FED NKVD (1934–1955)
The FED NKVD is the earliest version of the original FED rangefinder. It was built at the F.E. Dzerzhinsky factory in Kharkiv, Ukraine. It is a 35mm rangefinder camera, essentially a copy of the Leica II design, and among the most sought-after Soviet cameras today. All original FED cameras - the NKVD and its immediate successors - were produced between 1934 and 1955, with a total run of 626,847 units.
The camera was fitted with a 50mm lens. Period examples show the FED 2/50 (Industar-10) or the earlier FED 1:3.5/50 optics, with a 39mm filter thread. The shutter tops out at 1/1000 sec. Some NKVD examples have a vulcanite body covering in a lighter, coffee-with-milk color instead of the black found on later FEDs.
Surviving documentation on this specific model is thin. Most references treat it as simply "the original FED." Collectors prize it as a Leica copy and a piece of Soviet history, and one dealer calls it "among the most wanted soviet cameras." A 1941 example listed by SovietCameraStore was first priced at $119.95, then cut to $49.95. That reflects one store's pricing, not a reliable market value.
Known specs:
- 35mm rangefinder camera, Leica II copy
- Lens: FED 2/50mm (Industar-10) or FED 1:3.5/50
- Filter thread: 39mm
- Shutter: up to 1/1000 sec (per forum reference)
- Produced 1934 - 1955 at the Dzerzhinsky factory, Kharkiv, Ukraine
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