Fed 5 light meter

[raftman]

I just bought a Fed 5 camera, which I think is pretty awesome, it's my 2nd rangefinder camera (the first was the disasterously awful Kodak 35 RF which I've recently disassembled and don't feel like reassembling).

I've read quite a bit about it but can't seem to find an answer. I know that the selenium light meters "die" after a while and become less and less sensitive over time. What I want to know is how to tell if this has happened. While the needle appears to change positions, it does so slowly and not so sensitively. I'm not sure how responsive it's supposed to be so I want to find out if the meter can be relied on or whether I would have to a acquire an exteral light meter or perhaps rely on intuition.

 

[AlexBurdov]

My selenium Leningrad-4 1974 yo - accuracy light meter. I am verify it Nikon d70s.
My FED5 selenium light - meter 1991 yo verefy too.
My Kiev2 1954 yo - selenium light-meter - die!! It accuracy -1EV - but new films have expo-correction +- 3EV !
For die selenium light meter need 40-50 year or later.

 

[fraley]

On a sunny day outdoors, if you set the camera to 400 speed film you should get a reading somewhere around f/16. If you test it and get something very different it probably is defunct.

 

[raftman]

400 speed?? Can you do that on a Fed 5? The GOST settings seems to only go up to 250.

 

[Jocko]

400 speed?? Can you do that on a Fed 5? The GOST settings seems to only go up to 250.

No problem raftman! GOST 250 is 320 ISO. Just nudge the dial a fraction past the 250 marking and you'll be on 400 ISO. As Alex notes, selenium meters are longer-lived than many people think. If the camera is kept dry (!) and in its case whilst not in use, you should be fine for a long time to come 🙂

Incidentally, if you tested your meter indoors, it probably would seem slow - they are not particularly sensitive in low light.

Cheers, Ian

 

[AlexBurdov]

<TABLE SUMMARY="1/3 step scale" CLASS=text BORDER=1 ALIGN=center CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=3>
<TR CLASS=h ALIGN=center>
<TD>Mark </TD>
<TD>&nbsp</TD>
</TR>
<TR CLASS=h ALIGN=center>
<TD COLSPAN=2>New GOST/ISO</TD>
</TR>
<TR CLASS=a ALIGN=center>
<TD>12</TD>
<TD>12</TD>
</TR>
<TR CLASS=a ALIGN=center>
<TD><B>.</B></TD>
<TD>16</TD>
</TR>
<TR CLASS=a ALIGN=center>
<TD><B>.</B></TD>
<TD>20</TD>
</TR>
<TR CLASS=a ALIGN=center>
<TD>25</TD>
<TD>25</TD>
</TR>
<TR CLASS=a ALIGN=center>
<TD><B>.</B></TD>
<TD>32</TD>
</TR>
<TR CLASS=a ALIGN=center>
<TD><B>.</B></TD>
<TD>40</TD>
</TR>
<TR CLASS=a ALIGN=center>
<TD>50</TD>
<TD>50</TD>
</TR>
<TR CLASS=a ALIGN=center>
<TD><B>.</B></TD>
<TD>64</TD>
</TR>
<TR CLASS=a ALIGN=center>
<TD><B>.</B></TD>
<TD>80</TD>
</TR>
<TR CLASS=a ALIGN=center>
<TD>100</TD>
<TD>100</TD>
</TR>
<TR CLASS=a ALIGN=center>
<TD><B>.</B></TD>
<TD>125</TD>
</TR>
<TR CLASS=a ALIGN=center>
<TD><B>.</B></TD>
<TD>160</TD>
</TR>
<TR CLASS=a ALIGN=center>
<TD>200</TD>
<TD>200</TD>
</TR>
<TR CLASS=a ALIGN=center>
<TD><B>.</B></TD>
<TD>250</TD>
</TR>
<TR CLASS=a ALIGN=center>
<TD><B>.</B></TD>
<TD>320</TD>
</TR>
<TR CLASS=a ALIGN=center>
<TD>400</TD>
<TD>400</TD>
</TR>
<TR CLASS=a ALIGN=center>
<TD><B>.</B></TD>
<TD>500</TD>
</TR>
<TR CLASS=a ALIGN=center>
<TD><B>.</B></TD>
<TD>640</TD>
</TR>
<TR CLASS=a ALIGN=center>
<TD>800</TD>
<TD>800</TD>
</TR>
<TR CLASS=a ALIGN=center>
<TD><B>.</B></TD>
<TD>1000</TD>
</TR>
<TR CLASS=a ALIGN=center>
<TD><B>.</B></TD>
<TD>1250</TD>
</TR>
<TR CLASS=a ALIGN=center>
<TD>1600</TD>
<TD>1600</TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>

 

[oscroft]

On a sunny day outdoors, if you set the camera to 400 speed film you should get a reading somewhere around f/16

At what shutter speed?

 

[AlexBurdov]

At what shutter speed?

Shuter speed 400 😀
oooppppssss - 500 😀
For ISO 100 - shuter 60 or 125
For ISO 200 - 250
See rule sunny/16 publishing on the back side films packet Konica-Minolta

 

[oscroft]

See rule sunny/16 publishing on the back side films packet Konica-Minolta

Nah, I only buy Fuji or Ilford 😀

 

[raftman]

No problem raftman! GOST 250 is 320 ISO. Just nudge the dial a fraction past the 250 marking and you'll be on 400 ISO. As Alex notes, selenium meters are longer-lived than many people think. If the camera is kept dry (!) and in its case whilst not in use, you should be fine for a long time to come 🙂

Incidentally, if you tested your meter indoors, it probably would seem slow - they are not particularly sensitive in low light.

Cheers, Ian

That seems to explain it, the meter was by far more responsive outside in the sun.

 

[raftman]

I don't wanna start a new thread on the subject but I was wondering if it's somehow possible using the serial number to determine the year of manufacture. I have read that on Soviet cameras and lenses, the first two numbers indicated the year, which I guess would make the lens from 1983, but it would make no sense for the camera because the first two numbers are 37, which would mean the camera was made decades before the type of camera existed.

 

[Jocko]

I don't wanna start a new thread on the subject but I was wondering if it's somehow possible using the serial number to determine the year of manufacture. I have read that on Soviet cameras and lenses, the first two numbers indicated the year, which I guess would make the lens from 1983, but it would make no sense for the camera because the first two numbers are 37, which would mean the camera was made decades before the type of camera existed.

Hi raftman!

This is a famous problem with FEDs! KMZ (Zorki, Zenits and so-on) and Arsenal (Kievs) followed the year = first two numbers rule and I'm pretty sure that later FED Industar 61 lenses did too - but FED bodies were numbered on another system entirely, in which it seems there are sometimes all sorts of contradictions. So the short answer is no. Given the lens, chances are it's mid-80s 🙂

Cheers, Ian

 

[raftman]

Understood.

Also, heh, dunno why everyone says Fed 5 is ugly, I rather like it, has character. My being born in the USSR makes me biased I guess.

 

[Jocko]

I completely agree. It sometimes seems as if "Zorki snobbery" is rampant throughout the glamorous world of FSU rangefinders!

Cheers, Ian

 

[raftman]

Another thing... the self timer seems to stick, I only got it to fire once successfully. Typically the pointer, when released stops when it reaches the screw and has to be pulled up slightly before it goes all the way down and fires the shutter.