Technical manual of KGB spy camera F-21 in English

For this auction I put a copy of Technical and Handling Manual of KGB spy camera F21T made from a Russian blueprint original. It used to be classified up to 1990. I translated the manual into English and including a Russian copy as a bonus. The original was a blueprint in brown color and it was done so for the security reasons:

-It was made not in printing shop but in secure environment – Krasnogorsk Mechanical Works -Each page copy of the manual was signed by an individual who copied it (I counted at least 4 different signatures at the bottom of Russian copy, therefore one person never did a whole copy of a manual and could not make a copy for himself).

-It is more difficult to make a Photostat copy of a blueprint (I have spent at least 3 times more paper to make a copy of this manual in order to get decent results).

-One copy was supplied for 10 cameras (!!!) so users should read it in secure environment.

-A Manual was sent to the field station separately from cameras (this is mentioned in the Manual) by special currier mail

-When a copy of a Manual was allowed to leave a secure environment (KMZ) it was stamped by a “First Section” (or a “Secret Section”) in the lower right corner of the rear cover. The original I made a copy from was stamped and released in May 1990. I will include a translation of the camera passport dated by 1962, which I had in my possession. That means that this model of the camera was manufactured at least for the period of 28 years!

Earlier they also used to send a copy of a passport separately, but later changed the procedure and sent it together with a camera and made correction in a manual that only copy of a manual was sent separately.

The manual is not mentioning a “Button”. I was told that it was still classified several years ago.

I have spent more than a month to do this work. I tried to make an English copy look as close to Russian original as possible. The price I am setting here is only a small fraction of the cost of translation. Translators are charging at least $50.00 per page. The manual will also give you an idea how to get the film for your F 21 camera and how to develop it so you can try it in action. I can also give you the idea how to make a simple film splitter for 35 mm film in order to get needed 21 mm film. Manual shows the exact length of the film to be cut and then loaded into camera cassette, how the lead of the film should be cut and much more useful information. Unfortunately some people who bought this manual from me previously started to sell its English copy themselves like their own property or put it on the web.

Table of Contents:

1. Introductions

2. Designations

3. Technical Data.

4. Composition.

5. Design and Operation

6. Accessories

7. Marking of serial number

8. General Handling instructions

9. Procedures of camera handling

9.1 Film loading into a cassette

9.2 Camera loading

9.3 Taking of shots

9.4 Unloading of a camera

10. Checking of Technical Condition

11. Rules of storage and transportation.

12. List of Illustrations

13. Attachment, Test pattern.

I can also include at your request 21 mm wide film for F-21 camera. I slit it out of 35 mm B&W film using an original slitter made for this purpose. They did not manufacture a special 21 mm film for those cameras in the USSR. The KGB people used film splitters in situ instead. They also developed a film themselves. Since the length of a film in F-21 is 600 mm, so the film length in 35 mm cassette is 2 1/2 loads of F-21 cassette. You can make a research how to make a reel for 21 mm film. Now there are plenty of old reel available for modification. The reel shown in the manual is short cut version of standard developing reel. Enjoy your F-21. If you need a film for your F-21, I can clit it for you? Using original slitter.

Here is some information on F-21 camera:

The F-21 is a famous Soviet-made photo camera for concealed use; a spy camera in simple words. This model was in production at KMZ plant from 1951 to mid-1990's. This camera was designed and made with its purpose in mind - it is very small, light, can shoot the entire roll of film from one fill wind of its spring-loaded motor. Picture quality was, of course, very important as well, so the F-21 features a very sharp, high-resolution lens and a reasonably large negative size. The frame is 18x24 mm, taken on a 21 mm film. So technically, using the 35 mm terms, the F-21 is a half-frame camera. There were many attachments for the F-21, all intended to conceal it in different ways. There are belt buckles, coat buttons, purse and bag adapters. There are ordinary 35 mm cameras and umbrellas that could accommodate the small F-21. Some accessories, like the button, were made in small quantities, some - in single units. The standard lens is OF-28T, 28/2.8, coated. There are 4 shutter speeds - B, 1/10, 1/30, 1/100. Produced in 1951-1995. (source: www.fedka.com).