What about painted Soviet Cameras

R

Roberto

Guest
Will the beautiful black or red painting last for years? or just weeks?

Any experience?

I fell in love with this gal...
 

Attachments

  • red_fed.JPG
    red_fed.JPG
    34.7 KB · Views: 0
My experience with a black Kiev is that the paint is soft. It comes off pretty easily around the sharp edges that get the most wear. It especially shows lots of paint loss on the base. I don't mind as long as the camera functions well--and it does.

Others may have had different experiences.
 
I saw that one on Ebay and from a good seller .
They are outrageously attractive and very well done , at least visually but these cameras are normally painted with enamel and I just don`t think the black paint is tough enough to be an every day user. Chipping, flaking, peeling, and scratching is quite possible even with normal use.
The only durable paint method I know of is a powder coated process and oven baked which I understand these not to be.
I see they have also filed off the strap lugs on some of these too.
But Hey! They have to be a nice looking shelf piece.
 
giovatony said:
I saw that one on Ebay and from a good seller .
They are outrageously attractive and very well done , at least visually but these cameras are normally painted with enamel and I just don`t think the black paint is tough enough to be an every day user. Chipping, flaking, peeling, and scratching is quite possible even with normal use.
The only durable paint method I know of is a powder coated process and oven baked which I understand these not to be.
I see they have also filed off the strap lugs on some of these too.
But Hey! They have to be a nice looking shelf piece.
Click to expand...

In fact there is couple of them on sale now.. should I? :cool:
 
Handle it with a little more care than you normally would any camera and it might be just fine. Maybe even use it in a 1/2 case ?
Black paint scratches ought to be quite easily touched up anyway.
Good luck with it and let us now how it works out for you.
 
I have a black Fed 2 that I got from Fedka that seems pretty durable. Perhaps his QA process is better than an ebay long shot... but I love it.

453133399_a8e29d4ea8_m.jpg
 
Thanks, Roberto! I can see why you fell in love with "Red Sonja" - But I think I'd be self conscious using it on the streets. I like to disappear into the crowds.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom