Is it supposed to be like this?!

[Snapper_uk]

A few years ago I bought a FED4 (type b) in a moment of ebay madness. It's in great cosmetic condition, but I've never actually put a film through it, put off by the tiny viewfinder, and also the fact that the focus ring is quite hard to turn.

The 2012 FSU competition has got me interested in dusting this beast off and giving it a go. Is the focus supposed to be quite hard to turn, or is this something that can be fixed by myself? I don't want to spend money on it considering I couldn't get any takers for it at £5 on ebay a year or two ago. Also is the RF patch supposed to be a small blurry circle?

(Apologies if I'm offending any FED fans... I'm just not sure if these are 'faults' or FSU 'quirks')

 

[KoNickon]

Most likely you have some old congealed grease in the focusing helicals of the lens. You didn't say which lens this is -- the FSU lenses are often pretty easy to disassemble, so if you can supply that info there may be some ready advice on how to do it from folks here.

Focusing patch as a small blurry circle -- that sounds right. If it's bright enough and accurate, you're good to go.

 

[Snapper_uk]

It's an Industar 61 53/2.8

 

[Steve M.]

The knurled chrome piece around the viewfinder is the diopter adjustment if my Fed memory serves me correctly. Put the camera to your eye and turn it to sharpen up the view.

Fed fans are probably beyond offense. They've heard it all, and STILL shoot them 🙂 -Actually, if you get one working right, the Fed 4 is not a bad FSU camera. Fed viewfinders just take some getting used to. Darkish, but contrasty. That lens you have is a killer, and worth getting straightened out.

 

[Dez]

Fed fans are probably beyond offense. They've heard it all, and STILL shoot them 🙂

Good observation. But you could maybe offend a FED 2 user who will be proud to tell you how beautiful his camera is, and hence possibly sensitive to slights from people of a different opinion. Sadly this probably doesn't apply to the later models which have, um, character.

For sure there's nothing wrong with an Industar 61. They will provide great results and are easy to strip and relube.

Cheers,
Dez

 

[jarski]

Also is the RF patch supposed to be a small blurry circle?

lol, yes 😛

 

[pakeha]

Is it supposed to be like this?!

ah? yes.
Its not a bad camera, good lens and you will get images you are happy with. The patch you will get used to...well hopefully anyway.My one had a slightly stiff lens so i just gave it a bit of warmth and worked it for a few minutes, has been fine since. Must admit that it is the 3rd choice of the FSU stuff i have.On the plus side, i have dropped it twice with no damage.once into water for a split second.

 

[special.foto]

you can also take a cotton swab dip it in thinner and clean the old grease, then apply a new one. it will work like a charm. Of course, you must remove the back plate of the lens, wich is held with those 3 screws. It's a 5 minute-operation, but don't forget after you screw them back to apply some nail polish so they don't unscrew. Also, regarding the focusing patch, you might want to remove the cover and clean the viewfinder and the focusing patch window. After this, check your infinity and 1 m so you don't have a misallingned rangefinder. Cheers.

 

[David Hughes]

Fed fans are probably beyond offense. They've heard it all, and STILL shoot them 🙂 -Actually, if you get one working right, the Fed 4 is not a bad FSU camera. Fed viewfinders just take some getting used to. Darkish, but contrasty. That lens you have is a killer, and worth getting straightened out.

Hi,

If I applied the standards others apply to FED's and Zorkis to all my cameras, then I'd not use the Leicas, Contaxes, Rolleis etc. It's not a bad design, just an old design. Try driving a second-hand car from the same era and you'll see what I mean.

More to the point, the old ones can be repaired, adjusted and even re-lubricated. All singing and all dancing electronic ones just die a horrible death and that's it, finished. I've scrapped modern Nikons and Contaxes that went dead on me simply because no one would touch them.

I've even tried suggesting that the camera be stripped down to confirm it was un-repairable and I'd pay them to do it and then they could scrap it, but got nowhere. I think they like saying it's a write-off.

Just be grateful that old camera can still turn out serious work and can be repaired and kept going forever.

Regards, David

 

[Snapper_uk]

Is it supposed to be like this?!

My one had a slightly stiff lens so i just gave it a bit of warmth and worked it for a few minutes, has been fine since.

How much warmth? Gas mark?

 

[rbiemer]

See here for the I-61 lens:
http://pentax-manuals.com/repairs.htm
If the entire VF is blurry, adjust it as mentioned by Steve M, if it is just the RF patch that seems a bit indistinct, the later FEDs (3, 4, and 5) are like that.
Good luck!
Rob

 

[konicaman]

Warmth - (I have too many thumbs to try taking anything apart😀) - just 15 min. on a hot radiator and 10 min. of twisting and turning should do the trick on the lens. If not just repeat a couple of times.

 

[oftheherd]

Hi,
...

More to the point, the old ones can be repaired, adjusted and even re-lubricated. All singing and all dancing electronic ones just die a horrible death and that's it, finished. I've scrapped modern Nikons and Contaxes that went dead on me simply because no one would touch them.

...

Regards, David

What a bummer. After my Contax 139 died (some 12 years ago), I checked around and found several places willing to repair it. But considering what a replacement cost then, I declined.