Re: FED

[P3D Michael Kersenbrock <michaelk@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

> FYI - I purchased a FED from 3D Productions. After all of the talk
> concerning poor quality control with the FED, I was concerned that I would
> have exposure problems or variance between the lenses. Well, last week I ran
> a roll of slide film through it and was pleased with properly exposed
> results; full sun or shade, as well as no variance between the senses. I

My wife bought one of those for me as a birthday present.  Because of postings, 
I had rather expected underexposure by a stop or so (which biased my test 
settings in that direction as well as "normal"), but it seems NOT to be 
underexposing, and seems to be about correct (as well as "balanced").  
So I've a lot of 1 to 1.5 stop overexposed images, as well as "proper" 
ones plus a few underexposed (did three test rolls on a day-trip 
to Astoria, Oregon).  :-)

> don't know if I was just lucky or if the Ukrainians have gotten better. This
> camera was made in 1994.

Or maybe it was adjusted by the repair-person that Harry sent them through?

> One concern, however, is that the camera uses a mercury battery.
> MR44/PX675/2602. I'm not sure that I'll be able to obtain these and I'm
> concerned that the silver equivalent will perform the same - it is listed as
> a tenth of a volt different.

Use the hearing aid zinc-air batteries.  They are available
from most any supermarket quite inexpensively, or from places like 
PriceCostco for almost free (but you buy several dozen cells :-).  They 
are the same voltage as the mercuries and are the same technology 
of cell that Wein sells as Mercury replacements (but the hearing-aid
ones are tremendously cheaper).  They are claimed to last only 3
months before having to change them, but I've found them to last
a good bit longer (in other camera uses, don't know about in a FED, yet).

It shouldn't be a problem. :-)

Mike K.


P.S. - I'm not too thrilled about the lack of iris control, but do
       like the 7p format (in a Dr.T'drb which I took to the Cascade
       Stereoscopic Club meeting, shown on a display table).


> 
> Edward I. Comer - Atlanta, Georgia
> 
> 


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