Engraving: ФЭД НКВД - YССР Харьковский комбинат им. Ф.Э. Дзержинского
35 mm / coupled-rangefinder / Leica II copy
Lens : FED - 50 mm f.3.5
Factory : FED Labour Commune / Kharkov, USSR
It is the first model of FED-1 to have the "NKVD" engraving on the rangefinder housing as the F.E. Dzerjinskij Work Commune is now under the control of the "Ministry of the Interior". Many different versions of this type exist.
The first version of the FED-1'b' camera was made in spring of 1935. Characteristic features are: viewfinder frame is "notched"; lack of accessory shoe; square-shaped rangefinder cam (top interior of lens mount); circular plug on the back (to help adjustment of the measurement of the focal distance to film plane); eyepiece rings painted black. An example is camera #7377 owned by Bill Parkinson, shown in the images to the right.
Known serial numbers:
Serial Number / Lens Number / Owner-Seller / Remarks
## 7377 _____ 98158 ______________ Bill Parkinson
# 47994 _____ ? __________________ seen on ebay