06/16/2010 00:12
Yes, the lens may not be original to the camera. Princelle dates the introduction of the I-61 as "circa 1963" and on Aidas' site there is a FED-2 camera from 1962 with the same lens (even lower serial number) that he thinks is original to the camera.
But, I wonder when this lens was invented and the first copies made? I am quite sure that once it was available, camera users would have wanted to replace an earlier I-26 with the new I-61. This may be the case with both my camera and Aidas' example. The only way we will really know is if someone has one of these lenses with a passport.
I suspect it may be possible that although not standard with the FED-2 camera yet, this early version was produced as soon as 1960. I was told that this was the original lens, but I think only a passport for one of these will give the true date that they may have been available.
Regards, Bill