The FED-2
is the first and quite successful attempt by Soviet camera makers to improve
upon the original Leica design, which was copied in the FED 1 for two
decades. The camera has the following features - a removable back cover,
a new, wide base, rangefinder coupled with a viewfinder, a dioptric adjustment
of the VF and strap lugs. As any Soviet Leica copy this FED-2 is compatible
with the 39 mm Leica TM lenses.
The body and the back cover were
cast, which made the camera more rigid than the original FED. The shutter
and the film transport mechanism were also redesigned and work very smoothly.
There were many modifications made to the FED-2 during its production
from the mid 1950's to 1970.
This FED-2 is the first production
model (ca. 1955), type 'a' by Princelle. The camera has a "Zavod
im Dzerzhinskogo" engraving
on the top plate and a collapsible FED lens. This
particular FED-2 is a version "a" preseries, it has a rectangular RF window (changed to a round one for production) and a transport disconnect lever under the release button (changed to a collar-type part which stayed
with the FED-2s until their production ended). According to J-L. Princelle, only a few hundred of these FED-2 cameras were made.
- Shutter speeds: B, 1/25 - 1/500.
- Lens: C
ollapsible FED, f=50
mm, 1:3.5, coated, Leitz Elmar copy.
The FED-2 is great classic Leica
mount rangefinder. It is more convenient to use than the original Leica
copy (combined RF/VF, removable back). It is surely better than the newer
FEDs (models 3 to 5) - more reliable shutter, wider base rangefinder,
better appearance. You can use any Leica threadmount lens with it, and
use its sharp FED lens with any screwmount Leica.
Also, this FED-2 variation is
very uncommon and will make a great addition to your Russian camera collection.
