FED "hidden" long exposure shutter speed

[Jocko]

I bought a 1963 Amateur Photographer today, which had an interesting letter...

"Sir - Owners of the FED 2 camera may be interested to hear of an extra shutter speed, of which the instruction book makes no mention. If the shutter speed dial is set to "B", and the self-timer employed, the shutter remains open exactly 5 seconds. Very handy for night shots on a tripod, etc.

B.R. Rowe, Leicester"


I've just tried this on two FED 2s and a FED 5c. With deference to Mr Rowe, I'd suggest the shutter stays open for 8 seconds, but stay open it certainly does - and it could indeed be handy!

Cheers, Ian

[ZorkiKat]

Ian

Mr Rowe may have had a FED-2 whose delayed action release timed for 5 secs. :) Given the variations in quality, these mechanisms may time anywhere from 5 to perhaps 12 secs.

The same trick has been suggested with auxiliary delayed releases for cameras without such mechanisms.

Jay

[fidget]

Ian, thanks for that. I get a repeatable 2s from my Zorki 6 and 3s from a Kiev 4a. Could be very useful!

Dave..

[Jocko]

Ian

Mr Rowe may have had a FED-2 whose delayed action release timed for 5 secs. :) Given the variations in quality, these mechanisms may time anywhere from 5 to perhaps 12 secs.

Hallo Jay - I'm sure you're right: my cameras were adjusted by Oleg - and his quality control would seem to be consistent! :)

Cheers, Ian

[John Robertson]

This information is given in the original Zorki6 habdbook, chapter 6!!
http://www.zenit.istra.ru/mans/zorki-6/zorki-6-eng.html

I'm sure if I remember correctly it is also mentioned in the Zenith3m handbook.

[jlw]

This type of feature goes back to the pre-Second-World-War Zeiss-Ikon Contax II. Its shutter had timed speeds going down only to 1/2 sec., but if you set the shutter to B and used the self-timer, you'd get a longish "one-second" speed.

[BillBingham2]

My F2AS works the same way. Very cool, I wonder if my Bessa Ls or my sons R? Will update tonight.

Thanks.

B2 (;->

[erikhaugsby]

This is much like the M2/3/4 where the selftimer+Bulb will yield an ~2 second exposure.

[ZorkiKat]

I tried this with my Zenit 122 last night. It consistently fired 5 second exposures with the B+self timer setting. Within that Zenit 122, despite its updated cosmetics and plastic body, beats a shutter which has remained faithful to the original found in the FED-1. Or should I daresay Leica II? :D

Jay

[wolves3012]

I only have self-timers on my Kiev 4 and FED 3, both give about 4 sec. It's really just taking advantage of the way the timer releases the shutter and it's a very old trick. Cable release and a tripod is obviously the proper technique but it's a handy trick for back up IF the timer happens to give the time you want!