FED 50mm/3.5 AKA "Industar-10"

Dear friends

I recently found a FED lens with the an usual number on the back (7405) and an other number on the front:



It looks a little strange to me, never seen such engraving on a camera AFAIR ... what do you think about?

Thanks for all your opinions!

Best wishes - Guido

Hi Guido,
such lenses were mounted on the first cameras FED-2. The last number I have seen is 278681 (FED-2 Nr.150633).

Regards, Alexander

Hello Alexander

With the same engravings? In "Jugendstil" writings? With two "-" under the "0" sign as equivalet for "No"? Interesting and a kind of irritating ...

Thank you for your answer!

Best wishing - Guido

Yes, Guido, with the same engraving.
I have 5 different early FED-2 cameras with such lenses, from prototype till Nr.150633. Here is the photo:





Regards, Alexander

Hello

I also have some lenses with such serial numbers

139397 on 015079 preseries body
160820 on 013963 preserirs body
175545 on 013378 preseries body

205858 on 071782 body
236912 on 127611 body
238244 on 261714 dark brown/red body

Fred

Hi Guido
Does your lens have a push button or clip lock for infinity?

Hello Alexander and Fred.
Do any of these lenses also have the number on the back?

Cheers
Geoff

Hello Geoff

Well, sorry to hardly understand the difference ... push button, yes, lock, yes, but what could you meen by "clip look"? It's the same mechanism I found on most early lenses for the Zorkis, like Jupiter (3, 8) or Industar (22, 50). Will my answer give you any idea?

Thanks in advance!

Best wishes - Guido

Hi Guido
This is the lens for FED-2 with clip-lock.



Cheers
Geoff

And this is normal push button, like yours?


Cheers
Geoff

Good morning Geoff

Thank you for the pictures. Yes, it's a push button of caurse.

Best withes - Guido

Hi Geoff,
all my lenses have "wide" button and "click-lock" and only one Nr. on front of the ring, but I have no lenses beginnig with "0" as Guido's and yours one. My lowest Nr. is 132051.

Regards, Alexander

Hi all

My six lenses have click button and no number on back

Fred

Thanks all.

Guido, If it is useful, my records show that all(?) FED push-button lock lenses with "No......" on the front also have numbers stamped on the rear.
And FED-2 lenses with clip-lock up to approx. No130000 have numbers on the rear, but not after.
(this data is from my observations only, not from any official records)

Cheers
Geoff

Hello Geoff

Thank you very much for your interesting finds. What do you think about my speculation that at least the push-buttom lock lenses were destinated for FED 1 originaly and later used for the FED-2 series? Only guessing. I found mine on a FED 1f (368xxx) but I'm in doubt about this camera (black painted engravings for example ... this is made often later as I think).

Thank you for your big help!

Best wishes - Guido

Hi Guido

I have found that when a push-button lens (either I-22, I-50 or I-10) is fitted to a FED-2, the push-button fouls the body covering at infinity. So we find the clip-lock lens uniquely on the FED-2.

Just to confuse further, yesterday I purchased FED lens No003198 on the big auction site, with 9286 stamped on the rear. But the attached passport shows 9286 as the serial number. Why?? There are many mysteries with FED cameras. :-)

Cheers
Geoff

Hello,

As far as I know, the lenses were numbered on the front of the crown from the Fed 1g s/n 550000, very roughly. And without interruption when the Fed 2 appeared.

We can suppose that the double numbering was used on the first lenses, till they were completely used. And yes, Geoff, there are always mysteries about Feds. Happily!

Amitiйs. Jacques.