Strange things with my Fed5

[garythegit]

I got my first test roll back with my fed5 + industar 61 l/d, and shot with bog standard kodak 200 ultra.

Most of the photos were so sharp that it hurt the eyes to look at them! Amazing lens, probably the best I've ever used!

However In three of four of the photos I noticed some weird ghosting/burn outs which would usually be associated with a burnt shutter curtain. But howcome it was just on these shots and not on all of them? Light leak maybe? If so then from where? The position of the burns seems to be from the bottom left of the frame.

I've scanned in the negatives with this brun mark on it and I would love if you guys could take a look at it!

Cheers!

They are at my Flickr site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/garythegit/

 

[Roman]

Does not look like a hole in the shutter curtain to mee - looks more like a light leak, somewhere on the top right of the corner near where the sprocket sits. Might be very small, so you only see the effects where you left the camera in bright light without winding the film for a while.

Roman

 

[Roman]

Just got out my own FED 5 - hmm, there are quite a few potential light leak sources; take off the back of your camera and look at it from the bottom - are all the scrrews there? Ther are two miniscule screwholes right above the film window, with screws coming donw from the topcap - do you see screws in there (you are looking at the tips, not the screw-heads.)? Do the topcap or the back have any dings or bens where they might not interlock perfectly? Do you see any gaps between the chrome topcap-shell and the black plate that goes inside it (particularly on the right, where that little nub points out, that has to be depressed for the frame counter to work)?

Roman

 

[garythegit]

The back has a slight irregularity at the top right edge where the top slit slots into the body and guess where that sits over... the top of the sproket! Damnit I think that might be it? I think some putty moulding might do the job...

 

[Kin Lau]

I agree with Roman, I don't think it's the shutter curtain either. Here's a picture of my Fed 5 with the back open a little. Take a look around the area where my thumb is pointing. That seems to be the region of the leak (don't forget inside a camera, everything is upside down and reversed).

 

[Roman]

Careful with that irregularity on the back - both my FED 5 cameras have that, I think it is there on purpose, to clear the cog-wheel above the sprocket.

Roman

 

[Roman]

Hmm, I suspect the light leak is more to the right (see my pic, where my thumb points).

Try laying the suspect negative onto the camera, so that the frame covers the filmgate (emulsion facing camera, upside down), then you can see where the leaking place is (though the light might also be reflected by some shiny part in the camera).

Roman

 

[garythegit]

Kin I looked at the area you pointed at and there is a slight sign of wear on both sides of the metal. i.e. the black finish has been rubbed down to the metal underneath. But this doesn't seem to affect the way the back slots into the body though. Hmm.. Could someone tell me how I can post picture attachments??

I must say I haven't been impressed with the Fed 5 at all. After shooting with my Fed3b for a while it feels like driving a Tribant after a Audi! Might paint it just so I can get at least some fun out of it! The lens is going on my Fed3b!

 

[Roman]

You can post pics if you choose 'Go Advanced' instead of 'Post Quick Reply' - then you'll see a 'Manage Attachments' button.

I agree, the FED 5 feels rather cheap compare to other FSU cameras, but it is quite OK as a work horse.
For real smooth performance, try a FED 2 or my favorite, a Zorki 6, possibly CLAd by Oleg. Zorki 3m's are supposed to be nice too, but I don't have one...

Roman

 

[Kin Lau]

Go about 1 or 2 cm over from where my thumb is pointing (I have small hands), it should be about 1/2 cm over the right film gate edge.

To post an attachment, click the "Go Advanced" button, and you'll see the "Manage Attachments" button.

 

[garythegit]

Ok here are some pictures.

Roman 'A' is where the dent is. It seems to be over the sproket for some kinda reason, not sure what.

Kin 'B' and 'C' shows the blemishs on both sides. I don't think these affect much though..

'D' shows the dent again.

I placed the negs onto the film pane and the burns seems to be if A, on the sproket onthe right or B, where the neg touches the left end of the silver bars above shutter curtains.

Another thing, Roman the two wee screw holes above the curtain, I think i can only see the right one having a screw in it.

 

[kiev4a]

The foam around the edge of the groove where the back fits on my FED 5 has turned to mush (sticky, too). I have similar light leak problems but not as bad. I'm replaceing the foam with a felt strip. FED 5s seem prone to this particular affliction. The intensity and frequency of the problem depends on how much time the back is being hit directly by the sun, I imagine.

 

[garythegit]

Foam?!? Does the FED5 have light seals?! I didn't know that.. My one has NONE 🙂 But i thought that was just how FSU's are. The FED3 doesn't have any either..

BTW Mine is a FED5 with meter (which doesn't move above 6 on the scale rather annoyingly. With the curly double lined name painted on a back name plate.

 

[Roman]

Hmm, both my FED-5B cameras don't have any foam at all.
Gary, I think the dent in A/D is supposed to be there, to make the back clear that large cog wheel above the sprocket.
C does not look like a problem.
I'd be a bit concerned about the missing scre (try filin up the hole with something).
ANother possible problem I've just thought about: improper sealing of the self-timer assembly - light might leak from the front and be reflected.
DId you check for any gaps between the chrome top-cap wall and the black plate that holds all the wheels, when looking up inot the camera.

Roman

 

[garythegit]

Just noticed something else as well. The cause of the rubbing on the left side of the back (both inside and out) seems to be a slight overlap between the shutter curtain 'box' and the body.

The box seems to be sticking out into the slot where the back goes in and that's caused the paint to come off but I also wonder whether that is wedging the back open ever so slightly.

Roman I was wondering about the self timer thing as well, since if the leak is hitting the neg while on the sproket then the button is directly on the other side. But I have no idea how to seal that off from the inside!

 

[Roman]

Hmm, that stickin-out shutter-box does look like a problem, even if it is not the cause for the leak - might be due to the missing screw.
You could shoot a test roll with various parts of the camera sealed off - put some black tape over various parts of the gap between back and top, and over the whole self-timer lever and release button; and expose the camera to bright light inbetween shots.
Then check when the light leak occurs, and when not.
Of course, this would be easier if you do your own film developing.

Roman

 

[garythegit]

Will do roman, and thanks very much for your help!

Cheers guys I knew I could depend on you all! 🙂