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Russian FED-2 rangefinder



 
 
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  #1  
Old April 25th 05, 02:49 PM
Roxy d'Urban
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Default 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.
  #2  
Old April 25th 05, 03:22 PM
Peter Irwin
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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.
--


  #3  
Old April 25th 05, 05:24 PM
Gordon Hudson
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"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....


  #4  
Old April 25th 05, 06:03 PM
Chris Loffredo
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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 one.

I also have some Zorkis (the other Soviet rangefinder brand) which I
keep thinking I'll use for war zones, or something. In practice, given
the availability of an M6 (won't mention brand), they never get used.

Soviet stuff often has serious quality control problems, but if you get
good (or repaired) samples, they can be very good. On cameras, you
really need to be able to regularly check & adjust the rangefinder
yourself. Several Soviet lenses see use on my M6 (via an adaptor); a
great demonstration of what Zeiss was up to in the 1930's...
  #5  
Old April 25th 05, 07:39 PM
Dominic Richens
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Roxy d'Urban wrote:
Anybody used these before? I have found a place that seems to be
giving them away for round $100.


100$ isn't "giving them away". Check eBay right now, there's a whole bunch
for around 20-30 $ US

See www.rangefinderforum.com for comments from many FED-2 enthusiasts.

And finally, here is a picture of Picasso with a FED 2 (can't remember where
I found it)
http://nnphotoclub.dnsalias.com/wiki...icassoFED2.jpg



  #6  
Old April 26th 05, 06:49 AM
Roxy d'Urban
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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.
  #7  
Old April 26th 05, 11:57 PM
Thom
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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.
--



  #8  
Old April 26th 05, 11:57 PM
Thom
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On Mon, 25 Apr 2005 17:24:20 +0100, "Gordon Hudson"
wrote:


"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....


Gods going to bite you for that! :-)

THOM



 




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