| Author |
Message |
    
Rolf Kevin Zigler
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, June 22, 2004 - 08:27 pm: | 
|
Does anyone have any instructions on how to adjust a Fed 5 to sync with electronic flash?
I just received a camera from the Ukrane and testing the hotshoe shows the flash triggering when the shutter is half open. Repeating shows consistancy. Adjusting the shutter to longer setting doesn't help.
Thanks for any help,
Rolf Kevin Zigler |
Jon Goodman
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, June 22, 2004 - 09:41 pm: |
|
Hi, Rolf. There is no external adjustment on the FED 5. The only way to adjust the flash is internal, but normally it does not get out of adjustment. Maybe you have already done this, but here is an easy test you can try. Set the shutter speed at 1/30...wind the camera before setting the speed. This is the fastest speed at which you can use a flash with this camera. Remove the lens, remove the film back and place a piece of cardboard across the film opening so that only a small slit on the right hand side of the film opening is open...maybe 2mm or so. When the flash is charged, hold the camera about 2 feet from a wall and fire the shutter with your eyeball right up next to the little 2mm opening. Do you see the flash when the shutter release button is pushed? Now try the same thing on the left hand side. Did you see the flash over there when the shutter button was pushed? If you saw the flash in both of the little slits you made by blocking the film opening with your cardboard, your camera is working fine. Good luck...if you have any questions, please ask.
Jon |
Rolf Kevin Zigler
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, June 26, 2004 - 12:43 pm: |
|
Hi Jon,
Thanks for the tips. I did start at 1/30 sec and I've tried the slower/longer speeds as well. The slower speeds did improve but not correct. The biggest problem is with a thyrister flash close to the subject. The edge of the lead part of the shutter is getting halfway through the frame when the flash goes off. It's very consistant. I am aware of the problem of only changing shutter speed after winding and I've been very carefull to do that. (Of course I don't know how the camera was treated before me.)
With a Vivitar 285HV set to full power the flash is visible across the full frame. I believe I read once, a long time ago, that Russian flashes are pretty long duration so it may be less of an issue when the flash is a long duration, which may be the case with the Vivitar at full flash output.
The problem is when I try to use the little flash I have that I want to use with the camera. It doesn't have anything but auto thyrister mode. I haven't tried covering the sensor, to give full output, but I'd rather have it automatically adjust.
I'm fairly mechanical, so if there is an adjustment tweak, I'd be willing to take a try.
Thanks,
Rolf Kevin Zigler |
Rolf Kevin Zigler
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, June 26, 2004 - 12:52 pm: |
|
I just re-read my own message and it doesn't make sense. I am beginning to think the little flash is the problem, although it tests OK with other cameras.
I will investigate further.
Thanks,
Rolf Kevin Zigler |
Rolf Kevin Zigler
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, July 06, 2004 - 11:25 am: |
|
Jon,
I took some serious time with the Fed 5 during the last weekend and, I am almost afraid to admit this, the problem was with the user (me).
I didn't realize that the shutter knob would rotate beyond the "B" setting. I was thinking that the 1/30 sec flash sync was when the shutter dial was between 1/15th and 1/60th.
Once I set the shutter dial to the "red" 1/30th sec., it tested perfectly with every electronic flash I tried with it.
I feel like Homer Simpson's dumber brother. "Doh!"
Thanks for the help,
Rolf Kevin Zigler |
Jon Goodman
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, July 06, 2004 - 03:12 pm: |
|
Hi, Rolf.
Thanks for the note. No problem there...that camera is confusing with the way the 1/30 speed is hidden. Some other Soviet cameras are sort of the same way, too. Glad to hear all is well. Time to take some pictures. You can actually do some nice work with this one and the 61 L/D lens. Very sharp.
Jon |
|
