Do I have a i-61 or i-61LD?

B

blacknoise

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Hey there,

I was looking at Princelle's book and it says that some of the silver/black i61's are the LD without markings (unless im reading it wrong :S) and that some Fed 4's had the LD lens. My FED 4 has a lens which is marked N-61 2,8/53 with a fed logo. The serial is 9011167, I have read on the net somewhere (cant find the link now) that serials starting like this could be the LD, is this the case?

The S/N of my camera is 038021 if this helps.

Thanks

Rob
 
From what I've read/heard, all 61's had Lanthanum glass and the 61LD was just a rebadging with a different finish. Most people seem to prefer the silver/black (Panda) version of the lens as build quality is usually better than the all-black LD.
 
ahhh, thinking about it, thats what the book seems to imply.

I do prefer the look of the older ones (mine has alternating silver/black rings), could do with a CLA tho, has a bit of an issue with the grease in the focusing helical. But I recall seeing a guide on the net and it looked easy enough. So might give it a shot :)

Thanks for that clarification :)

Rob
 
"But I recall seeing a guide on the net and it looked easy enough."

Easy as pie. I am the world's least practical fella - if I can do it, anyone can.
 
haha, well I could do the CLA on my Zorki easy enough :p

Ive got it stripped down to the distance scale, problem is I cant seem to shift the screws holding it on :(

Any ideas?
 
Thanks for the link to Matt Denton's site SimonK. He breaks it down very clearly. I have a LD61 and it has that smooth, then tight, then smooth focus issue. Time to pull it apart and get it ship shape.
 
yeah, thats the guide im using. Im stuck at the point where I need to remove the distance scale (well, it says you can leave it on and still get at the helical limiting screw, but I cant seem to), but I cant remove the distance scale because the screws seem stuck. Any ideas how I can remove them?
 
It sounds like a plain I-61. I have one too and prefer the pictures to the I-61 LD I have. This is a big shame really because I moved country recently and found that my beloved plain I-61 now has fungus on the lens...

I even want to get the I-61 LZ which is the Industar 61 with an M42 thread for SLRs (Am I a heretic for mentioning this here? ;))
 
I can't help you with those pesky screws. I have 'done' three lenses and found that judiciously applied brute force seemed to shift them. Of course, they don't have to be completely removed, just loosened.
 
A drop of WD40 always helps when loosening stuck screws. But don't apply directly from the can, spray it in the cap and apply by a toothpick.
 
hey

Tried the trick with the oil, worked a treat :)

I managed to lube up the helical, now it feels smooth. But still rather heavy. Any idea what the problem is? Ive tried a disassembly and cleaning off some of the excess grease. The stuff i used is "servisol silicone grease" from Maplin electronics.

Thanks for all the help so far guys :)

Rob
 
I've got the Panda version on my Fed 4 (8979471) and it has the same issue of not very smooth focusing. However I dont trust myself doing a cla. Do these ease up with use?
Does the serial number refer to date of production. This is my 2nd Fed 4, and IMHO the Fed 4 is my favorite late Fed user... smooth film advance and even a fairly accurate meter. Just wish it had a bigger and brighter VF ...
 
Kapa said:
I've got the Panda version on my Fed 4 (8979471) and it has the same issue of not very smooth focusing. However I dont trust myself doing a cla. Do these ease up with use?
Does the serial number refer to date of production. This is my 2nd Fed 4, and IMHO the Fed 4 is my favorite late Fed user... smooth film advance and even a fairly accurate meter. Just wish it had a bigger and brighter VF ...
Click to expand...

In my experience they don't ease up. After a number of years, the grease gets waxy. The only solution it to relube the lens. The serial number does not refer to the date of production on a Fed lens (I-10, I-26, I-61). They had their own scheme ... I haven't been able to figure it out, but it isn't date of production.
 
What's the word on the I 69 quality wise? Would it work on my Bessa R (besides the frame line issue)? Looks like a fun lens and ridiculously cheap.
 
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CCCPcamera said:
What's the word on the I 69 quality wise? Would it work on my Bessa R (besides the frame line issue)? Looks like a fun lens and ridiculously cheap.
Click to expand...
They are a very sharp and contrasty lens. Try to avoid the last-made ones since they are poorly made (based on my samples). The "Panda" version (black/silver) is probably the best for manufacturing quality. Count on a re-lube, I've yet to find an I-26 or I-61 that didn't need it but it really isn't a difficult job - just messy!

EDIT: I'm assuming you meant an I-61. I don't think there is an I-69.
 
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