FED Zarya Sputnik

Mika seemed to have gotten a new batch of fantasy cameras. He has quite a few listed at the moment. I must admit these are pretty good looking and I am very tempted to buy one of them .

http://cgi.ebay.com/Camera-FED-2-Sputnik-Zarya-Rare_W0QQitemZ400020503507QQihZ027QQcategoryZ15234QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Vlad

Really well made and even beautiful!
But the first Zaryas were made in 1959, as far as we know. And the Sputnik was launched in 1957...
Right to say that Yuras were made from 1954-1956 body cameras for an event in 1961...

Absolutely no problem, if we know what we do.
Now I have said that, I'm tempted too!

Amitiйs. Jacques.

Hehe... what I can say about moscowstore is that I bought some fantasy gold Zorki, that was excellent craftmanship! I am actually looking to buy another one (the gold Zorki C with wooden covering, since I've given mine to a good friend of mine on his birthday he turned 50 and the camera was from 1958 - so I just could not resist , but now I want another one since it was one of my favorite cameras in my collection, just for craftsmanship.. )

Vlad

Do you suppose they are individually numbered?
The four examples up for sale share the same number on the bottom plate, #0028.
Most likely the same photo.

Steve

... I can see enough plain surface to make much more engravings on it ...

why not a special ussrphoto fed or zorki (no not a prewar sport) with special numbers for each member... sort of a NHS Bessa for Russian camera collector... that could even help to finance the Bievres meeting...

I would think of a fed 1 defaced and specially reengraved... may be with a custom selftimer taken from other models, or a zorki 4 shutter... something unseen both externally and internaly... a sort of "anti-leica"

Stephan

Good idea to have a special model, and I am pretty sure some seller would make them. There's also a lot of very easy to modify cameras like Smena-8M, but naturally that is not as luxus as a rangefinder camera.

Best regards,
Juhani

All, I've been mauling over this idea for a long time... if people are interested and we can place some kind of collective order together for maybe about 10-15 camera, I can try to find someone who will be able to manufacture these. Just keep in mind it will probably cost around $100-120US and will have to be a pre-order...

Let me know.
Vlad.

up to 150$ count me in... but we need something really special...

3 ideas...
- a black fed 1... with slow speeds... but that would mean finding enough slow speed movements...
- or more easy to find, a very nice zorki4K... in black laquer... with a black jup8 with matched engravings... but rebuild to a high standard of reliability... of course if it was possible to have a 35mm viewfinder and a jup12 it would be fine too... (using a zorki 4 would be quiet funny, so many were made... how to make exclusivity out of common things ;-)
- some kind of a special kiev ... also in black lacker... the ultimate contax-kiev body... (no that's already done, it's called a bessa R2C)

of course vlad you would have the N°0... and I would have the n°2... ;-) may be we could keep some unnumbered pieces for special gift (one for Mr voigtlдnder-cosina, one for JLP...) in order to lobby for the cause...

Stephan

according to Stephan , I think Zorki 4 (4K)is better , because so much place for engravings and low cost good camera (as you know many of them have original engravings ..)

So...Vlad tell us if you really know a guy which can engrave camera ...because I am looking for since a long time :
"in the past I asked to Ukranian dealer a "no-name zorki 1" .He make it very well for me , but the lens is still named "Industar"
So I need a "no-name" Industar whith only aperture scale on front (just delete the name Industar or fed, on a common 50 mm lens) ..

The reason to fit such a camera and lense is : My pleasure, when I make an exhibition of Soviet equipment on a photographic fair , I like so much to hustle the certainty of the amateurs of " Leica" who, too often ,say that Russian camera is of bad quality. Then, I present this anonymous camera to them and ask: " hey you ? which is the manufacturer of this camera? " and there… except if deal with true amateur of Leica, the person cannot too what say

So , if you know where I can got such a good craftman , I will be so happy....

I like the idea.

You can count me in.

I'm not too wild about brass plated cameras, though.

Steve

Hi Everyone,

I like the idea too! I like the Zorki-4K also ... plenty of room on the top to engrave, as well as on the back, and not too expensive to start with. It is a fine camera in a classic Leica style, but also a uniquely Soviet version... and made by the greatest large factory of Soviet times ... KMZ!

Engraved special USSRPhoto logo, filled with red on a black enameled (possibly recovered in red) camera would be very nice!

So Happy New Year to you all!

But whatever is decided, I will want one to have as a high point in my collection!

Regards, Bill

I'll ask around via my contacts in Russia and Ukraine to see if they can do this.. I'll let you all know.

Vlad

Of course, you can count me!
I should prefer a Fed 1 for evident personal reasons, but everything will be good, for example a Zorki 4 or 4K.
Do your best, as usual, Vlad!
And a happy new year to you, your site and everybody: we are in 2009 in Europe...

Jacques.

Thanks Jacques, Happy New Year!

Sounds good, I already sent some emails asking if this is possible.. If it is possible I will try to get whatever camera is easily accessible.

I did buy one of these FED-Zarya-Sputniks by the way, the camera does look excellent...

Vlad

I agree whith Bill for cosmetics engraved display, on red body (dark red ?)
So I will buy a future "USSR-forum-camera" too ( please write my name in waiting list, as soon as possible...)
May be they become future "nice collector's masterpiece , )

Hello Vlad

I'm also interested at such a collectors model. A Zorki 4(K) would be great.

At the moment there are 8 members on the list:

- Vlad
- Stephan
- Juhani
- Alain
- Steve
- Bill
- Jacques
- and myself

Best wishes - Guido

Hi Vlad

i`m also interested for a USSR forum camera!
in a wooden box, nice for collection.

regards
mike

Very well I got at least 9 people so far, I will let you all know how it goes with the search for the supplier of these.

Thanks,
Vlad.

so...
a black lacqued zorki 4K with red engravings : ussrphoto.com and a serial number...
I would prefer a black leather on black paint camera... but red leather could be fun too...

The mechanic must be revised too...

Stephan

We have to keep in mind that all these cameras are a question of availability too.. to get 20 Zorki-4K cameras may prove somewhat hard... I may have to go with something easily obtainable depending of availability but stick to metal cameras and not plastic. I don't think Zorki 4k is very common and it seems to be at least twice as expensive as Zorki-4 (maybe a possiblity?)... so all these are factors...

I personally wouldn't mind a late FED-1 version myself either... we'll see if I get any replied, I've contacted a lot of people...

Vlad