amandaburton

Can anybody linked to this advice identify this accessory which could be a wide and tele lens made to suit a Futura S camera. It could also be a Futura S tele futar rangefinder 3.8/75 but I am unable to locate exact identification and purpose when searching the net.

Thank you assuming that somebody can assist me here.

Amanda

Probably someone is wanting to milk another who is not knowledgeable about these FSU cameras. I did see the Ebay ads & deem them a rip off. If you do an Ebay search for "Fed-1 CLA" you will see (3) Fed-1's with the -10 collapsible lenses for just under $120 (USD) delivered (US). These cameras have been CLA'd & are offered by the same Ukrainian fellow from whom I have purchased all 8 of my Fed & Zorki "collection". They work. Any one who knows a Leica always stops me when my Fed-2 is around my neck. . .the Fed-1 would probably be a show stopper. Aloha, Bill

Thanks

If there were any original brass-finish Feds or Zorkis I imagine they are now very rare. Leica also apparently shipped cameras with a brass finish on occasion to special order (someone posted about one here a while back, a sort of 'poor man's Luxus'). But Soviet cameras with the chrome removed by forgers are very common. As Rick notes above, this is going to happen anyway if you grind off the original engravings. The forger can either strip off all the chrome to match, and hope the camera is mistaken for a rare gold-plated Leica Luxus model, or re-plate in chrome. Some of the more attractive fakes have highly polished brass, but whoever did this one hasn't bothered - either they concluded it wasn't worth the effort, or thought an 'antique' finish would look more 'authentic'. It might be fun to go through the various Fed and Zorki models on sovietcams to see if you can tell exactly which version this one started out as:

 

Soviet and Russian Cameras - Fed

Soviet and Russian Cameras - Zorki

 

Unfortunately the fake engravings won't help!

As a general rule, if you have to ask whether it's faked, it is. :rolleyes:

 

Mind you , some of the false ones can be decent user cameras and the lenses are often good, even if their markings are bogus

Some time about 6 years ago a friend "allowed" me 5 minutes with his M-3. Hooked I was on RF cameras after 4 decades of SLRs & view cameras. My retirement income did not allow a real Leica G.A.S. attack, so I started with the Russian Leica based cameras. As JD mentioned above, some of their III copies are good knock-offs. The Fed-2 &3 and Zorki-4s are M stylings & give me great service on a pensioners budget. Just be sure any purchase has had a good CLA. Aloha, Bill

Thanks Bill, I am just learning and you will get a laugh but what is a CLA?

John, thank you so much I looked through all the Russian copies and couldn't find a look alike.

Regards

Amanda

Can anyone tell me the identity of this camera, I can't find an exact photo or information on it anywhere, I found photos of the Leica cameras in the 4 digit serial no. but none match this camera, I suspect it is a copy. Can anybody help me?

The markings on the camera - the top Leica D.R.P. Ermst Leitz Wetzlar No. 3371 The body is black leather and the metal parts are a tarnished looking brassed/black

Amanda