All Black FED 2

mikule · 06-07-2005

Well I'm officially addicted to FSU cameras. With a Jupiter 12, Jupiter 9 and their respective viewfinders all in the mail waiting to compliment my Fed 5V, I'm looking at picking up another camera. I'm not entirely sure why, but I'm sure you can relate....

The Fed 2 camera's seem to be quite popular on these forums, and look to be the better of the Fed series. So I'm currently looking at purchasing a Fed 2 (e) - the one that has the 'moden' shutter speeds.
I quite like the look of the all black Fed 2 cameras floating about ebay (there are about 6 of them on there at the moment), just wondering if anyone else has one of these and if they're worth getting a hold of? - are they a Fed-2(e)?

Or would I be better off trying out another flavour of Leica mount FSU camera like the Zorki? in particular the Zorki 6?

I'm not so phased at the moment about the other cameras, and have read quite a bit in other posts regarding them, and everyone has a preference, either FED, Zorki, Kiev, etc.

Mostly wondering about the Black Fed-2's at the moment. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

cheers
Michael

Jun Yan · 06-07-2005

I am bidding on a black one which cost us$60 and 6 days listing....and the seller only got 2 feedback. He also have a black one in super clean condition and list price is $55.

Guys please please do not bid on this one again, so that I would get it on this price
ha.

mikule · 06-07-2005

Thats the same guy that I was talking about. Although I was going to bid on the $70 dollar (box, camera, case, cap combo). But I also noted the 2 feedback. Guess you have to start somewhere.

He had a few, one with a Industra 61 lens and the other with a Industra 21, not really sure which would be the better buy. Although I already have two Industra 61 lens's, the ones that came with my Fed 5's.

Jun Yan, do you own any other russian cameras?

Jun Yan · 06-07-2005

I am new to FSU camera, and my first FSU camera should come in few days from Euro, it's a silver fed 2a(or b).

Just can't stop my self from bidding the black FED-2, it looks so coooool.

Solinar · 06-07-2005

I have FED 2e in black and enjoy using it more than my Bessa R, which is also black.
It's just a simple, robust, precision shooter, with a collapsible Industar mounted, but works well the 35mm Jupiter 12 as well.

The Jupiter 8 and the longer reach Jupiter 9 work on this camera, but the camera is no longer a slip in, sliip out compact shooter with these two lenses. Plus, my 85mm Canon viewfinder isn't the largest or brightest finder and its parallax correction is marked in feet.

I've tried the Zorki 6, but it doesn't fit my hands as well, because of the location of the shutter release. The Zorki 6 does seem to handle the larger lenses better, as the viewfinder is a little further from the lens. The viewfinder on the Zorki 6 is raised a bit higher as it has a taller top deck than the FED 2.

Jun Yan · 06-07-2005

Is it all the black Fed-2 are made at type "e"???

kai · 06-07-2005

Hi Jun,
No FED's were black from the factory - they've all been re-painted in recent years to make them more attractive for sale. So, they can be any model of FED-2, not just e's.
Cheers,
Kai

mikule · 06-07-2005

Thanks Kai, I wasn't sure if the black Feds were a after market modification or not. Having a closer look at the two bids;

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI....sPageName=WD2V
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI....sPageName=WD2V

They are slightly different. Can't really tell at the moment what version Fed-2 each one is. However I'm guessing the one not in the box is a Fed-2E, and the one with the box is either a Fed-2D or earlier. Based solely on the shutter speeds. One having 1/25 and the other having 1/30. Unless there were two versions of the Fed-2E?

Still, you can't deny how cool they look

Thanks also Solinar. I'm still not sure if I'll get a Zorki 6 yet or not, although I'm sure it's only a matter time.

Michael

kiev4a · 06-07-2005

The black FED 2s vary a lot in quality since they didn't come from the factory that way. I've even seen instances where the seller even painted the vulcanite (saves taking the camera apart. A new paint job doesn't necessarily mean the mechanical part has been cleaned or overhauled.

captainslack · 06-07-2005

The one in the box is a later model 2c and the other is a 2d. The 1/25 shutter speed is the difference. About midway through the "c" series (mind you, this is a collector designation, not a factory one), they added the self-timer. With the "d" series, they changed to the Western Standard shutter speeds.

In case you hadn't run across it yet, check out Comrade Stoisha's site, which will tell you everything you'd ever want to know about the FED 2.

http://www.geocities.com/fzorkis/stoisha1.html

Solinar · 06-07-2005

Michael,

The top camera without the box is a FED 2e. Notice the raised platform for the accessory shoe and the modern progression of shutter speeds.

The boxed FED 2 is a 2d. It has a lower accessory shoe platform, older shutter speed progression and like the 2e, the PC socket is mounted to the top cover.

This is according to Jim Blazik, http://www.geocities.com/fzorkis/index.html

Be adviced, that Princelle uses a different nomenclature. For example the FED 2e described by Blazik becomes a 2d and the 2d becomes 2c. I mention this, because many former Soviet Bloc sellers use the Princelle Guide to describe their wares.

Solinar · 06-07-2005

Captain Slack beat me to the post. If you are using the Princelle Guide then the first one is a 2d and the second a 2c. My ebay seller cupog uses the Princelle Guide to describe his Soviet Era cameras as well.

kai · 06-07-2005

I agree, the black FED's look cool. A re-painted black <insert FSU camera of choice here> is definitely in my future, too.... don't know when, though :-)

Laika · 06-07-2005

Make sure the pictures of the Black FED2 your thinking of are clear so you have an idea of what sort of finish your getting. Some of them do look very nicely done, others look like they have had a quick spray over the chrome and body and look horrible and are likely to start flaking paint with little use

Here is my plain chrome FED2 I picked up for $20 on ebay and later stripped it down, removed the chrome from the top and bottom covers and gave it a black gloss (auto paint) refinish and a matching J8 .... it was all Jim Blazik fault

je2a3 · 06-07-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Laika

Here is my plain chrome FED2 I picked up for $20 on ebay and later stripped it down, removed the chrome from the top and bottom covers and gave it a black gloss (auto paint) refinish and a matching J8 .... it was all Jim Blazik fault

Great job! How do you paint the logo? Is it by hand?

Thanks!

Joseph

rbiemer · 06-07-2005

Those repainted FED2s are very nice looking. But theGREEN "Leica" is pretty amazing also!
My favorite one of this sellers is the brass and wood "Leica".
What I would really like to see, however, is some of these repaint guys working with someone like Oleg(OK Vintagecameras so that we could just email and ask for what specific combonation of camera and finish we want and know that the camera will be in good working condition .
Something like Arax does with the Kiev 60 and 88 cameras.
Personally I'd like two: one black and one brass(gold) Zorki 3m...
Rob

Solinar · 06-07-2005

That GREEN Zorki 2c nearly broke my computer monitor!

http://www.micro-tools.com/ sells paint pens which will allow you fill-in the engravings on your FED, or whatever camera.

There was a photo on another forum which showed a factory worker at Leica using a syringe with a puny needle to do the same task on a lens.

Laika · 06-07-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by je2a3

Great job! How do you paint the logo? Is it by hand?

Thanks!

Joseph

The logos had me stumped for a while when I was planning the refinish. The way I did it was after the black paint was oven cured I used a small/med brushed and roughly "filled" the engraving (don’t worry about the excess) in white then using a thumb size pencil eraser I had cut the tip into a chisel shape I lightly wiped over it, like a squeegee. Most of the white was removed leaving only cloudy white smears, that was left over night to set but not really go off. The next day using a cutting car polish (for faded paint) on some cloth I lightly rubbed over the filled engraving. The thin stuff the squeegee left behind came off with a few gentle strokes and it kind of feathered the engraving edges leaving a stunning looking fill that couldn't be done by hand (well not mine anyway). I must admit I did practice on a chrome camera doing black fills for a while till I got the technique right, its easy on chrome if you make a mess of it a light dab with solvent on a cloth cleans it away and you can try again, on the black you can’t use solvent.

Kim Coxon · 06-07-2005

Hi,
I like the jobs you have done. I am about to try something similiar with a Zorki 4 but have one problem. Have you or anyone else for that matter any idea on how to separate the chrome base from the back? On a Fed 4 it is easy but for the life of me, I can't see hoe the Zorki one comes apart.

No doubt it will be very easy and I will be blushing soon

Kim

Quote:

Originally Posted by Laika

Make sure the pictures of the Black FED2 your thinking of are clear so you have an idea of what sort of finish your getting. Some of them do look very nicely done, others look like they have had a quick spray over the chrome and body and look horrible and are likely to start flaking paint with little use

Here is my plain chrome FED2 I picked up for $20 on ebay and later stripped it down, removed the chrome from the top and bottom covers and gave it a black gloss (auto paint) refinish and a matching J8 .... it was all Jim Blazik fault

Solinar · 06-07-2005

Kim, I have the Zorki 3 and Zorki 3m, which are the predecessors to your camera. Once the screws are loosened that secure the tripod mount to the base plate, the base plate will fall off the camera back.

Kim Coxon · 06-07-2005

Hi,
Tried that. The tripod mount comes off but not the baseplate. On the Feds you have to remove the twist catches. It has to be the same on the Zorki but I can't see how they are fastened.

Kim

Quote:

Originally Posted by Solinar

Kim, I have the Zorki 3 and Zorki 3m, which are the predecessors to your camera. Once the screws are loosened that secure the tripod mount to the base plate, the base plate will fall off the camera back.

Solinar · 06-07-2005

I just tried it, you are correct. I'm sorry to say that I don't see any magic tricks that let you remove the cam locks either.

rbiemer · 06-07-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Solinar

That GREEN Zorki 2c nearly broke my computer monitor!

Solinar,
If your monitor can stand it, try this .(esp. the second from top and the last two)
It's like watching a train wreck: awful but I just can't take my eyes away.
Rob

Kim Coxon · 06-07-2005

I think I will stick to black but there is "something" about the olympics one!

Kim

Solinar · 06-07-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by rbiemer

Solinar,
If your monitor can stand it, try this .(esp. the second from top and the last two)
It's like watching a train wreck: awful but I just can't take my eyes away.
Rob

Unbelieveable, I'm going to have one my Leicas engraved to be a Zorki and have the Elmar engraved to read Industar 22.

I must admit that the disfunctional slow shutter speed dial is a nice touch, as the lack of faux German military inscriptions from WWII.