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nightphoto's Soviet/Russian Photographic Equipment Collection

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FED 6 TTL - Original Prototype

nightphoto's Description
Body Serial #:
Lens Serial #:

Wiki Catalog Entry

Coupled rangefinder ..... full frame 35mm perforated film
Body serial #: none .... lens: FED - Industar-61 L/D 55mm f. 2.8-16 / serial # 9200001 (and those shown on list below)
factory : F. E. Dzerjinsky Zavod (FED) / Kharkov, USSR ...... year (of cameras): 1992

The body is based on the FED 5b with a re-designed top plate and front window. Proposed new features for this camera were to be: new modern design, electronic shutter to 1/2000 sec. and a "Through-The-Lens" meter. This prototype does not have the high speed electronic shutter that was planned, but does have the modern re-design, and a mechanically (and probably electronically, as well) functional CdS TTL meter.

Top plate is made of black-painted aluminum, and the "FED 6" logo is made of an applied photo-type set print (silver-gelatin print from a negative of the original art) that was probably made with a phototypositor (on example No. 9200001 ...first 5 photos... true prototype), rather than top of molded plastic, and printed logo, as on other known "prototype-display models" (as on example No. 9100004, last four photos).

The TTL cell is attached to a hinged arm which moves downward when the shutter is depressed, taking the arm and attached meter cell down and outside of the film frame before the shutter opens. This part of the mechanism is working perfectly. The actual electronic circuits appear functional and fully wired, but I have not tested it yet due to corrosion of the battery connections (contacts).

The battery compartment is located on the back, just behind the accessory shoe and is covered with a sliding plastic cover. There is an on-off thumb switch (aluminum), to the right of the battery compartment, used to activate the meter.

Shutter speeds from 1 sec. - 1/500 sec.

Body does not have a visible serial number.

Probably a number of external parts on this camera and the display models are replacements for original parts; the back-bottom plate has a serial number for a FED 5b (#154164); frame counter on the winding knob may be a replacement.

The Industar-61 L/D 55mm f. 2.8-16 lens is marked with serial # 9200001. This is a new cosmetic design featuring modern slanted grooves on the focusing grip and different configuration of the lens barrel. The lens barrel is completely aluminum. This lens is fully functional, apertures are operational.

more photos at: nightphoto.com

List of known examples (of lens serial numbers since the bodies are not numbered):

9100004 - (Steve Berkowitz - with FED-6 TTL)
9200001 - (Bill Parkinson - with FED-6 TTL)

9200002 - (lens only, for sale on ebay, april 2021)
9200003 - (Bill Parkinson - with FED-6 TTL)
9200004 - (shown on DVDTechnik collection page)
9200005 - (mentioned in e-mail letter as in an Italian collection, with FED-6 TTL)
9200006 - (Massimo Bertacci ~ Italy - mounted on Zorki-3 Pre-Series)
9200008 - (shown on DVDTechnik collection page, without body)
9200010 - (sold on Ebay Dec. 2005 with FED-6 TTL)

Wiki Catalog Images


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