Famous Soviet Photographers in early 35mmcenturies

Since many years I use soviet Cameras now. My Favourites are Zorki-1/FED-1, FED-2, Zorki-3. This are all Leica Copies or Leica-based Cameras.

I know many Photographers that used the Leica in 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s. But I dont know any Photographers that used Zorki and FED (also Kiev) in this time. Would be nice, if anybody could tell me some famous soviet photographers from this time.

Greetings,

Michl

Hello Michel, Evgueni Khaldei had Zorkis I believe. Best, Jean

Thank You!

I know, that Pablo Picasso had a FED-2:
http://www.matthewbull.net/2010/07/21/picasso-and-the-fed-2-b4/

And I read, that Alexander Michailowitsch Rodtschenko used a FED near his Leica. But I´m not sure, if it is true.

I think, many famous Photographers in soviet countries used foreign cameras like Leica or Contax for example, but i´m sure, many of them also used USSR-cameras. Doesnt anybody know more about this?

Greetings,

Michl

As a former professional photographer and a photographer in general for 45 years, my guess would be that photographers used the best equipment they could get and where it was made was of less interest than the quality of the photographs it produced. Most likely if a Russian photographer could get a Leica, they would be using it over a FED.

Also, probably many who had a Leica also used a FED if they had to, or for a second camera, etc. Same with Contax or KIEV, although in that case there is probably more closeness in quality and feel than between a FED and a Leica.

Dmitri Baltermants may have used a 35mm camera. He became close to Stalin, so maybe he had access to German cameras. I agree Michl, there seems to be very little information about equipment used by professionals in the Soviet Union.

Regards, Bill

According to Mark Grosset's monograph about Evgueni Khaldei, he used a Leica given by the TASS agency in 1941.

Soviet photographers, especially those involved in the propaganda machine (press, photojournalism, etc) had access to the best photo equipment of their time. That included Leica, Contax, and larger cameras. This was true before the war and all the way to the end of the USSR. Professionals used Nikon SLRs when we, simple people, used Zenit-E;-).

A side word about Leicas.

There is a famous wartime 'song of wartime corespondents' (journalists), also known as 'С "лейкой" и блокнотом' - with a Leica and a notepad. I actually learned the word 'Leica' from this song.

The composer, M. Blanter, is the same who wrote 'Katyusha'.

You can listen the song here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eL3n_hnl-44&feature=related

Second line starts - "s leikoi i bloknotom".

I also found this comic performance of the song (could not resist)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1KzYFI5YrQ&feature=related

Dear probably many who had a Leica also used a FED if they had to, or for a second camera, etc. Same with Contax or KIEV, although in that case there is probably more closeness in quality and feel than between a FED and a Leica.


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