I was thrilled, but then...

[armphoto]

That's a good way to burn an hole in the curtain!

However, nice pics, IMO there might be a problem with the curtains, probably it's visible just at low speeds, keep on trying.

Thanks for the kind words.

 

[armphoto]

Are the spots visible on the negative? If not, then there is an issue with the scanner.

The spots are visible on the negative.

 

[Vobluda]

I am afraid that if your firs film experience is Fed that it will be the last film experience as well 🙁

I forgot to mention this is my first time shooting film 🙂:angel:

 

[armphoto]

I am afraid that if your firs film experience is Fed that it will be the last film experience as well 🙁

I hope not!

 

[ForestCap]

It looks like pinholes on curtains to me.

I'd suggest go to a dark room and shine a flashlight as shown in comments above. But make sure your eyes get used to the darkness first, really small pinholes can be hard to notice at first glimpse.

I went through nasty things too with my FED-2s, fortunately they are not my first film cameras. My first one is a beaten up Yashica MG-1, nasty too but it gave pictures with no problem and I used it at -20 C degree without worrying. FED-2 as my first FSU camera though, is another story...

 

[wolves3012]

The first three shots look like classic pinholing problems. Take off the lens & back and find a dark room and a powerful torch, preferably a modern, small, high-power LED one. Shine the torch into the lens mount and look at the curtains from the film-side. Check with the shutter un-cocked and cocked to see both curtains. Do you normally leave the shutter un-cocked or cocked between shots? That will give you a clue as to which curtain has the pinholes.

 

[goamules]

It's pinholes, or possibly a tiny light leak somewhere on the camera body. "Something on/in the lens" would not cause this effect, which is a tiny, focused area of over exposure.

 

[armphoto]

The first three shots look like classic pinholing problems. Take off the lens & back and find a dark room and a powerful torch, preferably a modern, small, high-power LED one. Shine the torch into the lens mount and look at the curtains from the film-side. Check with the shutter un-cocked and cocked to see both curtains. Do you normally leave the shutter un-cocked or cocked between shots? That will give you a clue as to which curtain has the pinholes.

OK, finally, I found it! I did exactly as you advised and I found 2 tiny pinholes when shutter is cocked 😀. Now, I need to find a way to fix it. How would you suggest going about fixing it?

 

[Ron (Netherlands)]

OK, finally, I found it! I did exactly as you advised and I found 2 tiny pinholes when shutter is cocked 😀. Now, I need to find a way to fix it. How would you suggest going about fixing it?

Replacing the shutter curtains would be the best way to go. But if you can't do this yourself, and since it is a low cost Fed 3, you better buy another body

 

[Wulfthari]

Can't the holes be filled with anything?

 

[armphoto]

Replacing the shutter curtains would be the best way to go. But if you can't do this yourself, and since it is a low cost Fed 3, you better buy another body

Thanks, but I'm going to paint the tiny hole with textile paint.

 

[Ron (Netherlands)]

Thanks, but I'm going to paint the tiny hole with textile paint.

If they are very small it might help indeed - I've no experience with that

but looking at your pictures, the speeds seem off too. The first pictures seem a little overexposed and the faded one is underexposed. How did you measure the light? and did you write down the shutter speeds used?

 

[wolves3012]

Thanks, but I'm going to paint the tiny hole with textile paint.

I've done something similar on curtains when I didn't have the time or patience to replace them or when the body simply didn't justify it. It does work, just make sure you leave the paint long enough to dry *totally* before using it - with the shutter cocked or uncocked depending which curtain you painted, it mustn't be rolled back around the drum. Be aware that the later FEDs often have poor curtain material and the holes might be the start of worse to come. For what they cost, it's not always economically sensible to have them replaced but a good working body in good condition or sentimental reasons can alter the balance in favour.

 

[armphoto]

If they are very small it might help indeed - I've no experience with that

but looking at your pictures, the speeds seem off too. The first pictures seem a little overexposed and the faded one is underexposed. How did you measure the light? and did you write down the shutter speeds used?

I measured it with an iPhone app light meter and I did write down the shutter speeds. I try to overexpose the shots because I heard it's better to over than underexpose with color negative film, but I'm not sure if that's right. By the way, how do I test the speed accuracy? Thanks for your reply.

 

[armphoto]

I've done something similar on curtains when I didn't have the time or patience to replace them or when the body simply didn't justify it. It does work, just make sure you leave the paint long enough to dry *totally* before using it - with the shutter cocked or uncocked depending which curtain you painted, it mustn't be rolled back around the drum. Be aware that the later FEDs often have poor curtain material and the holes might be the start of worse to come. For what they cost, it's not always economically sensible to have them replaced but a good working body in good condition or sentimental reasons can alter the balance in favour.

Thanks. I will follow your advice. As far as replacing my Fed 3 with another one well, I grew up in a former FSU state. I do not come from the throw-away culture and we didn't throw away such instruments easily. Mostly because of scarcity. We would work them to death, passing it from generation to generation until it's useless. And even then we would salvage the parts to use for something else. In this case, it would be a shame to throw away the camera and get a new one just because of a small problem.

 

[ForestCap]

I've used black nail polish to block really small pinholes and it worked well.

 

[Fotohuis]

Replacing the shutter curtains would be the best way to go. But if you can't do this yourself, and since it is a low cost Fed 3, you better buy another body

I have a nice FED-3 1917-1967 50 years October revolution camera which has been repaired and replaced:
The whole range finder (and of course alignment), a new curtain, a new pick up spool, a complete C.L.A.

The price for this: The same as the camera was Eur. 70,00. But it can run again for another 40-50 years.

I hate to throw things away and certainly when from this era when cameras were designed for working for a long period and all in mechanics good repairable.

 

[armphoto]

I've used black nail polish to block really small pinholes and it worked well.

Thanks! I just bought a black nail polish. Will use it tonight on the Fed3!

 

[armphoto]

I have a nice FED-3 1917-1967 50 years October revolution camera which has been repaired and replaced:
The whole range finder (and of course alignment), a new curtain, a new pick up spool, a complete C.L.A.

The price for this: The same as the camera was Eur. 70,00. But it can run again for another 40-50 years.

I hate to throw things away and certainly when from this era when cameras were designed for working for a long period and all in mechanics good repairable.

Thanks! My sentiments exactly. And nice camera by the way. You're a one proud owner.

 

[gb hill]

Thanks! I just bought a black nail polish. Will use it tonight on the Fed3!

That should fix you right up. Good shooting with the Fed.