# Can you identify this camera? I don't even know what language this is...



## Alpharius (Jan 8, 2015)

I stumbled on this along with a Jiffy Kodak Series II and a Nikonoso Nippon Kogaku. Unfortunately I don't even know where to begin identifying this one. Any help would be greatly appreciated it, I'd like to know the value before I meet with a buyer! Thanks in advance for any help.


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## sashbar (Jan 8, 2015)

Hmm... I do not know where to begin either... any pictures?


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## Alpharius (Jan 8, 2015)

sashbar said:


> Hmm... I do not know where to begin either... any pictures?


Lol, sorry Sashbar, I had embedded an imgur album that appeared in the preview but not the final post. Uploaded them directly now, should be there.


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## tirediron (Jan 8, 2015)

It's one of many Soviet-era Leica II knock-offs.  I think that the "YCCP" may indicate it was actually made in the Ukraine, but that's a bit of a guess on my part.  In good - very good conidition, it might fetch between $150 - 400, but yours looks to be 'fair' at best.  How is the shutter?  Do the controls all function?  If not, then it's probably most valuable as a door-stop or paper-weight.


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## sashbar (Jan 8, 2015)

The camera is made in USSR. The writing is in Russian. The camera is FED or ФЕД.

Now FED is for Felix Edmundovich Dzerzhinsky - the founder of the Soviet secret police, the Cheka (later NKVD, later KGB). 
Felix Dzerzhinsky - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The engraving on the top plate says:
FED
Dzerzhinsky Labour commune of NKVD- Ukraine 
Kharkiv

Kharkiv is a second largest city in Ukraine.


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## vintagesnaps (Jan 8, 2015)

Some people collect/use the Soviet cameras so there seems to be a market for them. If you google Feds and Zorkis you'd probably find some websites about them. I agree about condition affecting the value; I think I see a little rust there which I don't think can usually be removed/restored on cameras.


Like this site that I've used and took a quick look at, under Rangefinders there are more Kievs, etc.  Matt's Classic Cameras: FED 2


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## limr (Jan 8, 2015)

sashbar said:


> The camera is made in USSR. The writing is in Russian. The camera is FED or ФЕД.
> 
> Now FED is for Felix Edmundovich Dzerzhinsky - the founder of the Soviet secret police, the Cheka (later NKVD, later KGB).
> Felix Dzerzhinsky - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
> ...



You beat me to it, plus added stuff I never could have known about what the top plate says. 

It's a Fed 1 rangefinder. The lens is a Fed 50, also called an Industar 10. Buzz says it's pre-war because the aperture numbers are using a scale that is not used anymore - just a third of a stop off, but still a different scale.

Soviet and Russian Cameras - Fed

Based on the serial number, it's a Fed 1B, type PE0215.


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## limr (Jan 8, 2015)

Oh, and to get a sense of prices:
- Leica Copies: FED, Fedka.com

He often refurbishes his cameras, so assume these are in good condition. I bought a Zorki 6 and a Lubitel from him and the cameras are in excellent shape.


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## Alpharius (Jan 8, 2015)

Wow, thanks so much. A quicker and more informative response than I expected, you folks are awesome!

It is for sale if anyone has an interest


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## desertrattm2r12 (Dec 25, 2015)

Very interesting indeed.


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