Old film camera - cleaning, checking, fixing

[Hlop]

I asked this question in "Kodak Films" tread but I assume not many people are looking there ....

Does anyone know if there is any place in Sydney where I can check and properly clean old mechanical camera and it will not cost me a fortune? It's FED3, 1962 or 1963 made Soviet copy of Leica with 50mm 1:2.8 lens. Still functioning but I'd like to do some cleaning and check if shutter works properly and some parts most probably need some oiling

[Nnnnsic]

There's an Eastern European guy who they take a lot of the cameras from my old Uni to to get repaired.

It just so happens that I have to go in today and tomorrow, so I'll find one of the TA's and ask for his details.

I don't know his pricing so I'll ask that too.

[Hlop]

Thanks a lot, Leigh!

[Nnnnsic]

Okay, I checked with my old-young TA Damien at Uni and he told me that the guy had died not too recently.

Damnit.

[birddog114]

Okay, I checked with my old-young TA Damien at Uni and he told me that the guy had died not too recently.

Damnit.

Can you find out where did they burry or cremate him?

[Nnnnsic]

Okay, I checked with my old-young TA Damien at Uni and he told me that the guy had died not too recently.

Damnit.

Can you find out where did they burry or cremate him?

Well actually, they -- his family -- took everything back to Germany.

[Hlop]

Bad news

But here are some good news as well - I found a method how to repair curtain and I'll try it tonight. Checking and cleaning can wait for a while, till I have time to visit Legend Camera, advised by Sheetshooter

[Sheetshooter]

Hlop,

Those Russki cameras - Zorki, Fed, etc. - were pretty bullet-proof constructions put together quite simply (possibly using a fork and spoon) and so there may not be too much difficulty in effecting the repairs yourself.

I, for one, would be most curious to learn how you get on and, of course, to see some results. I have previously seen astounding results from these cameras. I have also seen some shockers. I guess there was a fairly broad tolerance in quality controll - perhaps relative to vodka consumption.

Cheers,

[gstark]

Which is little different to finding a paper bag with a half-empty bottle of Grappa (or limonciello), and some ciabatta and prosciutto under the backseat of an Alfa Romeo.

[Hlop]

Hlop,

Those Russki cameras - Zorki, Fed, etc. - were pretty bullet-proof constructions put together quite simply (possibly using a fork and spoon) and so there may not be too much difficulty in effecting the repairs yourself.

I, for one, would be most curious to learn how you get on and, of course, to see some results. I have previously seen astounding results from these cameras. I have also seen some shockers. I guess there was a fairly broad tolerance in quality controll - perhaps relative to vodka consumption.

Cheers,

You're absolutely right about their bullet-proofness - when I was a kid, I used to take this camera to skiing with me, dropped it to snow many times, felt myself to the snow with the camera quite often too It has survived

Accordingly to quality control ... In Soviet Union times there were two types of products - for internal usage and for export. Last products had very good to perfect quality and well organised quality control, first ones ... hmm ... probably that was relative to vodka consumption

[Hlop]

OK. Shutter curtain. Because it's very old, rubber coating was damaged (cracked and mostly peeled off) and I've got light leaks. What I've done last night, I've renewed coating using Gasket black silicone sealant. One layer seems to be not enough, so, tonight I'll apply second layer and will test it during weekend

[Sheetshooter]

Hlop,

Let me say how good it is to see a Do-It-Yourselfer around these days. Most commendable - and resourceful also.

Cheers,

[Hlop]

Sheetshooter,

Thanks for your words but it's bit early to celebrate Let us see some results. Also it might be good as a temporary workaround but if I want to play with this camera in the future, I might need to replace curtain