My First Fed 2. Check images. Problem?

Oldskewl808

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Aloha Gang, I just took ownership of my first FSU camera. A 1954 Fed 2. I ran a roll through and had a few nice images but many were gradient light to dark, left to right. could this be a shutter problem, or some sort of light leak? Maybe a CLA is in order.

Fed2008-1.jpg



Fed2009.jpg
 
Hmm could it be a slow shutter curtain? the rear curtain possibly?
Looks like gravity helps when you are shooting in portrait format :D just kidding
Best regards
 
Hmm could it be a slow shutter curtain? the rear curtain possibly?
Looks like gravity helps when you are shooting in portrait format :D just kidding
Best regards

Holy crap! you are right, looking back through the whole roll it is only the landscape format shots that have the problem!
 
Which way do you hold the camera for portrait-format shots, shutter button on the right or left? I think you held it to the left. I'm pretty sure the vertical shot is gravity-assisted curtains making it ok. Time for a CLA I suspect. Looks like on landscape the second curtain is too slow, either mis-tensioned or old lubrication.

Put the camera on 'B' and fire/release it a few times, it should make a kind of "clip-clop" sound, the first curtain quite snappy and the second one less so - take the back off and watch too.
 
Well I popped the top and did my thing but now I can't seem to get the rangefinder to line up. No matter where I adjust the vertical it's still a little too low. Off comes the top again.

Soeren, the speeds used were 250 and 500.
 
the rangefinder window has two parts that are used with lens spanners. turn the middle (black) part for vertical. :)
 
the rangefinder window has two parts that are used with lens spanners. turn the middle (black) part for vertical. :)

Yeah, I was turning that inner part but no matter where I set it, they wouldn't line up. It's all good now though, after taking the top off and fiddling with it some more I now have vertical, horizontal, and distance correct. I also have the shutter working good, and no visible light leaks anyplace so I am ready to run another roll through and see what I come up with. Thanks for the help guys.

Oh, on a side note about the diopter adjustment issue many have with this camera... I just cut a small slice of rubber. Like a tiny hockey puck and slid it under the lever so it's nice and snug. The lever does not move freely now it has a little tension so it works but does not slide around so loosely.
 
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