cameras-/10000000178843090/g.html
To me the guides feel like written by someone who know about cameras but at the same time has no clue about what he/she is doing...
To me the guides feel like written by someone who know about cameras but at the same time has no clue about what he/she is doing...
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