How the Soviet camera “FED”, called “impenetrable”, was created. Remembering the USSR

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Continuing the topic of rangefinder cameras, I decided to talk about my best friend. This is a 5V FED camera. Favorite heavy brick hanging on a thin woman’s neck.

Credits: fish300

“Felix Edmundovich Dzerzhinsky” is a Soviet rangefinder camera. Produced from 1975 to 1990. Modification of the camera "FED-3". The standard lens is “Industar-61 L/D” 2.8/53, coated. There is no photo exposure meter. Rewinding film with a tape measure. There is a mechanism for diopter correction of the viewfinder (within + / – 2 diopters). Pure mechanics.

The metal body inspires confidence in the reliability of the device, it is pleasant and simple. I got my hands on it a year and a half ago from a classmate. This is my first camera, first experiments on film, first experiments, first love.

Credits: gotoarizona

The camera is really simple! It doesn't have a light meter, and I've never encountered manual settings before. I looked at the exposure meter table a couple of times, this turned out to be quite enough. All the first shots turned out surprisingly well. Maybe it’s magic, and the camera itself corrected the parameters, I don’t know. But I lived without an exposure meter for two years and I’m going to continue to live like this. This is at the level of sensations.

You can photograph absolutely everything with it, use any films and any chips with films. The classic use of the camera is, of course, landscapes:

Credits: gotoarizona

I honestly admit that for the first six months I did not know at all how to use the rangefinder focusing method. I either didn’t understand the articles about this, or didn’t want to understand: I posted it at random, and for 2 months I was happy with the pictures, which were almost always in focus. Then a streak of failures began... One film, a second, a third. All frames were unclear, except for those filmed at infinity. I couldn't understand what was going on. I re-read the articles and figured out the focus. I took the camera to a friend, and he was quick to upset me by saying that the rangefinder was broken and no longer working. I walked around in sadness for no more than three days, since moving the pin back and forth for two hours solved the problem, and in the future the FED no longer let me down.

Let's get back to the review. In addition to landscapes, the FED can also shoot excellent portraits, if you open the aperture wide, for example, and focus accurately, the background will be blurred no worse than any SLR camera. I also like to highlight faces a little. Then the portraits look softer and, perhaps, a little kinder, lighter:

Credits: gotoarizona

Black and white film. I tried this on this camera only a couple of times. I'm not a fan of black and white, but I'm not saying it's bad, I just need color now. I have a whole story about the first black and white film, but I’ll just show you the photos:

Credits: gotoarizona

Redscale. I've tried it many times on this camera. I never came across ready-made film; it was always made from ordinary negatives. The FED, like other similar cameras, copes with such films “excellently”. And why? Because by opening/closing the aperture, you can completely control the light and, therefore, the hue of the redscale. All you have to do is choose the film and the “hole” you need and you will have a peach, bright yellow or crimson color:

Credits: gotoarizona

Cross process. A favorite technique of most Lomographers, it is not the easiest to perform on cameras such as FED. In general, everything is simple if you have an exposure meter or your eye has been trained for years to determine the illumination correctly. The slide does not tolerate errors, this is true, but if you expose the film correctly, and even shoot in the sun, you can get very rich colors and wonderful contrast:

Credits: gotoarizona

Multiple exposure. Unfortunately, there is no such built-in function, but that’s okay. You can always reload the film you shot and get unexpected results. Although I like it better when you layer one frame at a time. The FED 5V model has a convenient tape measure; it is enough to make one turn back until there is a barely audible click and cock the shutter again. So you always have a choice whether to do multiple exposures or not.

FED is a brand of the famous camera produced in Soviet times at the Kharkov Machine-Building Plant with the same name. It is well known that the FED rangefinder camera became a copy of the German Leica camera. Allegedly, Soviet engineers dismantled a German camera and copied its structure one-to-one. However, this statement is not true. The camera we know as the FED appeared much earlier than is commonly believed.

In pre-revolutionary Russia, there was an enterprise of the Optical Kharkov Society, where in 1906 a small-format camera was developed and its prototype was presented. It was developed by the talented engineer Korneliy Yevtushenko. Two years later, serial production of the “Cyclops” was launched - this is the name given to the camera developed by Yevtushenko, which later became the prototype of the famous FED.

The shooting was carried out on 35mm film, the camera had a 45mm lens with an aperture of 1:3.2, a fabric rubberized curtain-slit shutter, and high shutter speed accuracy (from 1/20 to 1/500 of a second). The durable camera body was made of brass. Its cost was quite high and amounted to 120 rubles. Despite this, the camera was in demand, and not only in Russia.

“Cyclopes” were used at the court of Emperor Nicholas II. In 1913, the model was improved - a built-in optical viewfinder appeared, and it was also possible to replace the lens. At the same time, Oskar Barnack's device, which would later be called Leica, appeared. His invention did not become popular, since there was a “Cyclops”, and it was more perfect than the invention of the German engineer. Even during the First World War, the production of "Cyclops" did not stop. A series of cameras with nickel and gold plating was created. One of them was presented to Nicholas II as a gift. In 1916, the plant began producing military products, followed by years of revolution, civil war and devastation. Only in the 30s was the production of Cyclops-Lux resumed; its production was entrusted to juvenile delinquents from the Kharkov labor commune named after Dzerzhinsky.

By this time, Barnack's invention of the second modification was already being produced at the Ernst Leitz plant. So, the well-known legend about the origin of FED is not true. The quality of the German Leica of 1932 was achieved by Russian engineers back in 1913.

FED camera models

At first, the camera was assembled by hand by inmates of the Dzerzhinsky children's labor colony. Hence the name of the FED apparatus, which stands for Felix Edmundovich Dzerzhinsky. Its mass production began in 1934. The camera was constantly being improved; 18 thousand copies rolled off the assembly line per month.

A convenient, compact, very durable and inexpensive camera has become a popular favorite, displacing bulky and heavy old cameras. There is a legend about how the FED fell from the Eiffel Tower, and to the general surprise of Parisians and tourists, it did not break and remained operational. Only the top shield was dented from the impact.

Between 1934 and the mid-50s, many FED upgrades were produced. A feature of the models was the absence of a sync contact and self-timer. From 1938 to 1941, the second model "FED-S" was produced with a wide range of shutter speeds and a 2.0/50 lens. In 1941, Model B was released with the addition of long exposures.

In 1955 - 1970, FED-2 was launched with the possibility of diopter adjustment. Later they added a sync contact and a self-timer with an operating time of 9-15 seconds. In 1969, a lever cocking with an under-cocking lock, a new housing and a reduced rangefinder base appeared. The circulation of "FED-2" was 1,632,600 pieces.

"FED-3" was produced in 1961-1979 (-1983?) years. The shutter speed increased, a retarder was added for the second curtain, resulting in long shutter speeds ranging from a second to five hundred. The vertical size of the camera has increased. 2,086,825 copies were produced. In export version the camera was called Revue-3.

In 1964-1980, models “FED-4” and “FED-4k” were produced with a built-in non-coupled selenium exposure meter, which added vertical dimensions. 633096 units produced. The export version was called Revue-4. In 1977 -1990 - improved models "FED-5" and "FED-5s".

The last model developed by the factory design bureau was the FED-6. It was a SLR camera, the level of which was significantly higher than its predecessors. But it did not go into mass production, since in the 90s it could not withstand competition with cheap and simple foreign “soap boxes”. Currently, the plant where the FED was produced produces aircraft parts.

In the old days, a FED camera could be seen in the hands of an amateur photographer almost everywhere. In the USSR it was generally accepted that this technique was an exact copy of the legendary German Leika. Many believed that Soviet engineers completely dismantled the original and created a copy of it, but this is just a legend that does not correspond to reality. Our article will help you find out how it really was.

Prototype

The Soviet FED camera cannot be called a copy of the Leika for one simple reason - it had a real prototype created in pre-revolutionary Russia. Development began in 1906, and soon the brainchild of engineer Korneliy Yevtushenko entered mass production. There is reliable information that “Cyclops” (that’s what this chamber was called) was used at the court of Emperor Nicholas II.

In 1913, it became possible to install an interchangeable lens on the camera, as well as make a number of improvements, during which the viewfinder was modernized. The cost of this miracle of technology was 120 rubles, but this did not interfere with its popularity both in Russia and abroad.

Around the same time, in Germany, work began on a new camera. It turns out that “Cyclops” was several years ahead of “Leika”. This is what became the prototype of the FED.

Story

At the very beginning, the FED camera was assembled by hand by pupils of the Dzerzhinsky children's colony in Kharkov. Several thousand cameras were produced in 1934.

In 1938, the second model was released - FED-S, equipped with a set of shutter speeds. By the beginning of the 50s, the manufacturer’s model range was already quite wide.

During the war, production was moved to Berdsk, and in 1946 the camera began to be produced at the Arsenal plant in Kiev. In 1948, production returned to Kharkov. Subsequently, the Kiev line was slightly reformatted, first the FED-Zorkiy camera rolled off its assembly lines, later finally renamed the Zorkiy.

Name

Many amateur photographers of our time try unsuccessfully to decipher the abbreviation. What does the name of the legendary camera mean? But every Soviet person unmistakably guessed in these letters the initials of the famous security officer Felix Edmundovich Dzerzhinsky, after whom the camera was named.

Curtain shutter models

The first model of the described camera is sometimes called not exactly what it was called according to the technical data sheet. No FED-0 and FED-1 ever existed; the first release did not have any numbers in the name at all. But the second model was already marked with a two, then this tradition continued.

FED-2 (1955) was equipped with a synchro contact, telescopic viewfinder, and rangefinder. This camera had several modifications, some of which were produced in limited editions. The body was covered with high-quality leather of different types.

Some modifications of the series had a self-timer function and a trigger shutter.

The FED-3 camera was produced from 1961 to 1965. It was hammerless and equipped with an Industar lens, which was progressive at that time. Subsequently, several more camera models were released with indexes 5, 5B, 5C, 6 TTL. They differed in details, but overall the design was approximately the same.

All of these cameras were equipped with a curtain shutter, an optical viewfinder, and had a removable back panel.

Cameras with central shutter

The first model with a central shutter was published in 1964. It was the FED-10. After 3 years, its brother appeared with index 11. The difference between them was that the first of them was produced with a bayonet mount, and the second with a fixed lens. Both cameras were equipped with optical viewfinders with a rangefinder.

Shutter-diaphragm

Along with the listed models, cameras with aperture shutter were also produced. The series included several models, some of which were not put on free sale at all, since they were produced in a minimum quantity.

The unusual FED camera deserves special attention. The instructions stated that this camera, equipped with two lenses, was designed for shooting stereoscopic images.

This is the only stereoscopic camera in the entire range. By the way, the technology was developed back in 1854 by the Russian engineer Aleksandrovsky. All modern equipment using 3D mode operates on the basis of this invention.

Value in our time

Today, when every fourth family has some kind of FED on the mezzanine, selling most of these cameras is problematic. For collectors, and especially for photographers working with film, this technique is not of particular interest. On average, the cost of a FED camera is several hundred rubles. But we are, of course, talking about production models. Not much time has passed to consider these cameras as antiques. Rather, they can be called outdated. But still, the FED is one of the symbols of the Soviet photo industry and even the entire USSR. If you want to buy a similar item for the ambience of a cafe, as a prop for photography, or simply in memory of the old days, you can easily find it at a flea market or in a local amateur photography club for 500-700 rubles.

But an old FED camera from the 30s-40s, and even in working condition, will cost much more. Its price often reaches 5-15 thousand rubles. Limited edition cameras decorated with genuine leather are rare and are even more expensive.

You can find them only at auctions and in special stores. Such models are valued by collectors not only in the post-Soviet space, but also abroad.

If you are interested in the Zorki camera, then feel free to read on. The FED and Zorkiy devices are absolutely identical!

In fact, the FED is not a camera that might be of interest to a collector or even just a photo enthusiast. Of course, like any other camera that has been mass-produced for such a long time, it has a number of small-scale modifications that are valued much higher than their serial counterparts, but now we will talk about the most ordinary camera.

Let's first figure out who made it and when. Such information, although it may be considered redundant and encyclopedic, is in fact very useful, as it allows not only to correlate a thing with its historical period, but also to understand the context of all the engineering decisions that were put into it. In any case, I will try to be as brief as possible in this section.

Story

So, the FED camera was produced in Kharkov (Ukrainian SSR), at the Kharkov Machine-Building Association "FED" from 1934 to 1955. Just in case you haven’t read my story about the second generation of these cameras, let me remind you that “FED” stands for “Felix Edmundovich Dzerzhinsky.”

The domestic “FED” is nothing more than a simplified copy of the German “Leica II” camera.

The production of these cameras was initially established at the Kharkov Labor Commune named after. F. Dzerzhinsky, created from former street children through the efforts of the outstanding Soviet teacher Anton Semenovich Makarenko. And he, by the way, is, according to UNESCO, one of the four teachers who determined the further development of pedagogy in the world.

Many people have probably heard about the Leicas used by photojournalists at the front? In fact, things with photographic equipment were a little more complicated...

To begin with, you should pay attention to the cost. So, by the end of the 30s, it was possible to find German “Leicas” on sale at a price of 2000 rubles for a standard set with an Elmar 50/3.5 lens, at the same time, the domestic “FED” with a FED 50/3.5 lens cost a little more 700 rubles. The difference is obvious, especially if you take into account the fact that the cost of replacement optics for German watering cans could be many times higher than the cost of the camera itself with the Elmar lens.

Thus, several different systems were used at the front and in the rear:
“FED”, “FED-S” (the so-called “Komandirsky”: it was equipped with a high-aperture FED 50/2 lens and had a shutter speed of 1/1000 second), “Leica II model D”, “Leica IIIa model G”, “ Pioneer" (VOOMP), "FAG" (Geodesy). All these cameras were practically indistinguishable in the eyes of non-professionals, which was the reason for the emergence of the generic name “Leika”.

Only a couple of hundred photojournalists of central newspapers could boast of German Leicas and other foreign photographic systems, while the overwhelming number of front-line photographs were taken with FED cameras. By the way, while praising the military exploits of the FED, we should not forget about another, no less outstanding device "Photocor" however, that will be a completely different story...

So what can we say about the history of this camera? It was released at a difficult time and in difficult circumstances. By the beginning of the war, 160,650 cameras of the FED system were produced in the country, which, in the absence of other mass-produced photographic systems, became the main camera of the country not only during the war, but also until the mid-50s.

Well, is it worth looking at this device with contempt? Of course not, because it would be at least cynical. I have already heard more than once that “FED is a pathetic fake of the masterpiece German Leic.” Yes, but so what? I, and many others, will not dispute the achievements of the German photographic industry, just like some of the remaining domestic industry, especially in the pre-war period, but I do not see this as a reason for forgetting the domestic FED photo system. This device, like the T-34 tank (which traces its ancestry to the BT tank, based on the American system of J. W. Christie), having foreign roots, soon became a symbol of resistance and victory.

How much is the famous song by Konstantin Simonov worth?

From Moscow to Brest
There is no such place
No matter where we wander in the dust.
WITH watering can and with a notepad,
Or even with a machine gun
We went through fire and cold.
<…>

I already wrote above that almost all cameras of that period were called “Leicas”.

Small-scale and non-serial releases:

FED-S (“Komandirsky”) was distinguished, as I wrote above, by a FED-S 2/50 lens, and also had a shutter speed of 1/1000 s.
FED-B ("Generalsky") was equipped with a retarder, which allowed him to work out a shutter speed of 1 s.
FED-V — modification of 1941, according to unverified data, is a copy of the “Leica IIIa model G”
Probably, after the war, a batch with KMZ optics was released, namely with the Industar-22 3.5/50 mm lens.
In 1933, 30 devices with an attached rangefinder were produced - copies of the Leica I
From 1934 to 1935, the VOOMP Experimental Plant produced about 700 cameras. « Pioneer« .
In April 1934, at the Geodesy plant, which produced geodetic equipment, the first sample of a camera, conventionally called « FAH» (“Photographic Apparatus Geodesy”). In fact, it is a copy of the German Leica II with minor structural and design changes. The housing covers are plated with nickel. There is no clamp on the rangefinder cover for fastening devices, because... their use was not intended, and therefore the top panel is made smooth. The outer frame of the viewfinder window is removable. Tube lens (folding) “Leitz Elmar” f=3.5/50 mm. Tessar type with engraving “V.O.O.M.P. Z-d Geodesy". The use of interchangeable optics was not intended. From 1934 to 1935, 300 copies were produced.
VTSWS(Military Topographical Service of the Armed Forces)- a camera based on the Leica II system, manufactured at the Almaz military plant after the war. It differed from the serial “FED” in its bayonet lens mount (equipped with captured German lenses “Carl Zeiss Sonnar” 2/50 or “Carl Zeiss Sonnar” 1.5/50), as well as an expanded set of shutter speeds: (1/20, 1/30, 1 /40, 1/60, 1/100, 1/200, 1/500 s and "B"). Finished with natural leather in black or blue. No more than 1000 pieces were produced.

There are also rarer specimens, for example:
“At the photo factory of the Combine named after. F. Dzerzhinsky built a prototype of a new model of the FED camera (see Fig. 1).
A distinctive feature of this model is the connection of the rangefinder to the viewfinder. Instead of two eyepieces available on the camera of the first model, the new model has only one eyepiece, with the help of which focusing and sighting are carried out simultaneously. In the center of the rectangle that encloses the shot frame, a circle is visible that is brighter than the field surrounding it. The image alignment is done in this circle. Thus, while focusing, the photographer can simultaneously monitor the frame being shot, which is especially convenient when shooting moving objects, sports moments, etc.
The benefits of such an improvement are obvious. The new design of the combined viewfinder-rangefinder made it possible to increase the base of the rangefinder, which increases the accuracy of focusing.
According to the manufacturers, assembly and adjustment of the new rangefinder is easier than the rangefinder of the first model.
A significant drawback of the new design is the sensitive loss of visible field brightness, which greatly complicates sighting in poor light conditions.
The new camera model is currently undergoing factory testing, after which the issue of its release will be decided.” “Soviet Photo”, No. 1 for 1940. Fokin Mikhail.

Collectors identify many more devices based on less significant characteristics, which include inscription technology, metal processing method, etc.

Don't rush to laugh! Better read: link.

After the war, the technical documentation was transferred to the Krasnogorsk Mechanical Plant, where the production of these cameras under the Zorkiy brand was soon established.

So we can distinguish three stages:
1. Production under the FED brand with the KMZ emblem applied
2. Production under the brand name FED 1948 Zorkiy
3. Production under the Zorkiy brand

All Zorki cameras have a standardized working distance, which eliminates the need for individual adjustment (as was the case with pre-war FEDs).

Ergonomics:

I will write about the ergonomics of the device in more detail, with a view to novice amateur photographers, so more experienced enthusiasts can skip this section.

So, first you need to understand that this camera does not have any electronic aids. This is both a plus and a minus, since you are not tied to the battery charge (since there are simply none here), but, at the same time, you must be able to set all the settings yourself. The following tables (from instructions dated 1937) can help you in this difficult matter:

And 8 more facts about the FED apparatus:

1. The device has a mount for accessories, but it does not have the ability to connect a flash.
2. There is also no self-timer.
3. Setting shutter speeds is possible only after cocking the shutter.
4. Focusing is done using the rangefinder viewfinder, and the frame is framed through a parallax viewfinder.
5. The camera has a simple frame counter, which should be set to “zero” each time it is reloaded.
6. It is possible to connect a release cable.
7. The camera has a tripod socket.
8. The tube lens is very compact when folded.

Thus, the full photographing cycle has the following algorithm:
1. Cocking the shutter
2. Setting shutter speed and aperture values
3. Focusing by rangefinder
4. Framing a frame through the viewfinder
5. Descent

Moreover, it is worth noting that although FED implies interchangeable optics, this is a rather thankless task, since in addition to the lenses itself, you will also need revolver viewfinders.

Helpful advice:
When purchasing, check for the presence of a take-up reel! It is located inside under the bottom (and only) cover of the camera on the right. This is a black metal tube. Without it, you will not be able to use the camera.

More detailed information can be found here: FED Instructions

Why buy?

FED, at the moment, is more of a collector's camera than a work camera. Zeniths, located in its price category, boast interchangeable optics, focusing through the viewfinder, a trigger mechanism for cocking the shutter, etc. and so on. However, FED has a number of advantages, not all of which I can describe and list.

The main advantage is compactness. A FED with an assembled lens takes up significantly less space than, for example, a Zenit V with a miniature Industar-50-2.
The second advantage is reliability. FED is only afraid of strong humidity (since the curtains can become damp) and cold (since the mechanism will simply freeze in the cold). These “fears” are inherent in many cameras, so the FED is not an unpleasant exception here. Otherwise, it has a fairly unpretentious design.
Despite the fact that a lot of time has passed since the late 40s and more advanced cameras have appeared on the market, for me the FED remains a good unit for leisurely shooting. Believe me, I have worked with many cameras, including the legendary Nikon F4, Nikon F3, Nikon FM2, Yashica Electro, 35 GSN, etc. etc., but not once did I have the desire to get rid of the old FED.

Verdict? I think that you should hold this camera in your hands yourself, and you will see. Technically, this device is outdated (although it is still superior to Smenya) - that’s a fact. Its descendant - FED 2, for example, has a synchro contact, a self-timer, a combined viewfinder with a rangefinder, as well as significantly faster Industars, which, of course, leaves no chance for the old man, but personally to me It's more pleasant to work with the first one.

I understand that this is a rather vague recommendation, so I am ready to answer all your questions without exception.

Examples of photographs (from the family archive):

FED-2- Manufacturer: FED Association. Year of manufacture 1955 1970. Type Rangefinder camera. Photographic material... Wikipedia

FED (meanings)

Fed- Felix Edmundovich Dzerzhinsky organizer and first head of the Cheka FED (photo camera) Soviet camera. FED (factory) is an optical-mechanical association in Kharkov that produced cameras of the same name. FED (corporation) Ukrainian corporation, ... ... Wikipedia

FED- Felix Edmundovich Dzerzhinsky organizer and first head of the Cheka FED (photo equipment) a series of Soviet cameras. FED (photo camera) is a brand of Soviet cameras. FED (plant) optical-mechanical association in Kharkov,... ... Wikipedia

FED-Mikron-2- Manufacturer Association "FED" Year of manufacture 1978 1986 Type ... Wikipedia

FED-10- Manufacturer Kharkov Machine-Building Plant "FED" Year of manufacture 1964 1967 Type Rangefinder camera Photographic material Type 135 film Frame size 24×36 mm Shutter type Central, with shutter speeds from 1 second to 1/250 s, and “B” Lens “Industar ... Wikipedia

FED-Stereo- FED Stereo ... Wikipedia