Fed-1g: Worth CLA?

[mike goldberg]

Hi All,
My son brought me from Yerevan, what appears to be a Fed-1g, according to the Wayne Cornell Fed list. Scroll down to 3rd camera in Link:

http://home.att.net/~wayne.cornell/camera/fedlist.html

The Fed-1g opens from the bottom to one side like a Leica, and there appears to be some damage there; I cannot get it open. Further, I'm wondering if the Fed 50/3.5 collapsible Elmar type, is a fixed lens?

Does anyone have experience with this model? Personally, were I to invest in an Oleg CLA, I'd rather it be with my Fed-2b... for quieter and smoother operation.

Thanks and cheers,
mike

 

[Xmas]

Mike

The offspring seems to like his dad.
The 1g is real nice, if it does not work then there are on line manuals.
The baseplate may be tight or the latch may have failed I'll look at mine this afternoon. Is there any movement in the base plate at the latch end? The latch might not survive force. The 2b is merely bigger, longer rangefinder base, it is the same otherwise.

http://jay.fedka.com/

Noel

 

[payasam]

If you were to try gently to unscrew the lens, Mike, you would know. As for having the camera fixed, you could either evaluate the cost of the camera and that of the fix -- or else you could consider that after a CLA by Oleg you would have a functioning machine for several years.

 

[wolves3012]

Yes that is a 1g. The lens is not fixed - turn it to closest focus then carry on turning (don't use brute force, you shouldn't need to). Interchangeability is not guaranteed depending on the original lens-register. Other lenese should fit but may have focussing issues.

The bottom should open by turning the release half a turn towards the OTKP direction, then that end pops off. If it's forced there could be some damage done but there's really not much option other than taking the insides out from the shell and seeing what's wrong with the release. Not the recommended thing unless you're happy doing such things, although not difficult.

As for repair, the 1g isn't particularly rare, so you need to weigh the repair cost against the value it'll have. Saying that, it's always nice to see one more FSU put into use rather than scrapped. Let us know what happens and good luck!

 

[mike goldberg]

Thanks guys... I DID get the bottom plate off.

Next, I'll try to remove the lens, but not with brute force. The appeal of this camera is in its small size with the collapsible lens. If the 50/3.5 Elmar type delivers good pix, I'd be inclined to leave it there on the body.

I can FEEL in the stiff winding and thwack of the 1g's shutter, that CLA is needed. What I don't like in the design of this early Fed model is simply this:

The back is NOT removable like later model Feds...

Nor does the back flip up like a Leica. In other words, I cannot see the shutter curtains from the rear.

Further, I like the Fed 2b with its long R/F base very much, and it's a great shooter. I'm thinking more and more of going the $40- for Oleg CLA + $20- return shipping... so that it will quieter and smoother.

As for my son, he respects my choices, and he shoots digital 🙄
Cheers, mike

 

[POSTI-Tuomo]

I think the Fed deserves to be resurrected. Go for the Oleg option.

 

[wolves3012]

Mike, if you want to see the back of the curtains, it's pretty easy to take the shutter crate out of the body shell - 6 screws around the top plate periphery, 4 on the body front, and 4 on the lens mount, then lift the crate out gently while pushing the rangefinder cam into the body. If you decide to go ahead, just be aware that the lens mount has 2 retainers inside the body, these can be a fiddle to get back in after. Also note that the mount MUST go back in the same position it came off and that there are probably paper shims under it which must also go back EXACTLY as you found them (make notes!). When you remove the crate the pressure plate will also fall out, there are 2 thin springs behind it that sit in recesses, don't lose them!

It's not a hard job to do and while you're in there you could do some basic CLA stuff. There are good sites showing you how it's done, Jay Javier's (ZorkiKat on here) is superb. I recommend you visit and have a look:
http://jay.fedka.com/

 

[POSTI-Tuomo]

Those retainers are the hardest part during reassembly. A small dab of glue will hold them in place better than your fingers.

 

[dee]

It depends upon your priorities - an Oleged fed 1 g will cost around $65 - and you will have maybe , a camera which is less easy to use -
My Fed 2c from Oleg is a delight - he had previously cla'd two Fed 1g's for me [ in ''black Leica '' guise ] and no way are they as smooth as my Fed 2 ...
But I had the option ... the Fed 2 is the better camera to use - but I love my Leica pretenders 'cos they are more ''vintage '' ...