The feature that most immediately grabs the attention of the Soviet camera enthusiast will be the ease of loading the FED 3 with a back that removes to allow cassette insertion with no film leader cutting or fussy threading of the film as in the Barnack-style cameras. There is also a built-in take-up reel which allows easy attachment of the film leader, and it doesn't fall out on the floor when you open the camera as is the case with the Kiev IIa.
My FED 3 looks almost new. The fast-working lever advance snaps smartly back when released. The relatively quiet shutter works well at all speeds. The combined viewfinder/rangefinder window is brighter than most of my other old rf cameras. The weak spot is the focal plane shutter with its cloth curtains, which seem to develop pin holes even more readily than most of the other Soviet film cameras. A liberal application of black fabric paint will often remedy the situation, but it is prudent to check thoroughly for pinholes prior to any use of the camera.
The interesting light of a Fall morning got me out on the street early with the FED 3 loaded with a roll of Kentmere 100. I managed to finish off the roll on a zigzagging walk to the First Street Rail Runner station. Back home, I processed the film with semi-stand development in HC-110. I was not very impressed with the performance of the Industar 61 lens; it seemed no better to me than any of my other normal Sovent lenses, but the camera performed perfectly so I'll likely get out again soon with it and one of my other lenses.
5 comments:
These turned out well. I find Kentmere 100 to be challenging to make look good. I wonder if Acros would make this lens seem better.
I like the "puddles on the steps" shot. I've shot two or three rolls of Kentmere and just couldn't get anything decent out of it.
The negatives seemed to have good density and I have had reasonably good results with Kentmere in the past, or at least good enough to judge lens performance. Of course, using stand development does throw in an extra variable.
One of the advantages of the removable back on the FED 3 is that it permits checking the infinity focus of lenses which is not possible with the older Barnack-style cameras. When I did that with the Industar 61 I could not discern any obvious problem with the lens. There is a little roughness in the focusing action of the lens which is probably due to old grease, but I don't know that would actually result in any performance degradation. In any case, I was pleased with the way the camera body performed and I'm encouraged to play with lens and film options.
I had a Fed-3 that I traded for a Kodak 35RF. It was a good camera, but not one I regularly took off the shelf. I have a Zorki-4 that needs some shutter work, but in general these old Ruski's do a pretty good job and they are built like proverbial tanks. I've not used Kentmere before. I have too many slow b/w stocks in the fridge to add anything new. I agree that Acros (maybe in caffenol) would be a good test for the 'sharpness' of a lens. Good job on these shots. I can't really pick a favorite.
The most useful thing about my FED-3 is probably that it gives me a way to check the infinity focus on my Soviet lenses. The most productive of my Soviet cameras has been my Zorki 2C. With the collapsible FED or Industar lenses it can be stuffed in a pocket. The shutter action is smooth and quiet. The magnified rf image is easy to use. I often pair it with the 35mm Jupiter 12 and the excellent accessory vf.
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