Do you have a Fed with 1/4" tripod hole?

[yek]

I have thought all the Fed's and Zorki's, and maybe Kiev's, have 3/8" tripod hole. I think that's what I have read on most FSU rf websites. But today, when I was looking at the bottom plate of my Fed 3b, I found something interesting --- the tripod hole is smaller than my Fed 2's. I then tried to attach a quick-release plate on it. The plate has a 1/4" screw, and it screwed in smoothly.

In any other aspect, it looks to be a very common Fed 3b. And I don't have a lot of Fed-s or Zorki-s. So I feel it quite strange because all the information from the web seems to confirm they only have 3/8" holes. 🙂

Am I lucky enough to have a very special Fed, or there are really a lot of Fed-s that, like this one, have 1/4" tripod holes? 😕

Cheers!

 

[Spyderman]

There are versions with 3/8 and 1/4. Maybe the 1/4 were export versions (?).
I have Zorki 4, Kiev 4 and FED 3 with 1/4, but I also had a Zorki 4, FED 2, Zorki 3C and Zorki 1 with 3/8.

Who uses these on a tripod anyway 😀

 

[Kim Coxon]

I thought I had a rare one and then I took the adapter bush out that came fitted to the camera. 😱

Kim

 

[Rodinal Addict]

My Fed 2 has 3/8", my 3b has a 1/4". The backs interchange, so i can use either on a tripod. Witness the power of the Fed System!

 

[wolves3012]

My 3a has a 3/8" but my 3b has 1/4", as do my FEDs 4 and 5. Later Zorkis also have 1/4" - my 4K has 1/4" but my '62 4 has 3/8". I think it's just a case of later production having 1/4" as it became the "standard"

 

[yek]

Hey, thanks! It seems all your 3b's have 1/4". I am so disappointed. 🙄

Not bad. At least I have a way to mount my fed 2 on the tripod. Some day it can be useful. No shop around has the "tripod hole converters". 🙁

 

[Nickfed]

This seems to be a bit variable. I got a story years ago about "export" Zorkis having 1/4" . I don't think it's true. My Zorki 6 with latin script, which I guess implies export and I understand not common anyway, has 3/8". I suspect 1/4" just came into general usage in the late 60s. It seems to be standard on Zorki 4K.

Ironically my serious tripod is 3/8" but I don't use FSUs on it.

 

[Keith]

Hey, thanks! It seems all your 3b's have 1/4". I am so disappointed. 🙄

Not bad. At least I have a way to mount my fed 2 on the tripod. Some day it can be useful. No shop around has the "tripod hole converters". 🙁

I remember reading a thread and someone wrote that you can get something from a hardware store that is the same .... wish I could remember more about that thread! 😀

 

[zorroflores]

here is one threaded reducer: http://www.filmtools.com/brasthreadre.html

 

[USSRPhoto]

I just ordered 3 of these little adapters for my FEDs from Fedka for $3 each. Just FYI if anyone looking for some..

Vlad
http://www.ussrphoto.com

 

[yek]

Thank you for the help. 🙂 I know Fedka and other stores have it. But they are just too far away and postage is pricy. I don't need it very much at the moment. Someday if I want to buy lens or camera from them, will consider buying several adapters in the set.

🙂

 

[Nickfed]

You can d-i-y it quite painlessly. I use a 3/8 wing nut and a 1/4 setscrew off an old tripod, spaced by an aluminium box section. You just do it the other way round!

http://homepages.ihug.com.au/~npyner/jazz.jpg