Russian FED-2 rangefinder

Anybody used these before? I have found a place that seems to be giving
them away for round $100.

--
Be careful what you wish for.

Roxy d'Urban wrote:
Anybody used these before? I have found a place that seems to be giving
them away for round $100.

$100 is a LOT for a Fed-2 unless it is some unusual variety.

It was made in Ukraine, not Russia. It could be called Soviet
or Ukrainian, but it isn't Russian.

Soviet rangefinders can actually be quite nice.
Older ones are often badly in need of a CLA, and
unless you are very handy, it is best to get one from
someone who does a CLA on the cameras he sells.

Oleg www.okvintagecamera.com currently lists a Fed-2
+ I26 lens for $20 + $12 shipping. That is a very reasonable
price given that a camera from Oleg is sure to be in good
working order.

Peter.
--

On Mon, 25 Apr 2005 14:22:16 +0000, Peter Irwin wrote:

Roxy d'Urban wrote:
Anybody used these before? I have found a place that seems to be giving
them away for round $100.

$100 is a LOT for a Fed-2 unless it is some unusual variety.

It was made in Ukraine, not Russia. It could be called Soviet
or Ukrainian, but it isn't Russian.

Soviet rangefinders can actually be quite nice.
Older ones are often badly in need of a CLA, and
unless you are very handy, it is best to get one from
someone who does a CLA on the cameras he sells.

Oleg www.okvintagecamera.com currently lists a Fed-2
+ I26 lens for $20 + $12 shipping. That is a very reasonable
price given that a camera from Oleg is sure to be in good
working order.

Peter.

Thanks for the heads up guys. Here is the place that is selling them:

http://www.wholesaledigital.co.za/fedhome.htm

On the financial side, with $1 = R6 I suppose I could get away with
telling the seller that they are ripping us off, but then again, there are
shipping costs (to get the cameras into SA), his time spent servicing them
and of course that old thing called profit.

R599 isn't a lot of money for a camera in SA. To put it into perspective,
it's roughly equivalent to a month and a half's satellite TV subscription.

I am looking at #1 on the site. It seems to be in the best condition.
Thoughts?

--
Be careful what you wish for.

On Mon, 25 Apr 2005 14:22:16 +0000 (UTC), Peter Irwin
wrote:

Roxy d'Urban wrote:
Anybody used these before? I have found a place that seems to be giving
them away for round $100.

$100 is a LOT for a Fed-2 unless it is some unusual variety.

It was made in Ukraine, not Russia. It could be called Soviet
or Ukrainian, but it isn't Russian.

Soviet rangefinders can actually be quite nice.
Older ones are often badly in need of a CLA, and
unless you are very handy, it is best to get one from
someone who does a CLA on the cameras he sells.

Oleg www.okvintagecamera.com currently lists a Fed-2
+ I26 lens for $20 + $12 shipping. That is a very reasonable
price given that a camera from Oleg is sure to be in good
working order.

I have many FEDs and I love them. The I-26 and early I-61 lens (all
white) are both sharp lenses.

When you get them make sure the range finder is on and about a quarter
of them off eBay have off RF's.

Another problem (with any of the old Leica types) is the shutter cloth
leaking. I have had only one bad one and it has both of the problems
you can get, a leak between the two sections of the cloth and the
cloth itself leaking light thru the weave. Take the back and lens off
and put the camera up to a light and then slowly wind the shutter to
test it.

the FED-2D is the classic and the best. It has 3 half balls on the
winder knob for quick ID. The only version of the FED-2 that has a
rapid wing arm is the FED-2e which is the FED-2D out in the FED-3B
body and marked FED-2.

Though the slowest speed is officialy 1/25th you can get a 4 second
exposure by setting it on B and then firing it from the self timer.

Most of the Ukraainian eBay dealers charge $14-15 dollars shipping,
$20 with an original box.

But there is a major problem... buy one and this desease called
FEDOLOGY gets you and you must have more and more till you have every
model!!! :-)

Cheers
THOM

Peter.
--

On Tue, 26 Apr 2005 22:57:49 GMT, (Thom) wrote:

On Mon, 25 Apr 2005 14:22:16 +0000 (UTC), Peter Irwin
wrote:

Roxy d'Urban wrote:
Anybody used these before? I have found a place that seems to be giving
them away for round $100.

$100 is a LOT for a Fed-2 unless it is some unusual variety.

It was made in Ukraine, not Russia. It could be called Soviet
or Ukrainian, but it isn't Russian.

Soviet rangefinders can actually be quite nice.
Older ones are often badly in need of a CLA, and
unless you are very handy, it is best to get one from
someone who does a CLA on the cameras he sells.

Oleg www.okvintagecamera.com currently lists a Fed-2
+ I26 lens for $20 + $12 shipping. That is a very reasonable
price given that a camera from Oleg is sure to be in good
working order.

I have many FEDs and I love them. The I-26 and early I-61 lens (all
white) are both sharp lenses.

When you get them make sure the range finder is on and about a quarter
of them off eBay have off RF's.


Adjusting the rangefinder is fairly straightforward though.. or at
least it is on my Fed-4.

It is a good idea to do it before taking any shots

Matt

On Tue, 26 Apr 2005 22:57:49 +0000, Thom wrote:

the FED-2D is the classic and the best. It has 3 half balls on the
winder knob for quick ID. The only version of the FED-2 that has a
rapid wing arm is the FED-2e which is the FED-2D out in the FED-3B
body and marked FED-2.

Unfortunately no D model available from this seller. I am looking at the
F model.

Though the slowest speed is officialy 1/25th you can get a 4
second
exposure by setting it on B and then firing it from the self timer.

Most of the Ukraainian eBay dealers charge $14-15 dollars shipping, $20
with an original box.

But there is a major problem... buy one and this desease called FEDOLOGY
gets you and you must have more and more till you have every model!!!
:-)

Oh crap. Just what I needed. Another camera must-have-itis variant! I
already suffer from Nikonitis and Leicitis. This may push me over the edge!

--
Be careful what you wish for.

On Thu, 28 Apr 2005 08:27:25 +0200, Roxy d'Urban wrote:

On Tue, 26 Apr 2005 22:57:49 +0000, Thom wrote:

the FED-2D is the classic and the best. It has 3 half balls on the
winder knob for quick ID. The only version of the FED-2 that has a
rapid wing arm is the FED-2e which is the FED-2D out in the FED-3B
body and marked FED-2.

Unfortunately no D model available from this seller. I am looking at the
F model.

F's? Heres a problem. Some say there was an F while others say no
while others start tallking about series within the models. Heres a
generalization
FED-2A: I-22 lens, no flash, winding parts and knob from the FED-1
FED-2B: Older style I-26M lens and a PC connection
FED-2C: New winding knob, PC connection moved to the upper body, self
timer added
FED-2D: New (again) winding knob, new shutter, new shutter speed
dial, the shoe elevated 3mm's on a step in the rear, new style I-26m
lens, the front view finder frame replaced with a flus window and the
front name changed from FED-2 to FED in 2 languages and then a 2.
FED-2C/D: this is my designation and means that when they went from C
to D they used up all the old parts on these mutts. They are
collectable. I have one (SN 3573869) that is a C except for the
shutter and shutter dial
FED-2e: This is the FED-2D guts put in the FED-3B body and usually a
Panda I-61. The outer skin is also the F3B linen pattern rather than
the Fed-2's pebble.
FED-2L. This is a full blown D with linen skin pattern and a Panda
I-61

You see some so called FED-2a's on Ebay but they are B's with an I-22
lens (which is legit) but you can see its a B by the presence of a PC
connector.

The FED-2's are my favorite FEDs with a special mention of the FED-3a.

Though the slowest speed is officialy 1/25th you can get a 4
second
exposure by setting it on B and then firing it from the self timer.

Most of the Ukraainian eBay dealers charge $14-15 dollars shipping, $20
with an original box.

But there is a major problem... buy one and this desease called FEDOLOGY
gets you and you must have more and more till you have every model!!!
:-)

Oh crap. Just what I needed. Another camera must-have-itis variant! I
already suffer from Nikonitis and Leicitis. This may push me over the edge!

play the lottery! :-)

THOM

--
Be careful what you wish for.

On Thu, 28 Apr 2005 09:29:14 +0000, Thom wrote:

F's? Heres a problem. Some say there was an F while others say no
while others start tallking about series within the models. Heres a
generalization
FED-2A: I-22 lens, no flash, winding parts and knob from the FED-1
FED-2B: Older style I-26M lens and a PC connection
FED-2C: New winding knob, PC connection moved to the upper body, self
timer added
FED-2D: New (again) winding knob, new shutter, new shutter speed
dial, the shoe elevated 3mm's on a step in the rear, new style I-26m
lens, the front view finder frame replaced with a flus window and the
front name changed from FED-2 to FED in 2 languages and then a 2.
FED-2C/D: this is my designation and means that when they went from C
to D they used up all the old parts on these mutts. They are
collectable. I have one (SN 3573869) that is a C except for the
shutter and shutter dial
FED-2e: This is the FED-2D guts put in the FED-3B body and usually a
Panda I-61. The outer skin is also the F3B linen pattern rather than
the Fed-2's pebble.
FED-2L. This is a full blown D with linen skin pattern and a Panda
I-61

You see some so called FED-2a's on Ebay but they are B's with an I-22
lens (which is legit) but you can see its a B by the presence of a PC
connector.

The FED-2's are my favorite FEDs with a special mention of the FED-3a.

Okay here's a link to the camera I am looking at buying:

http://www.wholesaledigital.co.za/no.%201%20full.htm

Hopefully the link will work.

Oh crap. Just what I needed. Another camera must-have-itis variant! I
already suffer from Nikonitis and Leicitis. This may push me over the edge!

play the lottery! :-)

Yeah, probably not a bad idea!

--
Be careful what you wish for.

On Tue, 26 Apr 2005 22:57:49 GMT, (Thom) wrote:

On Mon, 25 Apr 2005 14:22:16 +0000 (UTC), Peter Irwin
wrote:

Roxy d'Urban wrote:
Anybody used these before? I have found a place that seems to be giving
them away for round $100.

$100 is a LOT for a Fed-2 unless it is some unusual variety.

It was made in Ukraine, not Russia. It could be called Soviet
or Ukrainian, but it isn't Russian.

Soviet rangefinders can actually be quite nice.
Older ones are often badly in need of a CLA, and
unless you are very handy, it is best to get one from
someone who does a CLA on the cameras he sells.

Oleg www.okvintagecamera.com currently lists a Fed-2
+ I26 lens for $20 + $12 shipping. That is a very reasonable
price given that a camera from Oleg is sure to be in good
working order.

I have many FEDs and I love them. The I-26 and early I-61 lens (all
white) are both sharp lenses.

When you get them make sure the range finder is on and about a quarter
of them off eBay have off RF's.


Adjusting the rangefinder is fairly straightforward though.. or at
least it is on my Fed-4.

It is a good idea to do it before taking any shots

Matt

"Roxy d'Urban" wrote in message
news
Anybody used these before? I have found a place that seems to be giving
them away for round $100.


Int he mid 80's I worked in a photographic shop.
We used to give people £5 for them trade in and then give them away to
charity shops.
Every month I would go round with a box load of them.
If only I had kept them....