A Fed camera for Siberia ???

xayraa33 · 05-05-2012

Does anyone know if this example on the auction site is the real deal or is it that some Ukrainian got creative with a lathe ?

The unusual glove grab parts look awfully shiny and new for an old camera.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/FED-SIBIRIA-...#ht_6081wt_885

reagan · 05-05-2012

Those are way cool *pun* but fakes are out there. Not sure the difference in original and fake Siberians - both are FEDs. Maybe shutter difference? I dealt with that seller yeeears ago, exchanged emails - he seemed honest enough. Maybe Yuri or Oleg could spot a fake?

pakeha · 05-05-2012

You are bidding on copy of legendary Russian camera Fed Sibiria.
from further down in the advert.

reagan · 05-05-2012

" You are bidding on copy of legendary Russian camera Fed Sibiria. from further down in the advert."

LOL! Oh yeah - rEaD WoRDz!

xayraa33 · 05-06-2012

"You are bidding on copy of legendary Russian camera Fed Sibiria"

A copy like a copy of a book, weasel words to fool I guess.
I can say that I did NOT have a good experience with that seller in the past.

wolves3012 · 05-06-2012

Based on what I've read, there seems to be no firm evidence that a "real" Siberia ever existed. If they did, they are so rare that almost any real camera is likely to be fake. Seems this one is admittedly so. I've seen posters on here who have used that seller and nothing bad was said.

xayraa33 · 05-06-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by wolves3012

Based on what I've read, there seems to be no firm evidence that a "real" Siberia ever existed. If they did, they are so rare that almost any real camera is likely to be fake. Seems this one is admittedly so. I've seen posters on here who have used that seller and nothing bad was said.

But unfortunately I did not have a good buying experience with that seller.
Just my bad luck perhaps.

Pfreddee · 05-06-2012

Run it by Yuri at Fedka, and get his opinion.

With best regards.

Pfreddee(Stephen)

reagan · 05-06-2012

I've looked at 'em from time to time over the years. wolves jogged my memory and I do recall reading that it's questionable whether there were any "real" ones ever made - which I still find rather odd that a definite conclusion can't be known.

But still, I finally came to the personal conclusion, whether FED ever made them for military/exploration/whoever or not, the *fakes* (if that's all there are) are a pretty cool mod on what is already IMHO a decent FSU camera. However ... (a) it is a mod and who knows how well it works. "Pretty knobs" in a photo still may not function as well as I would hope or even as well as the original equipment. And then (b) real or fakes, they're pricey little rascals and, even though they're pretty neat, I'm not sure they're worth the bucks for just a novelty.

fotomachi · 05-08-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by wolves3012

Based on what I've read, there seems to be no firm evidence that a "real" Siberia ever existed. If they did, they are so rare that almost any real camera is likely to be fake. Seems this one is admittedly so. I've seen posters on here who have used that seller and nothing bad was said.

The FED-Siberia is listed by Princelle as FED type Ie "BERDSK". Up to ~1000 units manufactured from Kharkov parts.

Quote:

But unfortunately I did not have a good buying experience with that seller.
Just my bad luck perhaps.

I have bought two cameras from him, both in this year. Good experience... Cameras had obviously received CLA, decent price.

xayraa33 · 05-08-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by fotomachi

The FED-Siberia is listed by Princelle as FED type Ie "BERDSK". Up to ~1000 units manufactured from Kharkov parts.

I have bought two cameras from him, both in this year. Good experience... Cameras had obviously received CLA, decent price.

I would not even buy a shirt button from ebay seller CONfdntart after my experience with him.

rxmd · 05-08-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by fotomachi

The FED-Siberia is listed by Princelle as FED type Ie "BERDSK". Up to ~1000 units manufactured from Kharkov parts.

I'm not sure they're the same. The FED "Berdsk" was a series of FED-1s that were made from original FED parts after the factory was moved to Berdsk in 1942. These are basically FED-1s made in another place. Check this link for pictures of a FED "Berdsk". The supposed FED Siberia was supposedly a FED with enlarged controls for use in cold conditions, and while I can imagine that such things existed they were probably just one-off modifications.

Berdsk is in Siberia, but that's about it as far as similarities go.

fotomachi · 05-10-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by rxmd

I'm not sure they're the same. The FED "Berdsk" was a series of FED-1s that were made from original FED parts after the factory was moved to Berdsk in 1942. These are basically FED-1s made in another place. Check this link for pictures of a FED "Berdsk". The supposed FED Siberia was supposedly a FED with enlarged controls for use in cold conditions, and while I can imagine that such things existed they were probably just one-off modifications.

Berdsk is in Siberia, but that's about it as far as similarities go.

I reread Princelle and I indeed was wrong; your explanation seems to be correct.
Sorry for the misinformation