P3D Re: FED BOY

[Alan Lewis <3-d@xxxxxxxx>]

Mark Shields wrote:
> Those are interesting observations about the FED BOY. I have
> heard that there are two different versions of it. The original
> was sent to Germany after leaving the FED factory, where the
> B-O-Y company reworked it. That would account for the hand-drawn
> graph. The second version is supposed to have been made entirely
> in the FED factory, incorporating the same improvements. Did you
> actually get the German version for around $130? Talk about a
> steal!

That may be correct considering the instruction manual for the second
one was in Russian and the soft case was creepy, and no exposure EV
calibration chart.  But the camera had the BOY logo.  
I didn't get them for $130, that was the starting price on EBAY for
others, but I doubt whether they would go for that.  They usually peak
out at around $170 or so.  Still an excellent deal in my opinion.

> How hard is it to take the film advance mechanism apart? I've
> heard that there is some part of it which causes it to freewheel
> when the film starts to pull through too hard, to prevent ripping
> the film off the core at the end of the roll. 

I haven't investigated the freewheeling feature yet, so I don't know. 
The film advance mechanism was dis-assembled only so far as to get the
cog advance wheel out to grind away some material.  I haven't gone any
futher.  It is not difficult, but tricky if you let the spring unwind.
I will dis-assemble again further down to add a shim for fine tuning the
film advance during film loading advancing.  Right now I lose a stereo
pair because the film advances a bit too far when loading to set the
first exposure.

> You said the exposure meter is accurate. Is this with slide
> film?

Yes.  I stated it was exposed correctly "to my satisfaction".  This is
not necessarily to the standard of others.  I enjoy the slides I got, I
don't look at them and feel the exposure is off.

> 
> Do you really mean you bought the second one and didn't even
> run a test roll through it?  :-0

Yes.  First I have to modify it to 8 perf.  I don't want a 7 perf
camera.  Then maybe I'll experiment with a motor advance to get rid of
the manual film advance mechanism and counter.

>From comments by others on the FED and my observations I think we can
shed a positive light on the cameras' selling points thusly:

1) Film advance mechanism is designed just like the German Wirgin
Stereo.
2) Camera back removes and installs just like a Realist Stereo.
3) Lenses are at least as good as the Nimslo Stereo.

-- 
Alan Lewis  
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