FSU lame duck syndrome

[fidget]

Like many here, I've ended up with far more FSU rf cameras than I had ever imagined I would want. It's not a bad thing, for me, anyway. I've had lots of fun playing with them and have become at least part-proficient in repairing a few models. On top of all this, they didn't cost a great deal (each), although their cumulative cost must equal the cost of a proper camera kit.
I have recently "tired" of the constant battle to get them working and have taken a break and have a much overdue determination to take more images and improve my technique and work flow.
I got an CV R2. It's very nice and I can continue to play with my FSU lenses when I want....but less about this...I decided to cull my "collection" and set about deciding which to sell off 🙁. Then it occurred to me that quite contrary to my recollections of constantly fighting my kit, most of my FSU kit works very well, perfectly or has a feature which is easy to ignore/work around. My FED 2 stash are all in perfect order, yet I don't use them. What I have actually spent my time doing is moving on to a new challenge (in FSU repair terms) and a new (usually faulty) camera. Those which were fully usable were resigned to the shelf. So it seems that I have selected and then struggled with the lame ducks in my care. How I envy those who can get to work with an outfit and aren't side tracked by collector GAS.

Is adding a Bessa R2 part of my recovery or yet more GAS........😕

Dave.....

 

[Spyderman]

Hi Dave,

your story is just like mine. I buy FSU cam, repair them and put on shelf. For real shooting I use my R2. For me it's the VF that attracts me to R2. The FSU don't even have framelines... and R2 has such beautiful bright finder...
(I even bought a CV 50mm external finder, but it doesn't fit the Zorki... 🙁)

But I'm trying to fight this habit, and today I loaded my Zorki 1 and took it with me to work. After work I plan to do some shooting with this little gem.

My advice is: load some of them with film and keep at least one with you at all times.

 

[lubitel]

I had a bunch of "kind of working fsu gear" and when I got tired of it I got the Bessa R. I still love to shoot with the fed 2 once in a while. And when I feel like tinkering I try to fix a fed 3a which is not working. I think your R2 purchase is part of the recovery 😉

 

[Valkir1987]

The same problem here, I bought and repaired many of them now, and I only use some of them. The camera I use to shoot is now a Fed 1f which I try to take with me most of the time.
You start with one camera, you know there are other cheap ones around, and before you know you have a collection. Its hard to choose a camera to shoot with, and I don't get the time to get used to one specific camera. It's like driving in a different car each day. But it keeps inspiring me. Most of the times I use a rangefinder, the other time the Zenits or Prakticas.

 

[rbeverag]

Me Too

Me Too

Add me to the club. I just enjoy the tinkering. I love being able to take old junk and make it workable again. My Feds are backup cameras for use in places where I don't want to take the M3. A 1G is always in my vehicle. An NKVD is awaiting a new shutter. A Fed 3 is on it's way to me. Then there are a Zenit B, E, and 11, all in need of some minor attention.

Roger

 

[varjag]

At risk of sounding obvious: keep those that you want to keep and sell the rest 🙂 E.g. am sure you can do with only one specimen of FED-2. If there are cameras that have very low chance of seeing film run through them, sell them too.

 

[fidget]

I'm happy to see that I am not on my own.
My Kiev recently gave an unexpected frame overlap on one film. I think that this problem is down to an incomplete wind-on, but even so is very annoying.
So to kick off the cull, all my Kievs can go (these alone were almost a complete cure for GAS) and a few of my unused and probably never-will-be-used examples like the FED4, FED5 Zorki 4K and so on. (Look out for the ads)
But, a nice FED2 is a pleasure....and three of em are even better. Someday I could make a gift of one or two to family or friends..........

 

[murrayatuptown]

I call them headache cams.

I stopped at one (Moskva 5).

 

[Mikael.N]

Bad luck guys i have a kiev 2 perfect condition no problem perfect framing i trust that camera and for lenses i have j3 j8 j9 j11 lovley picture taker what more can i ask for.The j3 came with a kiev 4a now i have that body for colour film.no lame duck here

 

[gb hill]

I guess I am opposite. I have a roll of film in my Fed 2 right now. I have used the bessa R a few times since I got it. Don't get me wrong I love everything about the bessa over the fsu's It's just when I load a roll of film into a camera I tend to carry that around til the roll is spent. My biggest problem is that some days, I may have my camera with me, but I just don't see anything to strike my fancy.🙁 I have some events comming up that I wan't to carry my bessa with me. I am awaiting a roll from my Canonet right now. I tucked it away real fast so I wouldn't be tempted to load film in it.🙂

 

[vrgard]

Guess I've just been lucky since both my Kiev cameras and all the various lenses I have purchased for them have worked just fine. I don't say this to challenge others' experiences nor to brag about mine but simply to let readers know that one can have positive experiences with fsu cameras, particularly if one is careful about the source of your equipment. That combined with the incredible bargain price of this gear still makes me recommend fsu gear to others.

-Randy

 

[eli griggs]

I'm still in the collecting users stage, and though I have eight to ten plus Feds I don't yet feel the need consider which are to stay and what is to go. I still have minor adjustments and repairs to learn to do so I can keep my gear in good order and shake out the keepers.

I also have some Fed stuff to add to my assortment; an example of a Fed 4, a 35mm and wider lenses, a fast Jupiter 'normal' lens and a Fed collapsable as my Industar is too tight a fit on the Fed 2s and I don't want to grind in a channel. I don't want or need a Fed 1 or super early Fed 2.

The main reason I have so many Feds is my first purchase was six cameras w/ lenses, for a big discount on shipping and because I kept reading how hit and miss it was with usable FSU kit. I also bought one or two pairs so I could make the most of price shipping to get two Fed 3a's and filters I wanted. I was able to do this before the prices really went up last year.

Two American sellers helped fill out my list with Fed 5's a turret viewfinder, 85 and 135 Jupiters, spare Industar 61 LDs, etc.

The funny thing is all of these cameras seemingly only need the usual small adjustments written about here. No pin holed or funky curtains, shutter speeds that are mostly correct and viewfinders that are intact. Plenty to learn on.

I suppose the only thing I feel is out of place is my desire to try out other LTM kit as I can. Maybe a Canon or Leica IIIf and a few non-FSU lenses. FSU LTMs are the slippery slope and I'm still enjoying the ride!!!

Eli

PS - Did I mention the Iskra that gave me folder fever...😉

 

[atelier7]

i think it's a hit and miss affair with FSU cams in terms of a nice working sample. (I've had fed 2 x2, zorki 3c x2, zorki 1, kiev 4AM, zorki 4k)
Mostly, I buy them cos they feel "right"... it's a poor comparison, but its the same way I felt about my Leica IIIc.
But as with any old camera (even my IIIC), you almost certainly need a CLA.
If you're good at tinkering with things and have the tools, it's a fun exercise.
If you need to send it out to be done by someone else, the costs can add up.
I figured I'm probably better off with a Bessa R for actual photo taking. but still I can't avoid the siren call of FSU cams.... I just received a Fed 2. The camera is in great shape apart from 2 tiny rust spots, but the lens is a paperweight! Someone took it apart and put it back wrongly! Talk about 50:50 probability!

 

[ruben]

I propose all folks here with surplus PERFECT FSU cameras, to put them for sale at CORRESPONDING PRICES.

For example, do you have a CLA perfect and tested Kiev 4 from the 60's ? Sell it at RFF for $150~200. Stand behind your work, and you will find the corresponding folk looking for it, with some patience.

Time has come to end the $40 non working camera.

But just one thing. A PERFECTLY working camera, for such a price, is nothing less than perfect.

Cheers,
Ruben

 

[patrickhh]

I have an acquaintance who is a FSU collector freak and is right now working on CLA my two Fed-2's. If he does a good job, I will have two good Fed-2's next week, one of them in almost perfect condition ;-)

 

[fidget]

It's good to hear that we can get these cameras in good shape, even buy them like that or pay (for you rich types) to get them sorted. But for the tinkerers among us, having got one working and pretty, do you move on to another?

 

[wolves3012]

I started with a Zorki 1 that was just so cute I had to try one...then was quite shocked at how good the pics were. It lead to an NKVD, which lead to a FED 2 and 3A....and then to the the thought of "heck, why not get the full set?".

Most of them have turned up off the bay in working or semi-working order but I like to tinker, so most have had some work, even if it was just an RF calibration and a general lube. Now they are all 100% working and working nicely too, bar the NKVD. Once one is A-OK I move on to another but they're all being used or will be, they don't just sit on a shelf.

They keep me out of trouble (unless too many land on the step at short intervals!), give me something to do on a rainy day and give me the sense of satisfaction of having got them working as intended. It's also a relatively cheap hobby, the lot have cost me less than a single Leica!

Just need that elusive Z-3 now...and maybe a J9...and....

 

[eli griggs]

I am currently shooting a Fed 3a and a Fed 2 that I shimmed to 28.8 and adjusted and I likely will do more work on perfecting my shimming and adjusting on additional Feds when I have a bit more open time for playing at repairman. Though I thoroughly enjoy the small things that I can do to keep Feds going, the pleasure of learning to use each camera to best advantage is what I'm after.

To be sure, my camera repair skills are pretty primitive, as witnessed by a savaged GTN Greyhoundman just put back together for me.:bang:

A big part of the reason I'm in no rush to 'finish up' is that I am shooting any number of cameras at any one time. Today for example, a medium bag carries a Minolta Autocord, A Sawyer's mk4, a Diana, a XA2, an Iskra and a small Canon digital. This goes out the door with a shouldered Hi-matic 9 or a F1N wearing a 28-85 macro or a Yashica GS.

The Feds generally travel solo or with a small bag with LTM lenses, filters, etc.

This group sports Neopan 100, Tri-X 400, Ekfe 25, Ekfe 100, Pan F, Arista Edu.Ultra and Pan-X.

Color film gives me hives.😀

Cameras I have yet to include in rotation include a pair of Kodak Ponys, B & C, a Starmite II, a Ricoh 35ZF, a Ricohflex VI, etc, etc, etc...

So far all of these are substantially different in handling (and hopefully results) and none more so the Feds. I take the viewpoint that the different cameras and lenses are like paintbrushes and each leaves a different mark on film. Having just gotten my darkroom up and running, I still have the joy of learning what each camera will do with a range of films. Given that I am still working on a backlog of b&w films and prints, I figure I'll have a good idea about what's what in about 9-12 months.

It may be that I'll eventually rotate Feds out of my active shooting but for now it's all fun and games and I susect it's that way for a lot of us here at Rangefinderforum.com😉

 

[ruben]

Hi Eli,
I definitely support your attitude. You will break more cameras nontheless. But, if you take into account that your skills will grow and grow, at due time you will be able to return to those broken cameras and fix them back. Nothing is permanently lost. Only temporarely.

Cheers,
Ruben