Strange Fed-1 #55890

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Jacques M.
 I fear it's no more on eBay...[:)]
Sure, I can tell you more in a while.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Good day Jacques,
yes on some occasions you need to be quick before the rest of the wolves smell the meat. At least this Fed wasn't expensive. I thought that I won't use this occasion and give the luck to the next fastest collector. Happy it was you.

Reply author: cedricfan

Replied on: 20150310112536

So what all is strange? A wrong shoe put into it? And something extra in camera rear, below shoe, not clearly visible in pictures?

Best regards,
Juhani

Reply author: Jacques M.

Replied on: 20150311045715

Yes, Juhani: the shoe and the rear part.
I just wonder what it is.

Amitiés. Jacques.

Reply author: Jacques M.

Replied on: 20150313090912

Another riddle:

http://www.ussrphoto.com/resize/resize_image.aspx?ImgWd=800&IptFl=/UserContent/1332015_DSCF1810.JPG

http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/1332015_DSCF1810.JPG

http://www.ussrphoto.com/resize/resize_image.aspx?ImgWd=800&IptFl=/UserContent/1332015_DSCF1811.JPG

http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/1332015_DSCF1811.JPG

It seems that the extra window on the rear is connected to something which looks like a periscope inside. The periscope being driven with the small crank... All that is jammed. I will dismount it when I have time.

If you have ideas... The first reflex camera?[:D]

Amitiés. Jacques.

Reply author: Lenny

Replied on: 20150313093414

Yes Jacques, all these cameras take a lot of time. At the moment I'm trying to remove some black shoe polish from the vulcanite. I hate shoe polish on a camera.

Do you think your viewfinder looks like factory made?
I don't have a clue what it can be.
Thanks for your photos.

Reply author: Valkir1987

Replied on: 20150313102913

It must have held some small flip up and down mirror to peak through the lens. For microscope use perhaps?

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">I hate shoe polish on a camera.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I agree, there is nothing better than pure undyed beeswax to conserve leather and vulcanite.

Reply author: Jacques M.

Replied on: 20150313124401

No, I don't think the modification was made by the factory. But certainly it was made professionaly. Probably for a technical use: microscope, telescope or other.

It seems the inside has been repainted in black after the work. As for the date of the modification, impossible to say. The seller knows nothing.

Of course, this camera is not the first reflex. But it is the first NKVD reflex. Sure! And it is one of the first S (without lens).
I will dismount it tomorrow.

Amitiés. Jacques.

Reply author: Jacques M.

Replied on: 20150314111545

Well, some new photos:

http://www.ussrphoto.com/resize/resize_image.aspx?ImgWd=800&IptFl=/UserContent/1432015_DSCF1812.JPG

http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/1432015_DSCF1812.JPG

http://www.ussrphoto.com/resize/resize_image.aspx?ImgWd=800&IptFl=/UserContent/1432015_DSCF1818.JPG

http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/1432015_DSCF1818.JPG

A very neat work on the cover, with the handle and a cam.
The cam works (it should work) on the small lever, near the extra finder.

Reply author: Jacques M.

Replied on: 20150314112723

http://www.ussrphoto.com/resize/resize_image.aspx?ImgWd=800&IptFl=/UserContent/1432015_DSCF1816.JPG

http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/1432015_DSCF1816.JPG

The end of the "periscope". When looking through the extra finder, I see a frosted glass. Of course, there is a prism or a mirror between the two.
All is jammed, so, it's difficult to know how all that worked exactly. Certainly the lever served to push the periscope downwards. And probably the spring raised it.

One or two parts are certainly missing.

Reply author: Jacques M.

Replied on: 20150314113606

http://www.ussrphoto.com/resize/resize_image.aspx?ImgWd=800&IptFl=/UserContent/1432015_DSCF1814.JPG

http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/1432015_DSCF1814.JPG

The film plate was replaced by black velvet....

http://www.ussrphoto.com/resize/resize_image.aspx?ImgWd=800&IptFl=/UserContent/1432015_DSCF1820.JPG

http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/1432015_DSCF1820.JPG

Another image of the extra finder, and the speed wheel with nine holes on the S ("Z" position on the photo).

Reply author: Jacques M.

Replied on: 20150314114659

I am surprised by all this tiny work, really well made.
Impossible to imagine it could have been made on the corner of a table...
Certainly the cost was high, so the utility of this modification was probably important.

Really I wonder what it was used for... Industry? Laboratory?
All ideas are welcome!

Amitiés. Jacques.

Reply author: Lenny

Replied on: 20150314123152

Thanks Jacques,
and because this modification was expensive it might happened when this Fed was new, long time ago.
Sad that parts are missing.

Reply author: Vlad

Replied on: 20150314135255

Very cool, congratulations Jacques! Is it possible it's the earliest known PDF (periscope FED) version? It's too professionally done..
http://ussrphoto.com/Wiki/default.asp?WikiCatID=17&ParentID=1&ContentID=469&Item=P%2ED%2EF%2E

Vlad

Reply author: Luiz Paracampo

Replied on: 20150315110048

this câmera Works in a similar way to Ucaflex

http://www.novacon.com.br/odditycameras/Ucaflex.htm

The following pictures show the operation principles of such cameras.

In this picture – Elements in the focusing position

http://www.ussrphoto.com/resize/resize_image.aspx?ImgWd=800&IptFl=/UserContent/1532015_UCA1.png

http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/1532015_UCA1.png

In this picture – Elements in the picture taking position.

http://www.ussrphoto.com/resize/resize_image.aspx?ImgWd=800&IptFl=/UserContent/1532015_UCA2.png

http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/1532015_UCA2.png

Regards LP

Reply author: Lenny

Replied on: 20150315110914

Thanks Luiz,
and the little mirrow is missing.
I think there must be much more Feds with this modification.

Reply author: Jacques M.

Replied on: 20150315120939

Thousands of thanks for your schemes, Luiz. Fascinating!

So,with this Fed, there were two lines of sight:
- one through the extra finder, via the prism and the frosted glass,
- the other through the usual viewfinder.

There is not much room inside the chamber, so, the mirror had to be small. Anyway, there is a trace of its rotating axle, towards the rear of the "periscope" (my photo posted at 11.27.23)

All that was certainly not very easy to use. This camera was made in 1938 (perhaps 37) and the SLR had officially appeared two years before with Exaktas and GOMZ Sports which were probably expensive and difficult to find. So, a very special work for this camera? A prototype? Made before WW2? And with which lens?

Thanks for the link towards the Zorki 4 periscope, Vlad. I remember having seen it at Alain's. What a mess to mount and dismount it!

Amitiés. Jacques.

Reply author: Luiz Paracampo

Replied on: 20150315204102

this interesting system of course have to há a very small mirros aiming the center of the lens. In Ucaflex I saw a very slight "V" in the moving mirror mount
That way all the system can be contained in the small lens register of FED câmeras.
A beter solution was made in Periflex câmeras where a fumm rigid periscope comes up and down.
This system does not deregulate in full camera's life and no matter in which position it will stand.

Anothes extraordinary solutin was built in French Focaflex prototype where the screen is a cylindrical frosted mirror in the bottom! having a semi transparent fixed mirror! -current production boasts moving mirror!

Regards from a hotting Brazil impeaching the President!
LP

Reply author: Luiz Paracampo

Replied on: 20150315205116

Focaflex schematics (moving mirror)

http://www.ussrphoto.com/resize/resize_image.aspx?ImgWd=800&IptFl=/UserContent/1532015_focaflex.png

http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/1532015_focaflex.png

Reply author: Jacques M.

Replied on: 20150316121149

Many Focaflex(es)work no more, alas.
It was a very clever system, but fragile. And Foca was no more at its best in these years: it was too late.
Thanks for this beautiful scheme, Luiz.

About my NKVD "reflex", I wonder about the mirror.
The axle of the periscope is not exactly centered. So, if I understand how all that could mechanically work, I am not sure of the optical work. Certainly several parts are missing.

All that just to discuss. As we don't know what was the use of the camera, it's difficult to imagine how it worked.

Amitiés. Jacques.

Reply author: Luiz Paracampo

Replied on: 20150317073052

at my point of view, I see that although the scheme applied on FED was feasable for a competent mechanicist, is use was very limited.
Very small viewing/focusing área, difficult use, no prevention of mirror removal during Picture taking, reminds us to a delicate work which is not the case when using large focal lenses.
going to static work we can call for microscope or telescope using, may be also for reproduction work when it will call for a high accurancy of focus.
Observe that the miniature of prism/mirror and ou-of center contruction cunducts us to aeven more limited use, mainly due the image reversing at viewfinder.
The most probably use where quietness in work is essencial for reproduction operations in great enlargements, being so, my votes towards this aim, perhaps police use for fingerprint identifications

Regards
LP

Reply author: Jacques M.

Replied on: 20150317082949

Ha ha! Fingerprints for a NKVD camera! Perfect![8D]

I absolutely agree with you. This is a reflex camera, but with a very difficult use due to the the narrowness of the chamber and the position of the "periscope". Anyway, it was not possible to put it in the axle because of the "official" viewfinder.

As for the mirror (we don't have it), we can suppose it was raised by the spring (and lowered by the handle). So, no light when taking the photo.

Thanks for your researches about this interesting camera, Luiz.

Amitiés. Jacques.

Reply author: Jacques M.

Replied on: 20160102071553

I dig out the thread as I have received a Periflex. These cameras originally had a periscope:

http://www.ussrphoto.com/resize/resize_image.aspx?ImgWd=800&IptFl=/UserContent/212016_2015-12-19 06.24.41.jpg

http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/212016_2015-12-19 06.24.41.jpg

Here is the periscope, in its low position:

http://www.ussrphoto.com/resize/resize_image.aspx?ImgWd=800&IptFl=/UserContent/212016_2015-12-19 06.25.13.jpg

http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/212016_2015-12-19 06.25.13.jpg

Reply author: Jacques M.

Replied on: 20160102072420

The lever of the periscope in its upright position:

http://www.ussrphoto.com/resize/resize_image.aspx?ImgWd=800&IptFl=/UserContent/212016_2015-12-19 06.26.38.jpg

http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/212016_2015-12-19 06.26.38.jpg

There are similarities between this Periflex and the Fed "reflex", which is not astonishing: the room inside is the same... Note that this Periflex is perfectly working (even if uneasy!) and that the periscope is very precise.

Jacques.