Tweaked FED2's and hello

L

Laika

Guest
Hi all,

I just found this site and thought I'd say hello. Soviet gear has really got me hooked into using RF's, I've been using them for about a year now, originally the idea was if I liked RF's I'd get a Leica M to complement my Nikon SLR (MF) gear but I've been so impressed with output from the better FED's & Zorki's I've picked up the Leica is on hold for now.

Here are a couple of pictures of my fav FED2's, the black one I stripped the chrome off and refinished it in black auto paint, I bought a nice black export J8 to finish it off. This was my first LTM RF I bought for $20 "BIN".. How can you go wrong at that price? The late model FED2 I decided to go a little over the top with a cobra skin set from cameraleather.com :cool: I also picked up a nice chrome J12 and matching finder, this camera has the slickest action of all my RF's .. It’s a real joy to use, normally I have it in a leather half case to tone it down a little and provide a way of carrying it (no strap lugs). This one cost me $29 for the base camera. Both of these cameras take outstanding images.


fed2_black.jpg
 
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Laika, the snakeskin camera looks absolutely amazing!
 
My first RF was also a FED-2 I bought for $25 from Anya, great little camera whose first roll really got me into the RF world :)

Welcome to the forum Laika, both cameras look great, how do you take off the chrome, 'mechanical' sandblasting or maybe through some chemical product ?

I got my first fed after reading and enjoying Jim Blazik's site and his beatiful black creations but so far I haven't found the inspiration to go through a black painting process myself.

Hope to see you here often, you'll find a FSU forum here as well as a lot more info. The last discussion on the rusky forums was about LTM to Kiev adapters and viceversa :D

Best !

Oscar
 
Thanks for the complement rsilfverberg :D

Oscar.. I must admit Jims web site gave me the inspiration to start refinishing a few of my own, the black FED2 was my first. I picked up lots of the refinishing/repair tips over on the beststuff Russian forums, now I've a handful of "project" cameras on the go.

I'm looking forward to rubbing shoulders with other RF users regardless of what brand they own :)
 
I shot a couple of rolls with my FED 2 a few weeks ago. It always takes great pictures so I guess I have no excuse for using it more often except I have a Yashica Electro I also want to use.

Dick
 
Laika, Welcome! While the cobra-skin FED2 is amazing, I really like the black paint job on your older model. Looks great!

I've been tempted to get one of that vintage, but keep telling myself "I am NOT a collector". I have a pair of Kiev 4 cameras to play with. :)
 
I have the same models of Fed. I particularly like the 2, I bought mine in Leningrad (St Petersburg) in 1965. together with an Orion 15 lens, that was my start in the world of RF's I also have a collapsible f3.5 Industar 50(Elmar lookalike )which is VERY sharp.
I'd love to have the courage to finish mine in black it looks terrific. Mine still looks new and the case still has its distinctive russian leather smell ( probably the skin of an old peasant! )
 
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