Did I get a decent deal

[grizzlyadam]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...8912&rd=1&rd=1

I won this and now am worried I will be up the creek. what does everyone think?

[kbg32]

If you won this, as of this moment, there is still time left on the auction? For $20 you can't go wrong.

[grizzlyadam]

ok so I won the auction. I guess we will see what I get in the mail. the description was a bit vague so hopefully it is not a junker. if so I guess it is a win some/lose some thing.
Adam

[Pablito]

20$ plus 25$ shipping...... even has a "leaser case"

[brachal]

If it's in good working order, I'd say you did very well. If it isn't, send it to fedka for servicing. Probably another $70 to $90. So, at the high end, $135. I think you'll have done fine even at that price. I think it's important to appreciate the value of what you're getting and not fixate on prices others have paid in the past. Supply is shrinking and demand is increasing, but when all's said and done the Fed2 is a fine camera.

[gb hill]

Just like my Fed except mine has an I-61 chrome lense. You didn't do bad, the Fed is a fine shooter. Matter of fact I carried mine to work today and got some photos. One thing to check when you get it, even before you put film in it. First wind the film advance knob and set the shutter speed dial to 60. Take the back off and press the shutter. Watch to see the travel of the 1st & 2nd shutter curtain. Make sure the 2nd curtain closes all the way. If you have trouble it will most likely give you trouble at 60. Run through the speeds a few times to see how it performs. If everything looks fine, load a roll of film and have fun. If you have any holes in your curtains it will certainly show up when you get your prints back. If you do develop a sticking shutter curtain it means the tension springs are to loose and there is a sticky on the fsu site that will show you how to fix it. I have been there already and done that. Now mine works like a fine tuned machine.

[robin a]

The camera looks to be in good condition and the price was certainly right.Try it out like like the guys said in the previous posts and if it needs work,Fedka.Feds are alotta fun and do take good photos.Enjoy.........Robin

[ruben]

Hi cousins !

Since upon reading this thread I have a strong feeling you belong to another planet, most of the chances are it is me the alien.

I have paid $20 for a Kiev parts body.
I have paid $20 for a very good Kiev case
I have paid $19 for an Heliios in Kiev mount

And you are saying that for a 1962 (!) Fed 2, + lens + case = "the right price" ?

Not to mention it is a new seller with 100% feedback !

Ok, let me disappear into the stratosphere.

Cheers,
Ruben

[rxmd]

Hi Ruben,

Originally Posted by ruben

I have paid $20 for a Kiev parts body.
I have paid $20 for a very good Kiev case
I have paid $19 for an Heliios in Kiev mount

And you are saying that for a 1962 (!) Fed 2, + lens + case = "the right price" ?

I think the overall $45 for the set is OK. The price of $20 itself is quite good, but with shipping it's less attractive. I'm not overly enthusiastic about it, but then firstly I don't attach too much value to cases & the like, secondly I've been spoiled by $5 flea market FED-2s

The auction text is copied straight out of page 103 of Princelle, with the serial number filled in. The lens on display does not have a knurled focusing ring (that would look like the one from Pass-the-RF III), but a focusing knob.

Incidentally this is not necessarily a 1962 FED; FED serial numbers, unlike KMZ serial numbers, don't contain the year in the first two digits. It looks like a late variation of the FED-2 from the 50s, with the mushroom-shaped knob and the flash synchronisation up in the top cover, but before they introduced the (fantastic, incidentally) Industar-61.

Philipp

[bigdog]

Every time you spend $40 on some piece of gear, that is $40 you could have spent the money on film, processing, chemistry, ink, paper or saving for the lens you really want but can't afford.

The purchase of my first and only Fed 2 is what pushed me to finally buy a Bessa R2A. I am not a collector, I buy to shoot and use my equipment and at times I got tired of equipment that is not fully functional and easy to use. At some time the weak points of the gear gets in the way of your shooting. I did enjoy playing around with the Fed, but the viewfinder is a bit dark for my tastes. I had issues with the shutter speed settings.

I have a Canonet QL 17 III that I love. Great lens, but at different times the film advance is off, there have been light leak issues, but I only paid $60 for it.

If you have a fully functional kit on the way then you can't do any better value, fun factor, performance wise. I have a Jupiter 8 that I am happy with on my new R2a that I found as a result of trying out the Russian gear. I can't afford the Skopar or Ultron lens I want right now and the Jupiter is buying me time until I have more money.

[Xmas]

Ruben

Let me be the first to welcome you to the third planet

Noel

P.S. My Canonet QL 1.7 was 39 GBP and I cannot find even rub marks on it.

[grizzlyadam]

Well I figure it is only $45. if I lose it I am not out a lot. I am not a regular on eBay myself so I try not be too hard on people who are new there.
Also this one just seemed to catch my eye. I don't know why it really isn't particularly attractive in fact I think the seller page is pretty rotten. I am not too worried if it is not 100% workable, it appears to look nice enough to put on a mantle and show it off.
It will hopefully however be a nice enough camera that I can make some fun images and learn to love photography again. I haven't taken a photo, a real photo, in a while.
We will see. So I suppose what I could use is a little support.
Like WELCOME TO THE DARK SIDE. or SOON YOU WILL SPEND MOST OF YOUR LIFE SAVINGS ON CAMERA GEAR. that kind of stuff.
Adam

[brachal]

Originally Posted by grizzlyadam

We will see. So I suppose what I could use is a little support.
Like WELCOME TO THE DARK SIDE. or SOON YOU WILL SPEND MOST OF YOUR LIFE SAVINGS ON CAMERA GEAR. that kind of stuff.
Adam

How about ...

"Fixing them is half the fun."

Or try explaining to your wife that ,"This is a Kiev 2a, not a Kiev 4a like the last one. And, yes, I do need both."

Let's not forget, "I know I already have a Zorki; I don't have one of THIS Zorki."

And, my personal favorite ... "I'll stop when I find the perfect Fed." I'll admit that my Fed3b is awfully close to being the perfect Fed, but I'm not quite there yet.

One good piece of advice from a veteran RFF'er ... If your better half isn't especially camera savvy, take advantage of the fact that most FSU cameras look a lot alike. Try, "This old camera? No, I've had it forever." Then stuff the box with the Cyrillic writing under the bed when she's not looking.

Welcome.