fidget
Lemon magnet
So, it's come round again. The need to thin down my kit. Apart from a few M42 bodies mainly faulty and a couple of F70s which would not fetch anywhere near their worth, I've got a box full of FSU gear. Surely I could part with a few of them? I really only use a small part of my FSU kit for fun now and then.
So, what to sell
(bearing in mind that I don't NEED to sell anything, they don't fetch that much!)
I know, the Zorki 4K that I've only run one film through, much preferring the knob winder of my plain old 4. Doesn't need to have anything done to it, just a good check over.
My better FED3b, one of the few FSU cams to never need anything doing to it (other than a tickle to the RF). Still got a nice 3b to be repaired and I prefer the knob wind of my 3a anyway. (There's a pattern here)
My mint black FED2d. Still got my shelf queen 2b in blue (yer not anywhere till you've got a blue2, y'know. Well OK, maybe a red one ...or a green one hmmm, and what about that grey one)
But the FED2d has a niggly little problem where it occasionally skips a frame before it cocks. It ain't my favourite.
Now I just can't offer a cam with a fault like this on RFF can I? Even an FSU (where you might expect a...er...umm...."feature" or two). It's what makes them unique after all.
So started an hour studying what was happening. I twigged what it was and was able to make a quite simple repair. Fixed!!
But what's that? Now it has what looks like shutter bounce, giving extra exposure on the left of the film gate. Back to the first fix to see what's a common thing here, had the restrictor gear off, clean it up and try a new position etc....
A few tries later and it works like a dream. Can't find any problem on it at all, could be worth running a film through, just to be sure.
Funny thing....now it's working, and very well too, it looks a lot nicer than before.
Now I've shot off a few of the frames of the test film whilst walking in the park, it feels really good. How could I sell this. Revised sale plan ahead.
Well so much for the ruthless salesman in me
I think that I know what is happening here. These things aren't (just) photographic tools, or cool retro kit to be seen with. They are tabletop adventures. Mechanical puzzles. Brain teasers. Therapy.
A success in the operating theatre creates a sort of bond.
Is this common here?
So, what to sell
(bearing in mind that I don't NEED to sell anything, they don't fetch that much!)I know, the Zorki 4K that I've only run one film through, much preferring the knob winder of my plain old 4. Doesn't need to have anything done to it, just a good check over.
My better FED3b, one of the few FSU cams to never need anything doing to it (other than a tickle to the RF). Still got a nice 3b to be repaired and I prefer the knob wind of my 3a anyway. (There's a pattern here
)My mint black FED2d. Still got my shelf queen 2b in blue (yer not anywhere till you've got a blue2, y'know. Well OK, maybe a red one ...or a green one hmmm, and what about that grey one)
But the FED2d has a niggly little problem where it occasionally skips a frame before it cocks. It ain't my favourite.
Now I just can't offer a cam with a fault like this on RFF can I? Even an FSU (where you might expect a...er...umm...."feature" or two). It's what makes them unique after all.
So started an hour studying what was happening. I twigged what it was and was able to make a quite simple repair. Fixed!!
But what's that? Now it has what looks like shutter bounce, giving extra exposure on the left of the film gate. Back to the first fix to see what's a common thing here, had the restrictor gear off, clean it up and try a new position etc....
A few tries later and it works like a dream. Can't find any problem on it at all, could be worth running a film through, just to be sure.
Funny thing....now it's working, and very well too, it looks a lot nicer than before.
Now I've shot off a few of the frames of the test film whilst walking in the park, it feels really good. How could I sell this. Revised sale plan ahead.
Well so much for the ruthless salesman in me
I think that I know what is happening here. These things aren't (just) photographic tools, or cool retro kit to be seen with. They are tabletop adventures. Mechanical puzzles. Brain teasers. Therapy.
A success in the operating theatre creates a sort of bond.
Is this common here?
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Spider67
Well-known
After my last "thinning down to the essentials" my hoard had grown by 4 cameras and three lenses......
Especially when I take into account all these test rolls I shot just to be sure......
Especially when I take into account all these test rolls I shot just to be sure......
wolves3012
Veteran
Hmmm...I hear a similar tale in my head. I've got one or more of each of the major FED and Zorki models, except a FED3b and a Zorki 2 (rare beast that is). I did decide a while back to change direction and keep only the bottom-loaders (which I prefer). That's how come the FED 3b went, along with the early FED 2.
Then a revised plan came along, I realised that they've all been "fettled" and work nicely. No, I don't use some of them often but...the ones I don't *want* to keep are common and low-value models so I won't make a killing by selling them.
Now I just need another 3b to complete the "set" again (plus the ever-elusive Zorki 2!).
I've enjoyed the tinkering along the way, regardless. There's a satisfaction in getting a near-working or basket-case into full, smooth functioning again and there's always that niggling, minor "fault" to sort out on a rainy day!
Then a revised plan came along, I realised that they've all been "fettled" and work nicely. No, I don't use some of them often but...the ones I don't *want* to keep are common and low-value models so I won't make a killing by selling them.
Now I just need another 3b to complete the "set" again (plus the ever-elusive Zorki 2!).
I've enjoyed the tinkering along the way, regardless. There's a satisfaction in getting a near-working or basket-case into full, smooth functioning again and there's always that niggling, minor "fault" to sort out on a rainy day!
Blake Werts
Established
"Therapy" is the perfect word!
SCOTFORTHLAD
Slow learner,but keen!
I know exactly where you are coming fromI am pretty inept on the repair front,but find myself coming back to these cameras time after time.I have sold on too many of them following the route to 'something better',but have always reconsidered and returned.
Perhaps it's a generational thing for me--'make do and mend',or even 'Cold War and Le Carre',but somehow they give me more pleasure than any other.
Cheers,
Brian.
I am pretty inept on the repair front,but find myself coming back to these cameras time after time.I have sold on too many of them following the route to 'something better',but have always reconsidered and returned.Perhaps it's a generational thing for me--'make do and mend',or even 'Cold War and Le Carre',but somehow they give me more pleasure than any other.
Cheers,
Brian.
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