Camerapedia
Register
Advertisement

The FED-2 (ФЭД) is 35mm film rangefinder camera made by FED and produced between 1955-70 with the quantity of 1.632.600 units.

It is a new design that is quite different from the FED-1. It has a longer rangefinder base (67mm), a combined viewfinder and rangefinder window, adjustable diopter for the viewing window, a self-timer (later revisions), and a detachable back for film-loading.

Fed-2 was produced fairly long time and offered with many types and several different features, like the engravings, lenses, shutter speeds, self-timer etc.

There are 12 types and 17 sub-types of the camera [3]

Operation[]

To load the film, two locks in the base of the camera need to be turned. The entire back and bottom can then be removed as a single unit, allowing easy access to the film chamber. Standard 35mm film cassettes are used, with film being wound onto a removable take-up spool (the latter often becomes difficult to remove on older cameras). Winding the film cocks the shutter and forwards the frame-counter simultaneously. The FED 2 has a manual frame-counter located below the wind-on knob, which must be reset by hand when loading film.

Focusing[]

  • Matching yellow rangefinder images in the viewfinder, distance scale and ring on the lens, w/ DOF scale

Shutter[]

  • Rubberized silk double cloth curtain, horizontal focal plane, speeds: 1/30 - 1/500 +B, setting: dial on the top plate, turns when winding, lift and turn for setting [4]
  • Shutter release: on the top plate, with a collar for re-wind release, w/ cable release socket
  • Cocking knob: also winds the film, on the right of the top plate
  • Frame counter: beneath the cocking knob, additive type, manual setting

After detaching the back, two screws on the underside of the camera allow you to adjust the spring tension and change the shutter speeds, which may have become slow over time. As with similar cameras, it's important to cock the shutter before operating the shutter speed dial. Failing to do so may harm the mechanism. When firing, this dial wil rotate. After recocking, the speed set will be indicated correctly again.

Lens[]

  • Industar-26m 50mm f/2.8 (ИНДУСТАР-26m),red engraving "П" means coated
  • Mount: M39 Screw mount, filter thread: 35mm
  • Lens release: simply un-screw
  • Aperture: f/2.8-f/22 setting: ring and dial on the lens
  • Focus range: 1-20m +inf.

The Fed takes 39mm screw lenses. The one shown above is a 5cm collapsible Fed lens. Lots of Feds come with Industar lenses. On the collapsible Fed lens, the aperture is set on the front and focusing is done with a lever near the body. The rangefinder is coupled to the lens. The field of view in the viewfinder is that of a 5cm lens. For other focal lengths, a separate turret viewfinder was placed on the accessory shoe.

Viewfinder[]

  • Coupled rangefinder/viewfinder, green glass, very clear
  • Diopter correction lever: beneath the re-wind knob

Other features[]

  • Re-wind knob: turns when winding, on the left of the top plate
  • Re-wind release: a milled colar around the shutter release, П = re-wind, C = wind
  • Flash PC socket: on front of the top plate, X sync 1/30
  • Cold-shoe
  • Memory dial : on the winding knob
  • Self-timer: activates with a small knob above the lever, on front of the camera
  • Back cover: removable with the bottom plate, opens by two levers on the bottom plate
  • Film loading: special take-up spool, removable
  • Tripod socket: old type, 3/8
  • Strap lugs
  • Body: metal, Weight: 620g

Notes and references[]

  1. Type is as to Alexandr Komarov
  2. About Type 8b: At the middle of year 1960, FED factory have reached the number of 1.000.000 produced Fed-2 cameras in total. The new numbering system (c.1959) was intended for 7 digits serial numbers only. Although having an opportunity to start numbering from 1xxxxxx (though prefix "1" was reserved for year 1961), FED have decided to use "A" prefixes for first 100.000 cameras of 2nd million.
  3. Typing and some info are as to Alexander Komarov
  4. The early Leica cameras, and the other Leica inspired cameras like Canon III, FEDs and Zorkis, and almost any camera which winding also causes the film speed selector turning, always cock the shutter before changing film speeds.

Links[]


FED cameras
Rangefinder FED | FED-1 | FED NKVD | FED-S | FED-2 | FED-3 | FED-4 | FED-5 | FED-5s | FED-5v | FED-6 TTL | FED-10 | FED-11 Atlas | FED-35 | FED-35A | FED Mikron-2 | TSVVS

Viewfinder FED Zarya | FED Mikron | FED 50

Stereo FED Boy Stereo | FED Stereo | FED Stereo-M

Advertisement