1) FED 1 Type A (Fedka, 1934)

FED 1 Type A
 

It all started in June 1932, camera production was planned based on the Leica II which was launched in Germany in April 1932. On the 26th October 1932 the first of 30 prototype Soviet Leica 1a copies was assembled. The following year 1933 was used to tool up for mass production. It must be remembered that nothing like this had ever been attempted in the Soviet Union, the economy at this time was predominantly agricultural. Stalin was trying to industrialize the Soviet Union as quickly as possible through a series of disasterous five year plans. On the 5th November 1932 the first prototype of the planned Leica II copy appeared and was called the Pioneer. The camera consisted of more than 300 detail parts. The Optics and prototype cameras were first made at the VOOMP experimental factory in Leningrad. Production of which was halted in June 1934 after less than 500 cameras had been produced. The production was then transferred to the Geodezia factory in Moscow where it was planned to mass produce the camera which was now known as the FAG, only a 100 examples of this camera were ever produced. The events at Kharkov FED factory were now bearing fruit and the camera went into full scale production in January 1934 the camera was known as the FED 1 or Fedka. By december 1934 they had produced 1800 examples. More than 700000 were to be produced between 1934 and 1955.

Historically this is the most significant Soviet camera. It is a very close copy of the Leica II it differs in some minor detail and was available at a far more realistic price. The photographs that I have taken on this camera type are of very high quality and may even be better than the Leica II. This camera was aimed at the Soviet mass market and not the elite few as the Leica is in the western imperialist world.

Identication of Fed 1 Type A
 

2) FED 1 A Type ,NKVD-UkSSR, Late

The FED 1 was the first mass produced Soviet Leica II copy and as such is the most significant camera historically. Its production started in 1934 and lasted till 1955 with an interruption during World War II. At least seven different variations of the FED are known.

 





The FED 1 was a masterpiece of camera design. However It must not be forgotten that child slave labour and possibly political prisoners were used in its production. The Soviet Union in the 1930's was a very dangerous place where the Communist Dream had been hijacked by Stalin who in fact was an evil fascist dictator, hell bent on opposing capitalism, socialism and communism by controlling every form of national activity. He was anti-democratic, permitting no other political party to exist and tolerating no opposition. Unfortunatly he operated under the umbrella of Socialism and Communism this has done great damage to the reputation these political movements which can be seen to this day.