FED-2 exposure counter

[shooterSquid]

Hi everyone. I'm new to rangefinders and my first is a FED-2. I just shot a test roll and it seems to work pretty well.

How does the exposure counter thing work? It just turns randomly when I wind the shutter.

Thanks!

 

[januaryman]

You set it to zero after loading the film- when you are ready to start your first shot, advance the film and the counter goes to 1. After your shot, you wind and the counter advances to 2. And so on. Very simple mechanical counter. Be careful you don't move it by accident. I've done so.

 

[shooterSquid]

Ok, mine counter is broken then. It turns the same amount as the winder so it's not counting anything. Do you know how this mechanism works? Maybe I can fix it.

 

[pschauss]

The counter is supposed to turn with the winding knob. The winding knob turns just a bit less than one turn each time you advance the film. Thus, if you start with "0" mark lined up with the arrow on the body and advance one frame, the arrow should be pointing to the "1" mark.

 

[shooterSquid]

Weird, I hadn't tried since I loaded my 2nd roll. I must have messed up something when I put in the 1st roll. But It seems ok now. Thanks guys.

 

[mnmleung]

I forgot to set the exposure counter. What happens if I advance past 36 part way and get stuck? How do I unload the film? Do I "complete" advancing after unloading and fire a blank shot afterwards to reset things? Can I do damage to film / camera ( / pride )? Thank you!

 

[dazedgonebye]

Just keep shooting till you're out of film and keep another roll handy.
We don't need no stikin' counter.

 

[mnmleung]

Sorry, I meant would the winding (not the counter) get stuck part way through and I hit end of film. I am used to Nikon flilm SLRs and from memory if I wind on once too often, I need to press the rewind button and unwind the film, then finish the winding. I probably sound very convoluted. Thanks

 

[nzeeman]

when you hit end of the film and if your winding stops in half, just put lens cap on lens and shoot it(you can shoot even when partly winded) then you release the film for rewinding with that collar around shoot button. then you just rewind the film back...

 

[mnmleung]

thanks nzeeman !

 

[mnmleung]

Assuming my film stops winding in half, and I have a lens cap on.
Is there any significance difference between
(1) shooting it, then release the film for rewinding, and
(2) releasing the film for rewinding, then turn collar from "P" to "S" and winding and shooting it ?
Can I do damage if I chose option (2) absentmindedly?

Thanks again. From Ming