Fed 2

ALT="Fed 2 Camera"
ALT="Fed 2 Camera"
ALT="Fed 2 Camera"
ALT="Fed 2 Camera"
ALT="Fed 2 Camera"
ALT="Fed 2 Camera"

FED 2 Type d 1958 – 1963
Dzerzhinsky Commune, Kharkov, Ukraine

There were seven FED 2 models made in Ukraine. I’m sure it was a groovy
place to work but I’ll bet the Sputnik workers were paid better.

I’m sure Russia took care to remove any remnants of the Ukraine factory during their rape of the country in 2022 and 2023.

These photos were taken around December 20th. In Massachusetts that’s the deepest
part of winter. A bleak time. Especially on cloudy days. Colors are muted and
days dissappear quickly.

The plastic Flamingo endures summer heat and winter cold without a word of complaint.
The footprints around him were made by his more mobile friends,  slate-colored juncos.

Arista 200

This FED 2 is utilitarian in design and function. There were FED 2’s of this ilk that were available in colors.
The concept seems silly to me considering the camera’s no nonsense attitude. A red FED would
be cool though.

ALT="Fed 2 Camera"
If you look into that little window on the left, you’ll see the dim image of what you’ve got the camera pointed at. If you squint and concentrate, the rangefinder will line up as you focus the lens. It isn’t easy but it can be done.

I guess things were brighter in 1961. I know they were for Roger Maris but he wasn’t in Ukraine then. He was in New York. I don’t know for sure,
but I don’t think he was ever in Ukraine. Neither were Norm Cash or Mickey Mantle but they sure as hell held sway in 1961. You could look it up. A cow gave up its hide to make the rugged case pictured . The case is nearly fifty years old.
The cow, and many generations of its ancestors, are gone.

The shutter release sits above the film rewind release thing which needs to be turned toward “C” which you can’t see in this picture. The “B” is for normal operation, comrade.

 Soviet cameras often make me feel like I’m ripping the hell out  of the film when I advance to the next frame. 

Soviet film advance mechanisms appear to have been manufactured in garages by vodka soaked machinists. I frequently have to unload films in my darkroom when emptying Soviet cameras. Once I even cut myself while doing so.

Sputnik

Sputnik scared the hell out of America and lit a fire under our asses. A fire that faded after we won WWII. JFK was instrumental in waking us up. He was a member of The Greatest Generation and a great President.