Loading Fed 3

[dreamdistortion]

I'm baffled. I have a 2 other Russian cameras (Kiev 6c and Smena Symbol) and no problems. Everyone I talk to on the net refers me to the Fedka site, which features a film loading tutorial for a bottom loading Fed 1. These instruction don't seem to apply to my Fed 3 as they don't address its particularities. The obvious difference between loading the Fed vs the others is that the film winds in the opposite direction. So when I load the film accordingly, and advance it through the camera, the film winds against its natural curve. As a result, the film gathers loosely on the spool and eventually jams up the camera. I end up being unable to wind it back into the canister without jamming the camera and encountering a tangled mess of film when I open the camera back.

Can anyone give me a solid tutorial for loading film in this camera. I'm at wits end!:bang:

 

[PhotoJim]

Your camera likely needs repair. Most 35mm cameras wind opposite the natural curve of the film (to keep it flatter behind the shutter) and if the winding tension is set properly, it will wind tightly on the spool.

 

[wolves3012]

All FEDs and Zorkis (and the majority of other cameras) load against the curvature, are you loading it properly? Only Kievs load with the film curve.

 

[Armoured]

Just guessing here, but you may want to check that you have the right take-up spool. Some of these cameras (not sure about the Fed3) need specific take-up spools, which have notches that catch on the winding bobbin. If these don't match, the take-up spool will not wind tightly, resulting in what I think you're referring to. You could jam something (like paper) on the inside of the pool to make sure it's holding tightly but this is not ideal (and warning, could lead to damage, I don't know).

 

[fanshaw]

It looks like the take up shaft or the spool is slipping too much. The Fed-3a without lever wind normally has a removable spool. This should be a tight fit on the shaft. If it is not. you can bend the cut sections of the cylinder by prising with a knife to improve the fit. The Fed-3b with lever wind normally has a slotted spindle instead of a removable spool. Try holding this while winding on. It should slip a little but offer some resistance. If it is too loose then the film will bunch up on the spindle. The friction clutch will need to be adjusted.

 

[dreamdistortion]

thanks for the replies. I was hoping this was a operating error, but . . . I guess I'm loading the film correctly. The spool is also correct, but it might not fit tightly enough. When I wind film with the back open I can see that the spool slips down the shaft a little. This could be the culprit.

 

[iamzip]

Also make sure that the camera is not set to rewind mode, which disengages the take up spool so that it can rotate in the opposite direction as you rewind the film.