Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/04/18

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Subject: Re: [Leica] "Russian" LTM 28mm f4.5
From: Marc James Small <msmall@roanoke.infi.net>
Date: Sat, 18 Apr 1998 10:56:09 -0400

At 11:55 PM 4/17/98 -0400, Jacques Leonard wrote:
>A few months ago, I bought a LTM Russian Fed 28mm f4.5 lens. I believe this
>lens is pre-war because the aperture scale follows the European sequence of
>this period (f4.5-f6.3-f9-f12.5-f18-).

No, sir!  You do NOT have a "RUSSIAN" FED lens -- you have a UKRAINIAN FED
lens.  There is a major difference to the folks in these two countries!

The lens is Prewar and is a close copy of the Hektor.  I doubt if the
performance is that good (though the Prewar FED 50's and the clone of the
Mountain Elmar are all quite satisfactory) but, as you point out, it was a
lens of outstanding specification for its era.

The value is rather hard to determine;  while these lenses are rare, the
collecting of SPS camera gear is in its infancy, so there's not a lot of
demand.  (It is unfortunate that McKeown doesn't seem to list a price for
the FED lenses.)  I have seen these sell for as little as $60, but $250 to
$350 would be more in line with the current market.

Marc


msmall@roanoke.infi.net  FAX:  +540/343-7315
Cha robh bas fir gun ghras fir!