FED 2b Green

OK, so couple of very known here members and collectors today (not gonna gonna name any names unless you want to post here as well )have dropped on a bomb on me today which in turn caused a complete revolt and riots on other forums!

The information is this: according to them ANY colored FED-2 is not genuine if it doesn't have black rim around the vulcanite.

I looked at every single listing on eBay and looked on photos people posted, ALL without exception have painted rim around the vulcanite as well! Are the genuine colored vulcanite FED-2's are this rare that we cannot find a single one?

Not that I don't believe this information - especially coming from these two collectors (you know who you are , is there any documentary evidence of this?

Does the vulcanite on real ones actually painted on the surface or it is mixed with color when manufactured?

Thanks,

Vlad

also regarding if the vulconite is actually mixed with color - logically if I start scraping my "fake" FED-2 vulcanites I will see black underneath if it's fake?

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Originally posted by Vlad

which in turn caused a complete revolt and riots on other forums!

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That's so funny, all those fakers have to repaint their cams now.

quote:

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Originally posted by Vlad

also regarding if the vulconite is actually mixed with color - logically if I start scraping my "fake" FED-2 vulcanites I will see black underneath if it's fake?

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We would be a big step further if we would call all repainted vulcanites FAKES because new paint isn't genuine. Some use shoe polish which is even worse.

Well not so fast, there's a person who provided a picture of his camera with painted rim same as vulcanite said he bought it from an old man who bought this camera factory new. So I'm not so sure...

All the books and data to reconsider and re-write if this news is verified! Princelle will have to print a third edition of his book. And certainly the same for 1200 cameras. I don't forget the consequences on eBay and our wiki.

All my Fed 2 have gone. So, I am quiet.

Amitiйs. Jacques.

So far as I know rim was painted with same color as vulcanite.
FED-2 were painted in three colors: dark green, dark blue and dark red. All other colored FEDs are post-production repaintings.
I think we have to distinguish between two types of FED-2 painting:
1) trying to restore old genuine painted cameras
2) modern repainting of FED-2 cameras in different colors

The genuine painting is very thin and you could see all details on the vulcanite structure.
By the way, not only FED-2 was painted, but also Zarja ("lite" version of FED-2). Known is "Zarja" in dark blue.

Regards, Alexander

One of the post-production repainted FED-2 cameras we have already descussed here:
http://ussrphoto.com/Forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2494

Regards, Alexander

To me, at that time all 4 versions (black, green, red and blue) were not painted. Vulcanite was colored.
Most of the times it can be seen if vulcanite was repainted and then it's not genuine.
Zaria is much later in time and could be different, but I doubt that a blue version is genuine.

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Originally posted by Lenny

To me, at that time all 4 versions (black, green, red and blue) were not painted. Vulcanite was colored.

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Yes Lenny, I meant colored of course, not painted. Painted were the modern ones

Regards, Alexander

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Originally posted by AlexanderK


Yes Lenny, I meant colored of course, not painted. Painted were the modern ones

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Ok, that's great Alexander, so we have that.

1. if vulcanite looks painted it's not genuine.
2. black painted rims match with colored vulcanite, genuine.
3. if rims are painted green, red or blue, check if vulcanite looks painted.

According to my own experience, and as I remember (from 1960 onwards) the rare colored FEDs, Zorkis and Chaikas (I saw a single grey Zenit 3m),others mainly grey. and green only on FED as far as I saw) all have black painted bodies with coloured plastics applied to it. None of them were completely color painted.
At that time there was uneeded fake cвmeras once their cost was too low!
Regards to all
LP

Hi Luiz, this is really helpful, thank you! You only seen green FED-2? Have you seen brownish red or blue at the time?

Alexander, thanks for that link, I completely forgot about that thread. Lennym #3 on your list is still under question mark.. Aidas and Ilya are doing some research regarding this, we'll see what they come up with...

Thanks,
Vlad

OK, I took some pictures of my cameras, unfortunately I don't have very good macro lens but it came out more or less viewable.. I have a green 2b and a reddish-brown 2b.. The green one looks obviously painted by ahnd but the reddish one I'm not so sure, it looks pretty professionally done. I also scratched off some vulcanite (yes I ruined the cameras for the sake of finding this out) and I got gray vulcanite under in both cases... judge for yourselves:


http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/1432016_DSC03980.jpg


http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/1432016_DSC03981.jpg


http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/1432016_DSC03982.jpg


http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/1432016_DSC03983.jpg


http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/1432016_DSC03984.jpg


http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/1432016_DSC03985.jpg

Vlad

Years ago, I had made data about Fed 2, now lost.
I remember vaguely that the coloured Feds were concentrated in several batches.
It was at a time when it was not question of fakes about these cameras.

Really, we don't have anything about that question? In the numerous Russian books of the sixties? In Fed booklets? In private data? What about the JLP, which was prepared in the nineties and which already points these cameras? It gives three colours for the 2 type b (green, red and blue) and five for the 2c/2d: brown/red, sand, navy blue, grey and green.

Something else. The Fed 2 cost nothing, or almost. A coloured Fed not really much more. So, what about the added value, reduced to some euros only in the best case?

All that makes me doubt. But perhaps you are right. Anyway, it should be interesting to have original documents...

Amitiйs. Jacques.

http://ussrphoto.com/Forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2095&SearchTerms=fed,2,red,brown,

http://ussrphoto.com/Forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1559&SearchTerms=fed,2,red,brown,

Two other interesting threads about the question.

quote:

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Originally posted by Vlad

OK, I took some pictures of my cameras, unfortunately I don't have very good macro lens but it came out more or less viewable.. I have a green 2b and a reddish-brown 2b.. The green one looks obviously painted by ahnd but the reddish one I'm not so sure, it looks pretty professionally done. I also scratched off some vulcanite (yes I ruined the cameras for the sake of finding this out) and I got gray vulcanite under in both cases... judge for yourselves
Vlad

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Thanks for the photos and your effort Vlad, I stand corrected. Hope we find out more about Fed-2b. I think it's necessary to note the results with serials because there might be different versions and the range of over 200000 cams is quite huge.

JLP writes about "lacquer" on the different series of coloured Fed 2.
That means that vulcanite itself was not coloured. But I know: it would not be the first time that the JLP is wrong...

A word more: I never saw a coloured Fed 2 with black rims since I have collected (12 years or so, now).

The only colours I remember at thet time were Grey and green beyond black of course.
Regards
LP

Hello Vlad
The grey underneath the color, for sure might be weared-out vulcanite.
These coverings have a Strong tendency to become dull grey.
Some furniture varnish gives a beautiful balck again!
Regards
LP