Sociedad Ibero-Americana de la Historia de la Fotografia Museo Fotográfico y Archivo Historico "Adolfo Alexander"
Fórum Yahoo [maquinas russas]

FS - 2

War time produced FED Photosniper by KMZ Moscow.

“фотоснайпер фс -2”

Originally developed in 1936 as The FS 1 by GOI Leningrad this unit used the VOOMP Pioner second model camera see http://www.novacon.com.br/odditycameras/unknown.htm and http://www.novacon.com.br/h3comp3.htm with a different mirror box with a 45º angle of view. This camera type went into production using standard production but specially prepared FED cameras by adding a quick coupling plate. These cameras were requested by the ркка ссср

(Рабоче-Крестьянская Красная Армия Союз Советских Социалистических Республик)

(Red Army’s Civil Worker-Force of the USSR)

and were first produced in Leningrad. At the siege time during war with Germans, production of these cameras were transferred to the Moscow KMZ factory from 1942. Really this concept of a a 35mm quick using telephoto foresaw by two years a similar set from Leitz New York see: http://www.leica-historica-italia.it/leicagun.htm .

RKKA Sniper ensignia

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The Main Unit:

Lens w/ sunshade

KMZ Military logo

Rear glass closing the reflex housing and camera

Modified FED body coupler

The set with gunstock

This set was primary developed and intended to be used in observation and registration of military movements at battle fields where it was needed a quick action from the photographer at the same time be maintained inconspicuous. The outfit is composed from four main parts: The objective, The mirror box, The camera and the gun stock.

The system itself is very well thought-out once it can be readily dismantled or put into operation.

The gunstock with the 300mm telephoto and reflex cage is assembled with a single operation and the FED body is removed by the single press of a lever, for changing film without any need to dismantle all the set, or simply through changing bodies. The mirror box is operated by the trigger in the gun stock as any shooting rifle. This simple operation lifts the mirror and fires camera shutter. (Schematics included) Releasing the trigger the mirror come down, freeing the sight. Although having no special film advance system, Everything in FS-2 was easier, lighter, quicker and more accurate than its Leica cousin. It is said that Mr Kruchev had one to take birds’ pictures during his vacancies.

The Viewer has a simple 45º prism over the hair crossed concavo plain groundglass and the image is corrected in the tube through a floating internal reversing lens. This system was the forerunner of modern external pipe finders used in SLR type cameras. See schematics in the continuation.