FED 3 Conundrum

[jb17kx]

Hi all,

A while back I finally decided I wanted to try out using a rangefinder, and so I decided on an FSU model as a cheap-and-cheerful way of seeing what I'd think. I ended up with a FED 3 and I-50.

I liked it, but I got the roll back and discovered that the shutter is capping at speeds above 1/15 (though on one or two occasions one of the faster speeds would work).

The conundrum is now the fact that the store that I bought the FED from (and I should point out that both the owner and I couldn't find fault in how the FED operated) has now got a Zorki 2C with a sticky second curtain (it only appears to work properly at 1/500).

I have to say that I like the Zorki 2 better than the FED 3.

So, on the experience of all the people here who are much more experienced with FSU gear than I am, what would you recommend for me? Repairing the FED (I think some of the instructions stickied here might be appropriate) or returning it and getting the Zorki and then repairing it?

I know that some of might say to just buy a new working body from eBay or the like, but almost every FSU body that comes up there is overseas for me, and so postage rates really kill any saving on that front.

 

[Blake Werts]

I encourage repairing it yourself. The knowledge gained from getting this "close" to your particular camera will be both helpful and rewarding.

 

[cysasam]

I second the idea of a DIY CLA. The stickies in this forum help tremendously.

 

[reagan]

I second the idea of a DIY CLA.

Sure, go for it. Just decide which one you like best and dive in. Maybe not what you expected as an "Intro to RFs" but it is rather satisfying to get good pics from a camera you brought back to life. :angel:

 

[jb17kx]

Thanks all.

I'd sort of decided I'd do a DIY CLA, so I'll almost certainly do that now.

Given the faults described above, is there one or the other that would be more or less complex to fix?

 

[reagan]

... is there one or the other that would be more or less complex to fix?

Complexity-wise, I doubt there's much difference. And neither sounds too major, at least to me.

On the Zorki, I'm guessing that it needs some 50 yr. old gunk/old grease cleaned out and replaced with good lube followed by shutter curtain tension adjusting. I don't have a Z.2C, but their shutter shouldn't be much different than what I drive. (see "the Shooters" link below) The Zorkis I've been into (all of mine) just aren't that complicated and FEDs [I've read] are pretty much the same as the Zorks.

There are surely others here who can give you first hand experience with those models and I'm sure they'll chime in. But you like the Zorki 😎 so get the Zorki.

 

[fanshaw]

The Zorki is easier to fix. Provided that the problem is only a sticking shutter curtain then it is only necessary to remove the metal body lower casing to expose the shutter and clean and lubricate the gears and pivots. It is very likely that this will restore proper performance without any need to adjust curtain tensions.

 

[jb17kx]

Cool. Thanks.

I'll go and have a look at it in the next few days (nothing open over Easter, of course) and see what it's like.

 

[wolves3012]

The Zorki 2C is a simpler camera and a sticky shutter isn't likely to be hard to fix. If you like it better then why not go for it? Remember it has no slow speeds though, that may be a consideration for you.

On the other hand a FED3 isn't that hard to pull apart and a capping shutter should also be an easy fix - it almost certainly needs a CLA though. Chances are the second curtain was sticky and someone's just upped the tension to try and fix it, rather that CLA it as it probably needs.

 

[jb17kx]

Well, I went and exchanged the FED for the Zorki today.

It also seems that on speeds below 1/500 the first curtain travels only about 2 or 3 millimetres than stops until all pressure is removed from the shutter button.

Anyway, I'll give it a CLA from one of the stickies and see what happens.

Thanks for all your help.

 

[NathanJD]

As weird as this may sound when i bought my Zorki 4k i thought it was busted because all the speeds only seemed to work the first curtain and the curtain would only release after i recocked the shutter. on pulling the thing appart i found out that the gear wasn't cocking the shutter properly and the teeth weren't catching as they should. as it turned out the shutter release button for some reason had a lock half way down and it has been designed to lock on and un lock by twisting the button at the top when mostly depressed. if your button has a gnarled tip like the 4K does try using a screwdriver or a pair of plyers to turn the button - there should be no real resistance and so don't try and force just see if it spins a little way and pops up. chances aer this won't work but this may be a simple fix to a funny problem.

even to this day every now and again my button slips back over while in the camera case. annoying and i don't know why it's been designed to do so.

hope this helps

P.S. This refers to the shutter release button and not the rewind collar

 

[fanshaw]

The reason the shutter release was designed in this way was to provide a means to lock the shutter open when doing time exposures.

 

[wolves3012]

Well, I went and exchanged the FED for the Zorki today.

It also seems that on speeds below 1/500 the first curtain travels only about 2 or 3 millimetres than stops until all pressure is removed from the shutter button.

Anyway, I'll give it a CLA from one of the stickies and see what happens.

Thanks for all your help.

I have a fair idea of the likely cause of that problem. What's meant to happen when the shutter releases is that the first curtain starts to move, along with the second. An instant later, the second curtain hits a catch and stops. Next, the first curtain mechanism kicks the catch aside and the second curtain follows the first. If the first curtain fails to kick the catch aside, it stops and the second one piles into it. Once you release the button, the catch is released anyway and both curtains move across together - no exposure.

Once you pop the top cover off, have a close look at the catch - it's a crescent-shaped piece and it's pushed inwards and downwards by a light spring. Try firing the shutter and, with the button held down, just ease the catch outwards with a small screwdriver and see if things get moving. If they do, carefully bend the light spring so that it exerts less pressure on the arm of the catch.

Good luck anyway, the 2C is a pretty easy camera to work on.

 

[jb17kx]

Thanks wolves... that seems to have helped, at least to make 1/30 and 1/60 work occasionally. By the way the shutter is running it will almost certainly need an in-depth CLA, but now I know that there's a partial cure in more bending.

 

[wolves3012]

If you need some help - take a look on Jay (ZorkiKat) Javier's site, he has pretty comprehensive stuff on the Zorki/FED 1 models and the 2C really only differs in having a flash-sync switch (couple of screws and it comes off) plus the self-timer (leave it in place, bar the lever). I can't remember his site address but it's on his signature if you look him up on here.

 

[reagan]

Jay's Site it great. Check it out.