'Missing' Exposures

[ChrisCummins]

Hi,
I recently bought a FED-2 from ebay, it arrived in pretty decent shape and a quick visual check showed the shutter and all speeds to be functioning and correct. So I fitted it with a I-61 lens and took it out to a local steam rally to rattle off some test shots on a roll of Ilford HP5+. However, upon receiving the film back from the lab, there are clearly missing frames, with large and irregular gaps in the film. Here's my contact print:

Does anyone know what could have caused this? I did not make individual notes but I do remember making more exposures than that. Also, there is light fogging accross the film and vertical bands which look like a light leaks, could anyone suggest a source?

Regards

 

[xxloverxx]

Shutter probably failed to fire on those frames. Your light leaks…check for any possible places for leaks around the edges of the back.

 

[oftheherd]

I don't have any FSU other than my Kiev. I have read of problems with all FSU cameras where they seem OK to visual inspection, but in use, display problems. I think if you do a search you will find many threads on the FED mentioning shutter problems. If you have done much lurking on RFF, you should know that FSU cameras often have problems. However, when you get a good one, or get a bad one serviced, you will probably have as good a camera as you could want.

Considering what you were photographing, you may be handy enough to service the camera yourself if it just needs something done inside that doesn't involve new parts. You might again look at some of the "sticky" threads under the FSU forum.

Don't get too discouraged. Everything I have seen here at RFF says that in good working condition, you will have a fine camera.

And no doubt, some who have them and have worked on them will come up and give you better advice than I can.

 

[fidget]

Many of the vertical marks that I can see are clearly bounded by the film gate (they don't extend into the sprocket holes). It looks to me as if the shutter has fired but a release problem has caused them to move with no, or a fractional and changing gap.
Time for a CLA.

 

[wolves3012]

I agree with fidget's assessment. There seems to be a shutter release problem that needs investigating. Doesn't look like light-leaks to me either.