The Electronica FE-26: A Soviet-era flash steps out of the dark

By Roman Yarovitsyn

My review of the Zenit-4 leaf shutter SLR for Kosmo Foto in late 2023 was not exhaustive, because the most important test needed to be done outside. Thirty-degree winter frosts seemed to me too much of a risk for such an old and rare camera.

So, the summer heat allowed me to check how this unusual SLR shoots under the bright sun at unlimited shutter speed sync with electronic flash. The test was even more successful thanks to the dexterity of my hands, which managed to transplant a working exposure meter from another similar camera with a broken shutter. There was only one problem left to solve: purchasing a suitable flash unit.

As you can guess, there are enough flash units in the treasure chest of a pro photographer such as me. But all of my Canon Speedlites can work only with hot shoe sync and none has a PC-cord suitable for Zenit-4.

So I made a decision to buy the old Soviet flash «Электроника ФЭ-26» (Electronica FE-26). It was one of the few DC-powered autonomous units powered by AA batteries in early 1980s. The test was extremely successful, the result was better than I expected. You can check the quality in the backlit pictures made in sunny evening.

I see no point in repeating the description of this Zenit, so I’ll tell you about this flash, memorable to all Soviet photographers of that era. One more reason to tell this tale is my strong suspicion that, unlike cameras and lenses, Soviet flashes almost completely unknown outside the USSR.

Electronics were the weakest point of Soviet industry, and flash units were simply uncompetitive in the foreign market. A book ‘Discover Rewarding Photography’, published in 1971 by TOE, the major Soviet photo equipment provider in the UK, confirms this suspicion. The chapter about flash photography (pp. 93 –104) is the only section in the whole book which doesn’t describe a single Soviet device. Most likely, Soviet cameras sold in the UK were equipped with Western-made flashes.

The FE-26 can rightfully be called the most fashionable accessory in the last half of 80s in USSR. The vast majority of Soviet flashes of those years worked only from an AC-power outlet. Devices that work outdoors without a long wire could be counted on one hand. And none of them were easy to get your hands on.

In the USSR, this phrase had more than one more meaning and meant the opportunity to purchase goods that were not on store shelves. To do this, you had to be friends with store employees who would call in time to notify you about the availability of goods. Such a call gave you a good chance to get to the counter before others. At the same time, AC-powered flashes, such as the most popular «СЭФ-3» (SEF-3 Сетевая электронная фотовспышка, AC-power electronic flash), were always on the store shelf, and were occasionally purchased by beginners.

But even DC battery flashes, such as the Electronica V5-24, did not have the ability to regulate power. They worked only with maximum power, forcing the photographer to close the aperture to f/16 or even to f/22 for portraits. In addition, they lived up to the name “device” due to the lack of traces of any industrial aesthetics. These were ugly-looking and awkward-to-handle plastic boxes.

Perhaps for a Western photographer spoiled by the abundance of modern devices, the FE-26 will seem dry, but for us it seemed just graceful! First of all, it was the smallest Soviet flash unit. Designed exclusively for LOMO LC-A compact, it was just tiny. But maybe most important for us was its suitability for slight illumination of picture shadows. Flash power was also not adjustable, but it was low enough to allow shooting with open aperture indoors. The guide number for ISO 100 was about 10.

The FE-26 instantly became in short supply because every pro photographer wanted to buy it. Fortunately, Soviet industry this time received the correct directives from above and the flash was produced en masse from 1984. The unit produced within the series named «Данко» (Danko). This was the name of a main character of the story ‘Old Izergil’, written by the major Soviet “proletarian” novelist Maxim Gorky. Danko died, giving his burning heart to save people.

As is typical for most Soviet photographic flashes, it is impossible to determine the specific place where the FE-26 was produced. These devices were most often produced in military factories and were assembled from discarded parts unsuitable for installation in a radar or warhead. For example, the well-known «Электроника В5-24» was produced by the Arzamas Instrument-Making Plant, whose main products were Buk anti-aircraft missile systems.

On the branded box of the FE-26 the manufacturer is not indicated at all, and the instructions indicate НПП «Зенит» (the Zenit Scientific and Production Enterprise) with a meaningless Moscow mailbox address. The official price was 24 roubles and 70 kopecks, less than half of the monthly average

wage, but pros were ready to pay 50 roubles so as not to have to wait for a fresh batch in the store.

The FE-26 was extremely simple, most complex part was a transistor voltage converter. Except this were just power on/off switch, aperture table and test button with neon charge indicator. Probably for the first time in the USSR, instead of non-removable Ni-Cd batteries, the power source was removable «Квант А316» (Quantum) cells. This was a Soviet designation of AA-type batteries.

Despite the obvious convenience of replaceable batteries, this decision was received ambiguously by Soviet photographers. The problem was the poor availability and low quality of such batteries in the USSR.

The rechargeable Д-0,55 of the other «Электроника» flash units was reliable enough, but Quantum batteries often found themselves completely flat on the store shelf. The alternative was rechargeable AA-size batteries НКГЦ-0,45 (NKGTs-0,45 «Никель-кадмиевый герметичный цилиндрический» Ni-Cd sealed cylindrical), but it was almost a ghost in the Soviet trade system. But even the fresh Quantum batteries demanded 15 seconds recharging when using them with the FE-26.

To top it all off, due to poor design of the battery cover, its locking tabs almost always quickly broke, forcing the case to be secured with tape. However, even these problems did not stop photographers who were buying up the FE-26 in a blink of an eye. There was simply nothing even remotely similar in terms of the totality of characteristics on the Soviet market.

Of course, I bought the FE-26 too in 1987 if remember correct. But because of the А316 battery problem, the В5-24 flash unit still remained my mainstay. I carried FE-26 for “special cases” and after a year sold to somebody or changed for something more useful.

Strictly speaking, a combination of Zenit-4 and FE-26 is absolutely incorrect for collector’s point of view. In 1964, when started the production of camera, and even in 1966 when my example was produced, there were no DC-power one-piece compact flash units in USSR. Outdoor picture taking was possible only with «Луч» (Luch aka «Beam”) series flashes with bulky dry battery «Молния» (Molniya aka “Lightning”) in separate bag or FIL-series made by the  “Norma” factory in Tallinn.

The last family with an electromechanical voltage converter was powered by D-type or 3R12-type Soviet analogues «373» and «КБСЛ» batteries. A self-respecting collector wouldn’t put a 1980s flash in the shoe of a 1966 camera. But I have never seen autonomous FIL flashes in my entire career, and the Molniya battery for the quite affordable “Luch” today is unrealistic even in dreams. That’s why I used familiar FE-26, which oddly enough fit even better than the flashed originally intended.

Based on the results of the shooting, one can even say that both devices are just made for each other. No one Soviet SLR fits for FE-26 better than Zenit-4 and vice versa. Correct working, the camera’s selenium meter allows easy ambient light and flash exposure control. First of all you must focus the lens and combine arrows in camera viewfinder, rotating the wheel at the top cover. After that need to find the f-number corresponding to the correct  distance using aperture table on the flash right side.

The Zenit-4 allows the fast and simple choice of correct f-stop and shutter speed combination by rotating two levers on the bayonet barrel. Choose the correct aperture and shutter speed ring will automatically rotate to corresponding value. That’s all, you can push the button! As we know, the Zenit-4 can be used for flash photography at any shutter speed. In my case with Fomapan 100 the combination was 1/500 and f/4. That would be an almost impossible shutter sync speed for any other Soviet SLR.

The next surprise was the recharging time. It’s just funny to compare modern AA-size batteries “Ladda” by IKEA with Soviet “Quantum”. Of course, I am now spoiled by modern flash units, which capable for shooting at 10-12 frames per second frequency. I just forgot that in my hands old Soviet device, designed for 15-second recharging interval, and no light to indicate it was ready to shoot. But no one picture without flash light appeared on the developed film! Moreover, my attempts to make reference shot without flash failed.

Modern flash units don’t work when turned off, but with the FE-26 you must push test button after turning off to use up charge. Otherwise, the flash will fire even when turned off. How fast I forgot this when I changed to Japanese equipment!

The sun was shining in my face and was so bright that the light of the flash was not visible, even by left eye open. I continuously asked the model if the flash fired. It is quite clear that the firing of the switched-off flash went unnoticed. I was surprised by the lens, which surpassed all Soviet analogues known to me. Strong lens flares in any case of backlight were usual even for multi coated lenses. But the Vega-3 does not give any glare, it’s amazing! Just a slight reflection from the camera’s interior.

As a result, I was again convinced that the FE-26 was the event for Soviet photo industry, despite the long-standing leadership of Estonian “FILs”. It’s strange, but almost no one collects Soviet photographic flashes, although the history of their development is no less interesting than that of the USSR’s cameras. There is almost no information about them and even the years and place of release are not really known.

Maybe only Vladimir Zverev has decent collection of Soviet flash units. His book «Фотовспышки» (Photographic flash units) contains very interesting stories about this area of industrial activity in the USSR. His list of produced Soviet photographic flashes must be most complete and more than 90% of listed are unknown for me. It is worth remembering that the best of them were supplied not to the domestic market, but to the countries of the Eastern Bloc.

At the finish of my tale I must make an important statement. Never use any Soviet flashes with any Western camera! Never, never and never!! Almost all Soviet units pass the entire charge of the capacitor through the sync contact. In most cases the high voltage (up 300 volts) goes through the camera!

The mechanical contacts of Soviet cameras remain safe, but in everyone else’s cameras the flash is synchronised by microchip processor. It burns immediately by high voltage discharge. Soviet photographic flashes are only good in the shoe of cameras from USSR or on the shelf. And the «Электроника ФЭ-26 Данко» will decorate any collection.