FED 5 / newbie / screwmount seems loose?

[LuvEmacs]

I have had for a few years a FED 5, with 50mm lens, but never got around to running a roll of film through it.

Now, with my photog. interest rekindled, I am testing it out ... :bang:

The 50mm is bright and clear, shutter seems to work fine.

However, I am confused about how the screwmount is connected - yes, I have screwed it on the body properly as far as I can tell, but it is not centered or should I say, exactly vertical.

If I tighten it to the extent that the logo is exactly at the top of the lens, it slops around when I try to focus.

If I tighten it by hand to the maximum amount of tightness, the lens seems to be "lopsided" and focusing does not move the lens, but I worry that things will not be in proper focus - test focusing with the RF seems to prove this out, as the distance indicated and the real distance from the object don't match.

Suggestions, comments, etc. are all most welcome by this RF newbie 🙂

 

[laptoprob]

Welcome, nice choice of FED. Those were my first too.
Never mind the numbers on the lens barrel. Open the back, stick some scotch tape (the translucent type) or semi-transparent drawing paper (flowerpaper maybe?) tightly and securely on the film guide strips.
Put the camera on a tripod, focus the lens on a subject about 2 or 3m away and see if the rangefinder agrees on this setting. If not, adjust the rangefinder. The lens should be just hand-tight. No more. The distance-reading point is not at the top but closer to the viewfinder. With a little luck you can see the lens distance in the finder.
If the rangefinder agrees, check a distant object. Infinity should be infinity.

If 'yes' to all this, congratulations. If not, welcome to the delights of reparing and adjusting (Russian) rangefinder photography.

Rob.

 

[enochRoot]

i had a problem w/ the lens mounting not being fastened tight enough on a 5c i bought for my little brother. i had to tighten the 3 or 4 little screws around the outside of the lensmount (that attach to a piece of metal inside the lip of the camera). once i did that, the lens would be secure. not sure if this is the same problem, but i just went through this, and thought it might be what the problem is. it was rather easy. but be careful that the little screw is threading through the metal piece inside the camera as well, otherwise it can just be pussing the metal strip down.