FED 3 and flash sync

[ricklb55]

Just received a FED 3. Serial number 8515596. Everything works good except the flash. I've read that the electronic flash sync on this camera is 1/30. My camera does not fire the flash at 1/30. It does fire the flash at 1/60 and 1/15. 1/15 would probably work but that's very slow and would almost certainly result in some ghosting. Is it possible this camera has been altered to flash sync at 1/60?

 

[wolves3012]

That's odd behaviour, because it should fire the flash at *all* speeds. However, the synchroniser is designed around a speed of 1/30th only, at all other speeds it does not work properly (including slower ones). If that's the speed yours doesn't work at, it's either broken or has been modified in some way.

Not that it makes a difference but is yours a 3a or 3b? The 3a has a stepped top cover and is knob-wound and the 3b is flat right across and lever-wound.

 

[ricklb55]

It's a FED 3B

 

[wolves3012]

Unfortunately, you have 3 options:

1) Take it apart and see if you can fix it (not too difficult).
2) Send it for repair (probably uneconomic).
3) Don't use flash.

None of the FSU focal-plane shutters can be made to synchronise at 1/60th, since the shutter is fully open only at 1/30th and slower. As I said, the synchroniser mechanism is simplified and does not give proper sync at anything under 1/30th either. Zorkis have a "proper" mechanism that works correctly at anything from 1/30th and slower.