So I bought a Fed-3 on Ebay...

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ThreeToedSlothLuke

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with an Industar 61 lens. I've never used a rangefinder before but this one does have a nice "heft" to it. It just seems to feel right in my hands. So anyway, I put in a roll of Kodak 200 and gave it a testing.
In all the photos there's a pattern of lights in the rightmost third of the photo from about one-third from the top of the frame and there's a bit more at the bottom of the frame. The two photos are examples of this.

I suspect a light leak. Could it be something else? If it is a leak is it worth sending this $12.00 camera off to be CLA'd? (Here I'm thinking Oleg or Fedka unless someone can recommend another option). Or would I be better of buying a body from Fedka or perhaps even an older Leica, say a IIIc or IIIf, from KEH?
 

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Probably pinholes in the shutter curtain

Probably pinholes in the shutter curtain

It is probably pinholes in the shutter curtain. With the lens and the back off, check to see if light shines through the curtains. Try the shutter coked and uncocked. I used some black "grip" paint from the hardware store to patch holes in my Fed shutter curtain. The stuff is intended to be used for making plastic grips for handtools. It solved my problem.

Ken
 
Thanks Ken. With the shutter cocked I can see several areas of the shutter curtain that's leaking light; quite a bit more than just pinholes. I'd be a bit concerned about applying grip paint to that much area of the curtain. It looks as though it could just "go" at any time.
 
There are several different things which are typically used to fill pinholes. Several people on the list have had good luck with a "liquid electrical tape", although I have never tried that. I have had good luck with a high density artist's acrylic pigment, M Graham & Co Mars Black.

The trick is to use very little, and to rub it into the fabric where the pinholes are. I do this with a fingertip, with a second finger supporting the curtain on the other side so there is not much stress on the fabric. It dries in about five minutes. If you use too much of any of these compounds, the shutter will become too stiff, which can slow down its operation, and may jam. I have done this for a number of cameras over about five years, and the first camera I did it on is still light tight and reliable.

Of course the really correct way of dealing with the problem is to replace the curtains. I have never attempted this job on a FED 3, so I have no clue how difficult it would be. There are many very capable repair people who can handle this job, but the repair is likely to cost far more than the camera presumably did.

Cheers,
Dez
 
Definitely pinholes and using liquid electrical tape etc is a temporary repair, although it can last some while. You need to decide if you like it enough to get a proper repair, either now or in the future. If you're a dab hand at mechanical things, it can be done for the price of shuttercloth and your time. If not, it'll certainly cost more than the nominal value of the camera. Is it a FED 3a or 3b (3b has a lever-wind)?
 
Wolves, it's a 3b.
I'm going to try the liquid electrical tape when I can find some; my local DIY doesn't have any. If that solution keeps it going for a while then good. By the time the shutter really needs replacing I will have decided if I like RFs and want to get another FSU or step up to a used Bessa/Leica.
If that happens then I may try to fix the Fed using the guide on FED Survival Guide. At that point what difference could my screwing up possibly make?
 
ThreeToedSlothLuke said:
Wolves, it's a 3b.
I'm going to try the liquid electrical tape when I can find some; my local DIY doesn't have any. If that solution keeps it going for a while then good. By the time the shutter really needs replacing I will have decided if I like RFs and want to get another FSU or step up to a used Bessa/Leica.
Click to expand...
Seems a reasonable thing to do!
ThreeToedSlothLuke said:
If that happens then I may try to fix the Fed using the guide on FED Survival Guide. At that point what difference could my screwing up possibly make?
Click to expand...

Well, for your particular camera, screwing up would be just that. However, A FED 3b isn't exactly a rare piece of irreplaceable history! FWIW, the 3b doesn't have any nasty surprises lurking for the unwary disassembler. Only the slow-speed escapement needs any great caution.
 
Thanks for the advice. A few layers of liquid electrical tape seemed to have fixed that problem. At least for a while.
I don't want to buy another camera just yet. I feel I need to improve my 'eye' rather than acquire gadgets. Or is that heresy?
 
Sheer heresy,everyone here knows you can't take worthy picture 'til you've
drained your bank account looking for that magic bullet!! (Well,that's my take on it anyway). Ahhh, if I only had your good sense.
Regards,Peter
 
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