Fed: 28mm viewfinder and early FEDs

Hello,

I didn't really thank you for your wishes: probably too much in a hurry to speak and answer... Sorry!
Perhaps I could add some more words about me: I'm 63 and a retired master. As you know, I'm fond of Feds, not only for the cameras, but for the historical background too. Nothing political, but only the conviction that Europe comes from that period.
It's why I am much more involved in Feds than Zorkis, for example, even if I own Zorkis too. And of course some Leicas from 1931 to 1936, but only as references to Feds...

And now a question, always about Feds, of course.
What about the rangefinder for the 4,5/28 mm lens? Has anybody already seen it? Princelle is not certain it was really produced. A chance I can change the 28mm Leica viewfinder on my Fed 1c on which is mounted the 4,5/28mm ?
Absolutely no chance, I fear!

Thanks. Amitiйs. Jacques.

Bon soir from Finland!

Well, I share your passion for the early FEDs. And now my mission is to find the earliest possible, before 36.215 that I now have. Getting to around 20.000 is not difficult!

http://www.cedricfan.sivut.ws/Juhani's%20website%20ORIGINAALIT/

I think mine 1b is 16000-something, I'm sure Bill has some ridiculously low number

Jacques there's a universal KMZ one that has 28mm in its options:

http://www.fedka.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=34&products_id=83

Or are you looking for non-universal made by FED?

Vlad.

No one that I have ever talked to has seen the mythological FED 28mm optical finder. I believe that when the FED 28mm lens was made, it was meant to be used with the non-optical metal frame finder like this one in the photo, below. It was released at the same time as the 28mm lens and 100mm lens, by FED in 1937-38.
It is adjustable to 28mm, as you can see by the markings. This one is shown on FED-1S, Serial No. 59274. So this may not be too helpful for using the 28mm lens these days, but was probably what was used (or the universal optical finder by KMZ) in the past.







Regards, Bill

whoa that's a crazy contraption! So Bill, what's your lowest FED 1 serial #?

Vlad

Vlad,
Of course I am trying to get a lower one, but for now I have FED-1, No. 2313, No. 5340, No. 5585, No. 7377. What about Alain ?

Regards, Bill

Hello!

Thanks for these fine pictures of the frame finder which is for sure a curious contraption with its always jumping spring! Certainly the 4,5/28 mm was used with that finder; the multifocal KMZ will only appear in the last 40, probably 1948, as a copy of the Zeiss one.
To take pictures, I prefer the SLOOZ, much more clear than the multifocal even if I'm not a fan of Leicas...

If it's only a question of lowest #, it seems I win the race for the moment with 1126. But the engraving is a 1b one, the finder is flush, no hole in the back... Either a number missing, or a 1a resent to the factory to be repaired, and replaced by a 1b... I should have prefered the original! So this one is a 1b # between 10000 and 20000. I don't own anything better, except a burnished 1a with 5330. Then, 8528, 10020 etc.

Amitiйs. Jacques.

Hello,

I don't know about Alain's early Feds, but I was lucky to hold Fed No.62 (not #0062) in my very own hands. It was camera from Viktor Suglob FED collection indeed. Also 3 digit number Feds, black Fed, etc ...

My earliest Fed comes with serial number #4643 an I enjoy it a lot.

Now about 28mm viewfinder ... listing some old soviet literature I have found the picture of the soviet 28mm finder. Can't remember recently was it Fed one, but they existed for sure.

Regards,
Aidas

how you like this FED? Just found picture in my archives ...

Wonderful!
The 1a are quite rare now, even at the end of the range (c. 6000). This # 142 is really an historical item and one detail must be pointed: the release button and the absence of collar look like some early IA/IC Leica. This will be changed soon after.

If nobody amongst us owns that 28mm Fed viewfinder, it's definitively because it must be a prototype. Princelle shows it mounted on another proto: the prewar Fed 2, with a mixed rangefinder/viewfinder. The first Leica like to have such a finder, in 1940.

Amitiйs. Jacques.

Hi Jacques,

One Fed camera, similar to your #1126 can be found recently for sale on Russian "eBay" MOLOTOK.RU.

http://molotok.ru/item297368014_ochen_redkaya_dovoennaya_kamera_fed_n_1653_.html

Regards,
Aidas

and another one with very small #162 under name of "STALINETS"

http://molotok.ru/item295911819_stalinec_162_podarochnaya_kopiya_komandirskij_fed_.html

Hi Aida!

The Stalinets is of course a fancy camera. This one seems to be made from a Zorki 1c, if I look at the release button and the moulded rims. The other one is a Fed, but a 1c, not a 1a: the cornered cover and the large YCCP engraving are quite visible. The real # should be included between c.55000-c.95000.

DVD show such cameras in their collection. Amazing!
http://www.dvdtechcameras.com/collect/fed/fed.htm
If it works!

Amitiйs. Jacques.
PS to Vlad: perhaps it would be convenient to change the subject into: Fed: 28 mm viewfinder and early # ?

yea, i have noticed this Fed camera is type 1c. That's why I wrote "similar to your #1126" and not "identical to your ... " one

Sorry if I look like a teacher a bit too much.
In fact, I was!

Amitiйs. Jacques.

The 28mm finder is not a prototype, some quantities were made, but it is a very rare prewar FED accessory.

Hi all friends,
sorry , i just wake up
so here are some pictures ...
if some one can tell me something about the 20mm finder , he is welcome

forgot ...

Hello Fedka!

Fine to meet you through this forum!
Could you tell us more about this 28mm finder: number and year of production, why it was stopped...
On looking the Leica SLOOZ, it seems not so easy to think out...

Hi Alain!

Amitiйs. Jacques.