Selecting an FSU camera: Beginner's Guide

The whole reliability issue revolves around there being a slow-speed mechanism worked into the normal escape mechanism. This is where problems start as it would be possible to over-wind the mechanism when setting the speed before winding on. Also, there are simply more bits to go wrong...

The FED-2 has no slow speed mechanism, and therefore is basically impervious to damage from the wrong order of winding and setting - although on early FED-2's it's useless to set the speed before winding as the dial is in the wrong place. Also, in the FED-2 there's of course less bits to go wrong...

Not having slow speeds has so far not been a problem for me, but that of course depends on your shooting style.

For further explanation, check this link to Rick Oleson's information goldmine.

Derk
 
Kingston said:
After my Kiev 4 I would like to try something different and I basically hesitate between Fed 2 and Fed 3.

Most of the arguments about the Fed 2 is that it is more reliable because there are no slow speeds. I was just wondering the following:

- Would you say that because of the slow speeds the Fed 3(a) is less reliable than the Fed 2? What kind of problems can arise?

- Would you say the slow speeds are useless? do you ever shoot with the slow speeds that the Fed 3 can offer compared to the Fed 2?

Thanks
Click to expand...

Ask yourself a simple question: do you use the slow speeds on the Kiev (i.e. those slower than 1/25)? If you do, a FED 2 will limit you a bit. If not, it won't matter that it doesn't have slow speeds. As Penny Lane says, reliability is about the extra parts of the slow speed escapement. More parts means more things that *might* go wrong. Doesn't mean they *will* go wrong though. If the camera is properly serviced, there's no real reliability issue - it becomes a small chance.
 
I have a chance to buy a Zorki 4K, a Jupiter 8, a Jupiter 12, and an Olympus VF1 viewfinder (originally for 17mm on a M4/3 so roughly 34-35mm to be used with the Jupe 12) for USD250. All used on weekly basis so they work well. Is that a good deal? Thanks, been a silent reader around these parts for some weeks now. :p
 
Ebay UK
Mint, arrived within two days, £7 postage though :(

Most go for about £26 just now.

Post 4231 in Camera and Coffee thread
 
Thanks to Wolves for the nice, concise and understandable Beginner's Guide. Well-written. It should clear the fog for many who are new to the FSU rangefinder universe.

There are some flaws to the part about the FED-2, however:

wolves3012 said:
FED 2
This is a re-design of the original FED. It has a more accurate, wide-base RF, incorporated into the VF, a removeable back, flash-synch and strap-lugs. Speeds are 1/25-1/500. Dioptre adjustment is found on this all all subsequent models: on this model it is lever operated, subsequent models use a rotating eyepiece bezel which is the bane of spectacle-wearers!
Click to expand...

Not all FED-2 have flash synch. The first ones, up to serial number ~87000, did not.

Also, not all FED-2 have strap lugs. They were dropped on the later models, starting with serial no. ~5640000.

Speeds are as stated up to ~98900000 in 1959, then changed to 1/30-1/500 on later models.

The latest models of FED-2, which looked like a FED-3 and had the lever wind, already had the bezel instead of the lever for diopter adjustment - and the already had the narrower rangefinder base of the FED-3.

Not all subsequent FEDs had the dioptre adjustment - the FED-5C did not.

So the text should read something like:

This is a re-design of the original FED, which has seen significant changes over time. All have a removable back. All but the last, lever-wound version have a more accurate, wide-base RF, incorporated into the VF. Most have flash synch and strap lugs (flash synch was still missing on early models, strap lugs were dropped on late models). Speeds are 1/25-1/500 on earlier and 1/30-1/500 on later models. Dioptre adjustment is found on this all all subsequent models with exception of the FED-5C: on knob-wound FED-2 it is lever operated, subsequent models use a rotating eyepiece bezel which is the bane of spectacle-wearers!

wolves3012 said:
FED 5
Again, there are variations (5C with and 5B without light meter) but the FED 5 is almost the same as the FED 4.
Click to expand...

The part about the FED-5 is not wrong, however for a newbie to the FEDdom, it might not be totally clear from the text that there are three versions 5, 5C and 5B:

Particularly so, because the FED-5 without additional letter were not listed in Wolves feature summary table at all, only the 5C and 5B.

I'd put it that way:

FED 5
Again, there are variations (5, 5C without dioptre adjustment and 5B without light meter) but the standard FED 5 is almost the same as the FED 4.

Corrected, the feature table should read (I've also added the diopter correction to it):

Wide-base RF:
All Kievs
FED 2 (knob wind models only)
Zorki 5, 6

"slow" speeds:
All Kievs
Zorki 3, 3M, 3C, 4, 4K
FED 3A, 3B, 4, 5, 5B, 5C

Flash-sync:
Kiev 2A, 3A and 4-series (syncs correctly at all speeds 1/25 and slower, including 'B')
FED 2 onwards (ONLY syncs correctly at 1/25 or 1/30, whichever is marked; some early FED 2 models don't have flash synch yet)
Zorki 3C, 4, 4K (syncs correctly at any speed 1/30 or less, including 'B')
Zorki C, 2C, Mir, 5, 6 (syncs at 1/25 or 1/30, whichever is marked, plus 'B')

Light meter:
Kiev 4, 4M
FED 4, 5, 5C

Hinged back:
Zorki 6

Bottom-loading:
FED 1
Zorki 1, 2, C, 2C, 5

Viewfinder dioptre adjustment:
Zorki 3, 3M, 3C, 4, 4K, Mir, 5, 6
FED-2, 3, 4, 5, 5B

Cheers,
Andreas
 
I am interested in finding a Kiev body to mount a pre-war Zeiss Biogon 3.5cm 2.8. Since this Biogon will not mount on the Contax IIa, I just wanted to check if anyone knew that the early Biogon would fit the more modern Kiev bodies, like the 4AM. As I iunderstand it, all of the Kievs were built as clones to the Contax II.
 
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