Zarya (Заря)

Scale-focus, interchangeable lens camera from the USSR

FED-1: ancestor of the Zarya

In the Soviet Union, two years after the 1932 introduction of the Leica II, the FED facility in Kharkov, Ukraine (today, Kharkiv) began production of a Leica II copy, the FED-1. It ‘was the earliest successful Leica copy, and the only one achieving any measure of success before WWII’ (McKeown, 1996).

More than 700,000 were made over two periods: 1934 to 1941, and 1946-1955. The production gap was due to the war.

**Glen Echo Park**, Arcade building. Glen Echo, Md. Zarya, 55mm f/2.8 Industar-61, HP5+, 2025.

FED-2: sibling

After prototype builds, production of a new model, the FED-2, began in 1955. It was in production until 1970 and nearly two million were made.

The design of the FED-2, like that of contemporary Nikon rangefinder cameras, was influenced by both the Leica and the Zeiss Ikon Contax. It had a Leica M39 (LTM) lens mount and a cloth shutter, and a Contax-type body structure with a removable back and a two-key closure.

Dawn

Zarya (Заря) means ‘Dawn’ in Ukrainian and in Russion. This camera was developed from the FED-2 design with the rangefinder omitted to save cost. Prototyping was done c. 1958 and production was from 1959 to 1961.

The Zarya was a USSR domestic market model. ‘As a result it was, for a long time, unknown in the West’ (Princelle, 1995).. McKeown (1996) describes the Zarya as ‘uncommon’.

(Historical information sources: Princelle, 1995 and McKeown, 1996)

**Spring blossoms.** Bethesda, Md. Zarya, 55mm f/2.8 Industar-61, HP5+, 2025.

Zarya design

The Zarya is a viewfinder camera (no rangefinder) with interchangeable lenses. That’s unusual; most viewfinder cameras were designed for economy and have fixed lenses.

The Zarya has a clean look. Labelling is in Cyrillic. Заря (Zarya) is in stylish cursive on the top, with ФЭД (FED) on the back, and Индустар (Industar) on the lens. It’s my only camera with no Roman alphabet labelling. Even the Shanghai-made Seagull (海鸥), whose face plate is in Chinese characters, has other inscriptions in the Roman alphabet.

**Industar-61 55mm f/2.8 lens.** This appears to

The Zarya in use

This is my newest camera and I have put only one roll of film through it so far, but I am delighted with the results. Handling and ergonomics are excellent, the viewfinder is large and bright, and the camera’s construction is solid. It’s a really nice camera.

**Sports car.** Bethesda, Md. Zarya, 55mm f/2.8 Industar-61, HP5+, 2025.

References / further reading

Gustavson, T. 2011. 500 Cameras: 170 Years of Photographic Innovation. New York: Fall River Press. The 500 cameras are from the George Eastman House Technology Collection, Rochester, N.Y. The FED-1 is on p. 243.

McKeown, J.M. and J.C. 1996. McKeown’s Price Guide to Antique and Classic Cameras, 1997-1998. Grantsburg, Wis.: Centennial Photo.

Princelle, J. L. 1995. The Authentic Guide to Russian and Soviet Cameras. St. Helier, Jersay, Channel Islands: Hove Foto Books.