my camera

Hello, I only own one Soviet camera, a Fed1,Kombinat. Number 131660. I believe that this was made in Siberia from spare parts,as there is a hole through the pressure plate as in earlier Feds. Also the nuts on the shutter adjusting screws are of two different shapes.There is no hole through the back. The camera is in lovely shape and produces some very sharp photos, with a minimum of flare.Unfortunately the rangefinder is very dim,but I have brightened up the contrast by sticking a tiny piece of black insulating tape in the centre of the front right window, looking at it from the front. I look forward to keeping in touch with your forum.

c.lowe

Hello,

depending on the serial number of your FED 1 it seems to be a FED 1c or 1d that was made in 1940. So it wasn't made in Siberia, it was made before the german troups went to the USSR. Cameras made in Berdsk have numbers between 174000 and 180000 if I remember correctly.

You can make the rangefinder brighter when you screw out the little glasses on the back and the front and clean them.

Ulrich

http://fotos.cconin.de

Thanks,Ulrich, I will try your tip. The black adhesive tape, about one eighth of an inch in diameter does work, to a degree, though. I found the idea on another website, but can't remember which. I know that the number on mine is for 1940, so they must have been using old parts then. On the other hand, the camera may have been repaired or something at some time, though I can't see why it was necessary to replace the pressure plate.

c.lowe