The Right Rangefinder?

Hello everyone. Hopefully these pictures will give you an idea of what a "working" Fed-2 kit will look like. I have a "large" collection of Feds & Zorkis and all these items were purchased off Ebay. Please note that the filters for the most part are polycarbonate,

 

not glass. If one does not overdue the cleaning of these filters, they last a long time. The tripod adapter is a must, since the Fed-2 cameras all have the 3/8" inch female thread. For the split-rings, search "5-32 mm split ring" and select a 1 or 2 mm sized. The camera strap is the Lynca brand. All of my FSU cameras are in Lowepro Edit 110 bags.

 

Regarding the light meter, I use the Gossen Pilot in most of my kits, along with a few Weston 853 meters. Both are battery less. Due to most units available on the auction sites being a crap shot as to working status, I suggest to use a known used camera store to purchase either one of these meters. I also use the soft rubber, collapsing lens shades. Slotted metal shades also work well with most of the FSU lenses (40.5 mm). All of the kits have a 25A (deep red) and an orange (G) filter. Due run compensation / Filter Factor tests on each filter. Aloha, Bill Edited December 15, 2020 by Bill Bowes

Hello,

If you cannot find a dedicated working light-meter , the are Android Cell-phone "Apps" that will substitute nicely.

Cheers.

Always wind the camera before changing shutter speeds!

 

Other than that, which is a general rule for all cameras with a Leica style shutter, the FED-2 is about as straightforward as it gets, wind, set shutter and/or aperture, focus and frame, shoot.

 

You'll need some kind of light meter or follow the sunny-16 rule.

 

I'm gonna have to tape a sticky note on the back to remind myself of the "order of operations". No adjusting speeds until after winding!

Well, it isn't too hard to remember, as the numbers don't line up with the mark before you wind.

You would have to guess where to set it.

 

For those who don't know, the shutter speed knob rotates while the shutter moves

on the early Leica models, and clones of them. The knob sets the rotary difference

between the drums holding the curtains for 1/30 and faster. For slower speeds,

there is a delay between the end of the first shutter, and the beginning of the second,

which is done through a separate mechanism and separate knob.

 

Canon used this mechanism (rotating shutter knob and two knobs) though the

Canon V. The Canon VI has the single, non-rotating knob as we expect on all

cameras today. One the VI, you can feel something change between 1/30 and 1/60,

as it shifts mode internally. Also, there is a different sound from the shutter.

What Glen said ^

 

I forgot one very important step though;

 

Don't forget to remove the lens cap!

Don't forget to remove the lens cap!

There are two types of RF camera shooters -- those who have forgotten to remove the lens cap and those who are going to forget to remove the lens cap.

 

This is especially true of people coming from SLRs to RFs:rolleyes:

 

However, with some of the miracle products of the Soviet, you also have to remember to replace the lens cap before rewinding!!!!

 

Edited December 19, 2020 by JDMvW

There are two types of RF camera shooters -- those who have forgotten to remove the lens cap and those who are going to forget to remove the lens cap.

 

This is especially true of people coming from SLRs to RFs:rolleyes:

 

However, with some of the miracle products of the Soviet, you also have to remember to replace the lens cap before rewinding!!!!

 

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pa russki?

 

Wow! There is so much to remember. I did some reading and came up with this list of things to keep in mind when using my FED-2:

 

1.) Always wind camera before changing shutter speeds.

2.) Never go from top shutter speed to bottom shutter speed when changing shutter speeds (i.e. don't short cut from 1/500 to B) and vice versa. Turn the knob the "long way around".

3.) Keep the lens cap on when rewinding film.

 

Anything else I'm missing?

Wow! There is so much to remember. I did some reading and came up with this list of things to keep in mind when using my FED-2:

 

1.) Always wind camera before changing shutter speeds.

2.) Never go from top shutter speed to bottom shutter speed when changing shutter speeds (i.e. don't short cut from 1/500 to B) and vice versa. Turn the knob the "long way around".

3.) Keep the lens cap on when rewinding film.

 

Anything else I'm missing?

 

The ones I know won't let you go between 1/500 and B, though I suppose if you turn hard enough.

The shutter speeds don't line up with the index, so it will be pretty obvious that you didn't wind.

 

One of the features of the Canon VI, and most more recent cameras, is that you can do that.

 

Note also that the shutter speeds are not evenly spaced on the knob.

That was fixed in later cameras, too.

 

I think all the rangefinder cameras I ever used didn't have lens caps. Many had leather cases which

would cover the lens, and also skylight filters to protect the lens.

 

One that applies ot some of the USSR cameras, though I am not sure which ones. You are not supposed

to wind or fire the shutter with no lens attached. It seems that some parts of the rangefinder coupling

get too close to shutter parts. Probably fine if you press in the rangefinder tab.

It occurs to me that there is another type of converter for the tripod mount, possibly easier to find

 

 

It simply screws into the European thread, has a notch so you can take it out with a screwdriver.

 

Check before you buy, many old 3/8" sockets already have one of these installed.

 

Last minute, while looking for something else I found this

Oben 3/8"-16 to 1/4"-20 Reducer Bushing

Edited December 23, 2020 by JDMvW