FED 3

gramps

gramps

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In a moment of what somebody here recently called “old git-itis” I pulled the trigger on very nice FED 3, with Jupiter 2/50 lens, which arrived yesterday.
It looks pretty much immaculate and subject to putting a film through it everything seems to work fine.
I have a couple of queries that hopefully one of you nice knowledgeable chaps can help with.

1. The dial above the film advance counter
shows film type and film speed (ASA).

Am I correct in saying that these are for
information only and have no functional
purpose?

2. The B<>C dial in between the film counter
dial and shutter speed dial. Raised
toward C for taking photos and press
down toward B to rewind. Is that correct?

IMG_1883.jpegIMG_1884.jpegIMG_1885.jpeg
 
I think the answer is yes, and yes. I have one myself. Although, I've yet to run a film through it. It's a clean, well made camera. Also the viewfinder has a diopter, which is a real boon.
 
Plain Nev said:
I think the answer is yes, and yes. I have one myself. Although, I've yet to run a film through it. It's a clean, well made camera. Also the viewfinder has a diopter, which is a real boon.
Click to expand...
Great, thanks.
I've found the diopter and I know not to change shutter speed without first winding on.
Any other useful tips gratefully received. :)
 
gramps said:
1. The dial above the film advance counter
shows film type and film speed (ASA).

Am I correct in saying that these are for
information only and have no functional
purpose?
Click to expand...
That's correct.

The dial is actually showing GOST values, the Soviet film speed system. The table here may be of passing interest to you...
 
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I've also got the other FED 3 somewhere. Although, that needs the shutter looking at.
 
gramps said:
...it appears from it that this camera is not showing GOST, but is actually marked in 'ISO Arithmetic Scale'.
Click to expand...
You're quite right, Looking again at your pictures, I can see that.

This page shows a unit with GOST in Cyrillic characters on that dial: (see the close up of the shutter dial and release button with the film speed dial visible to the extreme right) ...

sovietcameras.org

FED-3

FED-3 is a Soviet rangefinder camera manufactured by the FED Kharkov Industrial Engineering Association from 1961 to 1979.
sovietcameras.org sovietcameras.org
 
Plain Nev said:
I've also got the other FED 3 somewhere. Although, that needs the shutter looking at.
Click to expand...
Best do it yourself, not hard, but to get some one to do it will cost many times the value of the camera.
It's possible just re-tensioning might help, depending what the problem is




My 13 year old sone has a FED 4, won't swap it for anything :)
Looks brand new, as does its case.

Very nice cameras.
 
Sangoma said:
Best do it yourself, not hard, but to get some one to do it will cost many times the value of the camera.
It's possible just re-tensioning might help, depending what the problem is




My 13 year old sone has a FED 4, won't swap it for anything :)
Looks brand new, as does its case.

Very nice cameras.
Click to expand...

Well, it is tempting. It is pretty basic in there. But I suspect someone has been playing about with the shutter speeds prior to cocking the shutter.
 
Plain Nev said:
Well, it is tempting. It is pretty basic in there. But I suspect someone has been playing about with the shutter speeds prior to cocking the shutter.
Click to expand...
You have nothing to lose, it doesn't work now, so if it doesn't work after you try, you are no worse off :)

I got my first Zenit in '72, and my Zorki 4K not long after that. I have always had at least one Zenit, and my daughter has two now, and never had a problem, though I'm sure I have forgotten if I have wound the film or not and adjusted the shutter speed first.

The only slightly tricky thing on them is replacing the curtain ribbons.

Give it a go!
 
I was once very keen on these cameras and still have my FED 3a and both models of the Zorki 5. I learned to service them and have replaced a few sets of curtains (I found that very difficult).
The usual problem with a good looking and non-broken unit was shutter fade, necessitating a bit of clean and light lube with retensioning of the curtain springs.
A good way to check for shutter fade (where the second curtain gains or lags the first) is to work the shutter on the fastest speed with the lens off whilst looking through the film gate at an evenly lit surface.... bad fade is fairly easy to see. When exposing frames, try a pair of the same scene with the camera inverted 180 degrees for one frame and compare the images.
 
I think I’m right in saying you have to either set the shutter speed before or after cocking the shutter, I can’t remember which way round is the correct way but doing it wrong can damage the shutter
 
Nebular89 said:
:) I think I’m right in saying you have to either set the shutter speed before or after cocking the shutter, I can’t remember which way round is the correct way but doing it wrong can damage the shutter
Click to expand...
Cock the shutter before changing shutter speed.
 
gramps said:
Put a roll of Ilford FP 125 through it but made a hash of exposure & focus through my inexperience with a rangefinder, though the test seems to show it's doing okay.
Not sure that rangefinder/film is really for me though!


Crazy Duck by Bristol Streets, on Flickr


Lady in a coat by Bristol Streets, on Flickr


Smoker by Bristol Streets, on Flickr


Arcade by Bristol Streets, on Flickr
Click to expand...
I don't think you did bad at all. On the basis that I would put another roll through.
 
gramps said:
Cock the shutter before changing shutter speed.
Click to expand...


How possible/easy is it to fix the problem that getting it wrong causes? Inherited one from FiL many years ago and he'd fnurked it! If it's relatively easy, I'll try fixing it for use for long exposures (start trails and the like.)
 
Paging Sangoma. :D
 
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Nod said:
How possible/easy is it to fix the problem that getting it wrong causes? Inherited one from FiL many years ago and he'd fnurked it! If it's relatively easy, I'll try fixing it for use for long exposures (start trails and the like.)
Click to expand...

It can be very quick ans easy, or it could be not worth the effort, depending a lot on how much force was applied at the time.
Sometimes the pin just needs putting back in the right slot, sometimes the pin is bent or broken off.

Best to do a search on youtube and the net for repairs guides and see if you feel like opening it.
Search for Zenit and Zorki as well, basically the same shutters (horizontal cloth curtain)

You have nothing to lose, it doesn't work, and the lens is probably worth as much on ebay as the whole non-working camera :)
 
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Sangoma said:
I like your results, but what matters is was it enjoyable?
Click to expand...
I can't honestly say it was really Steve.
I didn't feel very relaxed, just wanting to 'put a roll through it' to make sure that it was working okay - and that part is fine.
The wait to see the results and the additional costs that I don't have with digital and there doesn't seem anything to balance that out - for me at least.
 
gramps said:
I can't honestly say it was really Steve.
I didn't feel very relaxed, just wanting to 'put a roll through it' to make sure that it was working okay - and that part is fine.
The wait to see the results and the additional costs that I don't have with digital and there doesn't seem anything to balance that out - for me at least.
Click to expand...
To be blunt, it is probably not worth doing then :)

Earlier this year, I realised I could use my slide scanner to scan negatives, at about the same time my daughter wanted to try one of her Kodak collection, the two came together and realised as well that we could easily develop film at home, and print digitally.
Very obvious really, but had just got locked into the thought that I did not have the space.

Since then she has become quite proficient using a film camera, and developing B&W, I have enjoyed it again, so it has been a worthwhile and fun "project"
She has also got two of her friends (were at university with her) going on film and developing.

If it hadn't been for the fact that she was interested, I doubt if I would have bothered or really enjoyed it.
 
Sangoma said:
To be blunt, it is probably not worth doing then :)

Earlier this year, I realised I could use my slide scanner to scan negatives, at about the same time my daughter wanted to try one of her Kodak collection, the two came together and realised as well that we could easily develop film at home, and print digitally.
Very obvious really, but had just got locked into the thought that I did not have the space.

Since then she has become quite proficient using a film camera, and developing B&W, I have enjoyed it again, so it has been a worthwhile and fun "project"
She has also got two of her friends (were at university with her) going on film and developing.

If it hadn't been for the fact that she was interested, I doubt if I would have bothered or really enjoyed it.
Click to expand...
That sounds a great outcome. (y)
 
Sangoma said:
It can be very quick ans easy, or it could be not worth the effort, depending a lot on how much force was applied at the time.
Sometimes the pin just needs putting back in the right slot, sometimes the pin is bent or broken off.

Best to do a search on youtube and the net for repairs guides and see if you feel like opening it.
Search for Zenit and Zorki as well, basically the same shutters (horizontal cloth curtain)

You have nothing to lose, it doesn't work, and the lens is probably worth as much on ebay as the whole non-working camera :)
Click to expand...


I'll have to ask Mrs Nod where it's been "stored" and see what's going on. A quick dig suggests that cocking the shutter and changing speed a few times sometimes cures the problem but I don't hold much hope of it being as simple as that! Happy to have a gentle dig if needed.
 
Nebular89 said:
I think I’m right in saying you have to either set the shutter speed before or after cocking the shutter, I can’t remember which way round is the correct way but doing it wrong can damage the shutter
Click to expand...
After. Because the indicted speed you want will not be in the correct place until the shutter is cocked.
 
We've been using a Fed 3a over the last couple months and it's been good fun and I've been surprised at the quality of the images although its a lot easier to use at present after changing the stiff Industar 26m lens that came with it originally to a Jupiter 8 one which focuses much easier and the aperture selections stay put. I develop my own b&w film at present and digitise my own negs which is all part of the process. A favourite of mine from the last roll.

Compress_20240211_082814_4505.jpg
 
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