Zarya

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The Zarya is a 35mm film Viewfinder camera, manufactured by F.E. Dzerzhinsky factory, (FED) Kharkov, Ukraine, in former USSR, produced between 1959-61, quantity 141.288 copies. The Zarya is also known as the FED Zarya. Zarya (=Заря) means 'Dawn'.

The Zarya is a simplified, economy version of the FED-2b. It has a restyled and simplified top housing without rangefinder, self timer or slow shutter speeds. It was intended for the Soviet domestic market. It was normally supplied with an Industar-26m 52mm f/2.8 lens, but accepts any of the Zorki/Fed/Leica M39 lenses.

The Zarya exists in two types and 3 sub-types [1] [2] [3]


Specifications

This data belongs to the example shown here.

  • Model: 1959, type 1a (early rare type)
  • Produced between 1959-60
  • Lens: Industar-26m 50mm f/2.8, (ИНДУСТАР-26m), red engraving "П" means coated,
    • Mount: M39 Screw mount, Leica type, filter thread: 35mm,
    • Aperture: f/2.8-f/22, setting: ring and scale on the lens
    • Focus range: 1-20m +inf
  • Focusing: Manual focusing, guess the distance
  • Shutter: horizontal-running, focal plane with cloth curtains, speeds: 1/30 - 1/500 +B
    • setting: dial on the top plate, turns when winding, lift and turn for setting [4]
  • Shutter release: on the top plate, with a collar for re-wind release, П = re-wind, С = wind
  • Viewfinder: Reverse Galilean type unusual big viewfinder, 15x11mm, later Zaryas have 15x9mm
  • Flash PC socket: on front of the top plate, X sync. 1/30
  • Back cover: Removable with the bottom plate
  • Film loading: special take-up spool, removable
  • Others: Cold-shoe; Memory dial on the winding knob; Tripod socket 3/8inch; Strap lugs
  • Body: Metal; Weight: 569g

Notes

  1. According to Alaxander Komarov in Fotoua (archived). You can also find serial numbers for dating of the cameras in this site. There is another classification of former-USSR cameras by Aidas Pikiotas at SovietCams
  2. Pages from the the book of former USSR cameras by Suglob, Shaternik, Kochergin (archived)
  3. Discussion of camera classifications in the books of Princelle and Suglob, Shaternik, Kochergin at USSR Photo Forum
  4. The early Leica cameras, and the other Leica-inspired cameras like Canon III, FEDs and Zorkis, and almost any camera which winding also causes the film speed selector turning, always cock the shutter before changing film speeds

Bibliography

In English

  • Princelle, Jean Loup (2004), The Authentic Guide to Russian and Soviet Cameras ('Made in USSR'), Le Reve Edition. ISBN 2952252106; or the earlier edition: Hove Foto Books, 2nd edition, 1995. 200 pages. ISBN 1874031630. Paperback.

In Russian

Links