new 5b olympic owner

[it'sawhat?]

Hi all, I'm new to fsu rangefinders and just restarting photography. Just got back a couple of test rolls from my 5b with the 61 l/d and I love what it can do. I did learn my sunny16 skills suck lol and will break out my old gossen lunasix. Two questions though , is there any way to do 1/2 stops? When it comes to reducing contrast I take it switching to a jupiter or maybe a leitz elmar 90 would be the easy way to do it? BTW anyone that feels the fed 5 is a big ugly brick should shoot with a mamiya standard 23 for a couple weeks😱

 

[Coldkennels]

You don't have to use the I61 L/D's click stops. Just leave the aperture ring inbetween two of them and - hey presto! - a half stop.

Welcome to the club. Be warned: this is often the start of a slippery slope. It rarely ever stops at one FSU rangefinder... 😉

 

[wolves3012]

The FED 5b may well be an ugly brick - that's subjective - but it's cheap and capable if working properly. As Coldkennels says, half-stops are no problem, put the aperture ring where you like.

The Elmar 90 is quite possibly not going to focus properly on a FED, Leica lenses were not made to quite the same focal-length standards as the FSU ones. You may get away with it when well stopped down but wide-open is likely to be off, especially close-up.

P.S. Welcome to RFF!

 

[btaylor541]

Flange Focal Depth: distance from front of lens mount to film plane. I understand that Leica and Russian FFD are not the same. This affects rangefinder accuracy as well.

 

[it'sawhat?]

Thanks guys , glad to know the 61 lets me do half stopsand good to know the elmar might be a problem. And yes I can see myself flying down that slope breakneck speed if I'm not careful.

 

[Coldkennels]

Delete your paypal account now. It's the only way!