New kid on the block!

[Dave Wilkinson]

I'm new to fsu stuff, (but not rf cameras), and this forum,- just got a fed 50, collapsible Elmar copy,-and am well pleased after trying with a roll of Tri-X !. I'm thinking about ordering a J12, 35mm, and wonder how they perform ?, - especially in color ?.....heard that this lens will not couple to the rf on my Bessa R2 ?, - if not it's not a problem, as right now, i'm waiting for a Fed 3 body to cross the pond!

Bessa R2, Super Silette, Retina 2S, Yashica D, and, sorry! Fuji S3pro.

 

[FrankS]

Hello and welcome, Dave. The problem with the J12 and Bessa cameras is that there are light baffles inside the camera that interfere with the large protruding rear element of the J12.

 

[Jocko]

Hallo Dave, and welcome to FSU Hell! 🙂 The J-12 is sharp but somewhat prone to flare: colour rendition is fine. The lens is indeed very unlikely to fit your Bessa thanks to the protruding back element, although some people say that the late examples do... But as you'll discover, there are few absolute certainties in FSUland 🙂

All the best, Ian

 

[alternatve]

Surprisingly, my friend's Bessa R can accept a J12. It's extremely close to the shutter curtain though, but he's happy with it.

 

[brachal]

Welcome! You'll like the Fed3; I think it's an underrated design, although I wish mine had strap lugs.

 

[SCOTFORTHLAD]

Hello Dave,
Welcome to the forum---much fun awaits you in the FSU world.

Hope your cupboards have sufficient shelves to accept the fruits of an almost inevitable obsession.😉

Cheers,
Brian.

 

[wolves3012]

Welcome! You'll like the Fed3; I think it's an underrated design, although I wish mine had strap lugs.

A FED 3A has them 😀

 

[brachal]

A FED 3A has them 😀

Don't remind me 🙂 How many FEDs does one man need?

 

[darkkavenger]

Hi, welcome and congrats on the Fed-3! It's an often overlooked FSU RF and was my first RF ever, maybe that's why I'm sentimental about it! I found only one inconvenient on the long term with the Fed-3 : the lack of "ears", so you can't have strap lugs on it the *normal* way, but our friend Gordon Coale (see Gordy Straps in the sponsors) designs some straps that can be screwed on the Fed-3.

Meanwhile, serve yourself your favourite drink and enjoy your time waiting to receive this little gem 😀 You'll adore the yummy, silk-smooth advance lever movement. I just drool from the thought of it!

*goes advance his Fed-3 lever before going to bed*

Cheers,
Max

 

[darkkavenger]

By the way, about J-12 performance in color, check my site here :
http://www.sospello.com/max/bretagne/i2.html the color photos were done using a Kiev-2A, a Jupiter-12 35/2.8 lens in contax mount, with purple coating.

There's another photo taken with the J-12 here : http://www.sospello.com/max/musicians/i2.html

The photos were taken with Kodak Ektachrome 100 GX inversible film, in Summer 2005.

 

[fotosniper]

Hello and welcome Dave!..
If it's not on this site for FSU cameras and all related toys, It aint worth knowing!

Lee.

 

[robin a]

Hi Dave,welcome to the club.Lots of good folks here who are a great source of information.Ask and hang on........Robin

 

[Dave Wilkinson]

Thanks for the info!

Thanks for the info!

🙂 Thanks for the info, gentlemen.....think I will order that J12!, my wife's happy that I'm not spending big bucks on exotic toys, any more! (at the moment!) - when I'm allowed out to roam the avenues and alleyways again, I'll try to get some decent pics to post!. meanwhile I'm taking Max's advice and sitting back with my pipe and a few bottles of 'Budvar' - waiting for that new body to arrive!

Regards, Dave.

 

[wolves3012]

Don't remind me 🙂 How many FEDs does one man need?

How long is a piece of string? So far I have 6 FEDs.

P.S. I forgot to welcome Dave...apologies!

 

[dee]

Errrr ... about spending big bucks on expensive toys ... when you are up to almost 20 of the '' Red mists '' - just don't count how many small purchases !
Terrifying !
I could have bought a real camera for what I have spent on my toys - but without the fun !
Welcome , they are a great bunch to allow my crazy preference for Russian '' Leicas '' !
dee

 

[Spyderman]

I also have a FED-3b and feel some strange attraction to it lately...

However there are some issues about this great camera:

- mine wouldn't take J-12 without a small modification to the camera! (small = remove top, slow speeds escapement...). There is a "thumb" sticking from the ceiling between the shutter and RF sensing arm. It's there to limit the movement of the RF sensing arm. On my camera this thumb was so long, that it hit the rear element of my J-12! If I had forced it it would scratch the glass, but I was gentle. I had to remove the top cover, the slow speed escapement to get to 2 screw that hold the thumb and then shortened it (the thumb). So be careful - sometimes it's not just the RF sensing arm too low (like on many FED-2s)...

- I think the overlayed RF image is much TOO contrasty so often the original viewfinder image can't be seen. I like to focus by overlaying the 2 images, so I darkened the RF image by placing a tiny piece of unexposed developed film (Ilford pan) - which works like an ND filter - between the RF mirror and the beamsplitter. Now the 2 images are more ballanced and I can focus by overlaying them.
Anyone else thinks the FED-3 RF spot is TOO contrasty ?

 

[wolves3012]

I also have a FED-3b and feel some strange attraction to it lately...

However there are some issues about this great camera:

- mine wouldn't take J-12 without a small modification to the camera! (small = remove top, slow speeds escapement...). There is a "thumb" sticking from the roof between the shutter and lens. It's there to limit themovement of the RF sensing arm. On my camera this thumb was so long, that it hit the rear element of my J-12! If I forced it it would scratch the glass, but I was gentle. I had to remove the top cover, the slow speed escapement to get to 2 screw that hold the thumb and then shortened it. So be careful - sometimes it's not just the RF sensing arm too low (like on many FED-2s)...

- I think the RF image is much toocontrasty so often the original viewfinder image can't be seen. I like to focus by overlaying the 2 images, so I darkened the RF image by placing a tiny piece of unexposed developed film (Ilford pan) - which works like an ND filter - between the RF mirror and the beamsplitter. Now the 2 images are more ballanced and I can focus by overlaying them.
Anyone else thinks the FED-3 RF spot is too contrasty ?

I think all my FEDs have contrasty but dim-ish finders and all my Zorkis have brighter but less contrasty ones....and yes, all the FEDs have had the VF/RF optics cleaned!

 

[Dave Wilkinson]

How long is a piece of string? So far I have 6 FEDs.

P.S. I forgot to welcome Dave...apologies!

But is there a cure for this strange affliction !!!! - or will I end up drooling over Cosmic Symbols, Lomos and Holgas?-or worse still-putting pinholes in shoe box's!! Perhaps it's a symptom of my advancing years, or diminshed financial status-or both !! ........where's that shotgun ?

Dave:bang:

 

[brachal]

How long is a piece of string? So far I have 6 FEDs.

P.S. I forgot to welcome Dave...apologies!

Is that Yak string or regular string? 😀 I have 8 cameras (only 3 are FEDs), and I really couldn't justify more than 2 (cameras, not FEDs) based on how much I shoot. I do agree with you though. The right amount for you is ... the right amount for you.

 

[dlods]

Love My 3B Too!

Love My 3B Too!

It's comforting to know that if I'm ever stuck without a hammer on a job, my 3B can be used instead. However, I just bit for a Bessa R on EBay. Sorry to hear that a Jupiter 12 probably won't work. I was about to bite on one of those but thought I'd check out the forum first. 🙂