C41
Kodak Portra 400
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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The FED-1 (1934) is the original FED rangefinder — a Soviet **Leica II clone** made at the FED labor commune in Kharkiv, Ukraine. The name "FED" comes from **Феликс Эдмундович Дзержинский** (Feliks Edmundovich Dzerzhinsky), founder of the Soviet secret police; the FED commune was a vocational orphan-children's program named after him. Produced from 1934 onward through WWII (with a wartime production halt and post-war resumption). Mechanical horizontal-cloth shutter, M39 LTM mount, brass body with vulcanite covering. Pre-WWII bodies are 100% Soviet copies of the Leica II; post-WWII bodies have refined manufacturing.
Reference
Recommended film stocks for the 35mm format your camera takes.
C41
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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Ilford HP5 Plus is a flexible ISO 400 black-and-white film with classic grain and strong push-processing tolerance.
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Kodak Tri-X 400 is a classic black-and-white film known for strong tonality, visible grain, and documentary character.
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Before you buy used
About this camera
The original FED. 1934 Soviet Leica II clone, made by orphan-children labor cooperative in Kharkiv (Ukraine) and named after Feliks Dzerzhinsky.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 35mm |
| Mount | M39 / LTM |
| Years | 1934–1955 |
| Shutter | 1/20s – 1/500s + B + Z, mechanical horizontal cloth |
| Flash sync | None |
| Meter | None |
| Modes | Manual |
| Weight | 530 g |
| Battery | None |
The FED commune started camera production 1934 as part of an industrial-cooperative orphan program. Production was halted by Nazi occupation of Kharkiv in 1941 (the factory was evacuated). Post-war FED-1 production resumed 1946. The FED-1 was succeeded by the FED-2 (1955) which added a hinged back and lever advance.
For collectors of Soviet Leica clones, the FED-1 is the original. Used at $120–350. Pre-war bodies are rarer and command premium; post-war FED-1 bodies are more common but still historically interesting. The Soviet Industar-22 50/3.5 collapsible lens (Leica Elmar copy) typically came with the FED-1.
M39 / LTM mount. Original Industar-22 collapsible lens. Any LTM lens fits.
C41
Kodak Portra 160 is a professional C-41 color negative film with fine grain, soft contrast, and natural color.
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Kodak Gold 200 is a daylight-balanced C-41 color negative film with warm color, moderate grain, and a classic consumer-film look.
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