Berndt
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Post by Berndt on Dec 4, 2012 5:41:06 GMT -5
Great find, MIK. I am always surprised, what kind of cameras are still around somewhere.
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Berndt
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Post by Berndt on Dec 3, 2012 4:40:41 GMT -5
You're right. Thanks for pointing that out !!!
About those 28.80 mm ... I thought about it again and actually, wouldn't that be the least expected error ? On the one side, we do have the lens, which might be mis-calibrated ... and on the camera side, we do have the rangefinder. I never opened a FED yet, but I noticed some kind of lever close the camera mount, which seems to be connected to the rangefinder. That's obviously the way, the rangefinder get's the distance information from the lens ... and it is just calibrated by a simple screw ? ... as far as I could see. There might be more if opening the top plate, what I haven't done yet though.
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Berndt
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Post by Berndt on Nov 30, 2012 20:39:24 GMT -5
Unfortunately just Magicubes ... and they are sold out. I wish, I would know that  No idea  I might need to visit one of my favorite 2nd hand camera stores here and ask. Finally holding my find in my hands, I also discovered, that I probably need even more than flash bulbs to activate this ancient device. It obviously needs a "B" Battery 22,5 V ( wow, never came across such a thing ) and a 300 microF "Capacitor", which seems to still inside. An adventure seems to begin  ;D  vintage samoca flash unit by bokuwanihongasuki, on Flickr |
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Berndt
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Post by Berndt on Nov 30, 2012 20:03:00 GMT -5
Became an interesting thread  How about my ( very simple ) solution ? Using just a piece of tape, like on the picture. It should be in the same position as the film, shouldn't it ? I can't check my black FED at the moment, because I still have a film inside, but I checked the other ones with this method. The blue and red one seems to be adjusted perfectly ... at least to the mounted lens ... and that is, what I can still not perfectly understand: If you have just unknown bodies and lenses, how can you say, which is correctly adjusted and which not ... without having such a depth micrometer ? They might just be perfectly adjusted to each other. I think you need either a known body or lens from the beginning to adjust the rest. Well, I bought two camera from the Ukaine ( the green FED3 and the red FED2 ) and two in Japan ( but I guess, at least the blue one is originally from the Ukraine as well ). What I have to say is, all cameras seem to be professionally refurbished and I guess, that's how the camera business works there. Professional sellers are buying at the local market and hire former FED engineers for refurbishing the cameras. Just my green FED 3 seems to be slightly misadjusted, but besides that, it's in excellent condition. Seriously, I wonder sometimes, how they can offer cameras at often still very cheap prices. I think especially of those funny "Luftwaffe" fake Leicas & Co. They do look like new and cost about 170 USD at E-Bay. That doesn't sound cheap, but the original FED 1 or Zorki is mostly traded already at 100 USD and then, it needs to refurbished, completely newly coated with engravings ... what a tremendous effort. I wouldn't do all that for 70 USD  www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-RUSSIAN-35MM-RANGEFINDER-GOLD-CAMERA-LEICA-II-LUFTWAFFE-WWII-EXCELLENT-/180908927126?pt=Film_Cameras&hash=item2a1f032896 |
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Berndt
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Post by Berndt on Nov 28, 2012 19:12:19 GMT -5
Wow Stephen, I am always impressed of your detailed knowledge !!! Frankly speaking, I am still a little bit confused about rangefinders with exchangeable lenses The first FED, I got ( the blue one on the picture ) seemed to be well calibrated. I run a test film and everything was in focus as it should be, even using the lens full open. Screwing the lens on my MFT-adapter, it showed, that the actual infinity was a little bit "before" the infinity on the lens scale ( which is much better than behind of course ). On my next FED ( the black one ), infinity was accurate and the rangefinder also seems to be well adjusted. But ... how can that be ? And ... what would happen, if I would exchange the lenses between both cameras ? Do you know, what I mean ? I don't know enough about rangefinders with exchangeable lenses and how the work. |
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Berndt
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Post by Berndt on Nov 28, 2012 1:39:21 GMT -5
Cool !!!
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Berndt
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Post by Berndt on Nov 27, 2012 20:12:58 GMT -5
I also think ( and have been surprised actually ), that the FEDs and their lenses are better than their reputation. I also checked the lenses on my digital GH1 and they deliver marvelous results, even on modern bodies.
Her is my ( just very small ) FED collection ... and I am still waiting for an Industar-69 2.8/28 lens to become delivered to my house. Curious, how the quality is, because it would also make a fine "standard angle of view" lens on a MFT ( something like 56 mm then ).
A Jupiter-3 1.5/50 is definitely still standing on my "need to get someday"-list ... but I am a little bit afraid, that the rangefinder might not be precise enough to focus perfectly ( full open ). Depending on the distance, F:1.5 can cause a pretty shallow DOF.
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Berndt
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Post by Berndt on Nov 26, 2012 18:12:14 GMT -5
I think, the FEDs became more "ugly" ( by design ) with the time. I like the FED 1 and 2, the FED 3 already became bulkier and the FED 4 is one of the ugliest cameras, I know ... just IMHO.
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Berndt
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Post by Berndt on Nov 24, 2012 6:50:19 GMT -5
I have been lucky to find an old flash at an auction yesterday ( really cheap ;D ) and wonder, if there are still flash bulbs around ... at an acceptable price. Does anybody know some source ? Would be fun, giving this ancient device a try |
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Berndt
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Post by Berndt on Nov 24, 2012 4:54:19 GMT -5
Congrats ... cool car !!!
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Berndt
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Huh....
Nov 23, 2012 7:36:01 GMT -5
Post by Berndt on Nov 23, 2012 7:36:01 GMT -5
I just checked "Thanksgiving" at the Wikipedia. It's interesting, that there seem to be similar traditions in many countries and cultures. In Germany for example, it's not on a special day and not being celebrated everywhere. Just in areas with a lot of agriculture, farmers are having a festival in their village, displaying and sharing a part of their harvest in autumn. Here in Japan, there are similar traditions, related to the Shinto-religion or Buddhism, but also locally very different ( regarding the date and customs ).
What is the meaning of Thanksgiving and wishing somebody a "Happy Thanksgiving" in the States ?
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Berndt
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Post by Berndt on Nov 22, 2012 1:01:27 GMT -5
What I read here, didn't really motivate me, buying something from the ex-soviet countries via E-Bay, but in the end, I couldn't resist and gave it a try  Two cameras arrived from the Ukraine today ( from different sellers ). Both in excellent condition, professionally packed and shipped quickly. I can't complain, but both sellers had excellent ratings and a lot of sells. Many sellers seem to have some kind of online shop and obviously working hard for a good reputation. That might be different if it's a private person, selling a camera once in his/her life though. |
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Berndt
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Post by Berndt on Nov 20, 2012 5:46:22 GMT -5
Did you PM him ?
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Berndt
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Post by Berndt on Nov 17, 2012 10:29:51 GMT -5
diameter = 1.9*squr(focal length*wavelength of the light) or something like that, right ? |
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Berndt
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Post by Berndt on Nov 16, 2012 22:04:54 GMT -5
Good stuff, Col. I am always interested in this kind of stuff. And regarding IR, at least no focus problems on your camera  |
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No idea 
I might need to visit one of my favorite 2nd hand camera stores here and ask.
;D
