Film camera 35 mm FED-50 rangefinder working condition film photography retro camera cheapest analog photographer giftcollectable rare camera

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FED-50 was produced by the Kharkov production machine-building association "FED" since 1986 and at least exactly until 1991.
The device is unexpectedly weighty. My copy weighs 420 grams. The camera body is metal, it is pasted over on the front and back with a well-textured leatherette, traditional for the Soviet photographic industry. FED-50 lies well in the hands.
The design of the camera is controversial for my taste. Completely black color - definitely fits the camera. But the golden ornate letters that carry the name and the word "automatic" on the front of the case - reduce the solidity.
Lens Industar-81 2.8 / 38 - fixed.
Focusing on the distance scale. In the viewfinder's field of view, the distance scale is duplicated by pictograms: portrait, group portraits, architecture.
When the lens rotates, an arrow moves along these icons. A very hi-tech solution for that time.
A full turn of the focusing ring is very small - less than 90 degrees. The minimum focusing distance is 1 meter. Filter thread M46 × 0.75.
The lens is fast enough and has a focal length of 38 mm. This is not bad for this type of device, but in my opinion, a lens with a 32 mm lens and wider would be much better.
There is information on the network that Industar-81 has a good resolution and the device is quite suitable for use today.
FED-50 belongs to the class of software machines. It can control shutter speed and aperture in fully automatic mode. To do this, set the "A" mode using the aperture ring.
In this mode, depending on the value of the film sensitivity entered into the camera and the illumination of the scene, the camera will automatically select the exposure pair from 1/30 + f2.8 to 1/650 + f14.
Both shutter speed and aperture change strictly at the same time.
In low light conditions, the shutter button is locked!
In the field of the viewfinder on the right, there are apertures and when you press the shutter button, the arrow moves along the scale. Thus, you can understand with what parameters the frame will be made.
In terms of the information content of the viewfinder window, the FED-50 is simply above all praise!
The shutter is central. Interestingly, the shutter also performs the function of the diaphragm at once. Those. when you press the shutter, the shutter does not open completely, but only to the value corresponding to the set aperture.
Aperture values ​​can also be set in manual mode.
The following values ​​are supported: 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16. Alas, we will not get an automatic mode with aperture priority…. The rolled ones can roll back. If the aperture is set manually, the shutter speed will always be 1/30. Alas.
In the presence of automation, the device nevertheless does not require a battery. The FED-50 is powered by an annular selenium photocell located on the front slice of the lens.
Due to this arrangement of the photocell - on the lens - when using a light filter, its density is automatically taken into account when calculating the exposure ratio.
To charge the film, the rear wall hinges to the right. To open the lock, you need to pull up the rewind knob.
On the back wall there is a viewfinder window and a ribbed metal ring for introducing film sensitivity into the camera.
Below is a tripod socket and a recessed shutter release button.
On the top panel there is a rewind head with a folding tape measure, a flash bracket with a "hot" sync contact, round windows for the frame counter and with an indication of the film sensitivity, a trigger for rewinding the film and cocking shutter, as well as a release button.
There are many governing bodies, but they are located rationally. The trigger is small but comfortable. Made of metal, which makes it very reliable! The trigger has 2 positions - transport and "ready".
The shutter release button is displaced to the right and forward and is very conveniently located. The index finger rests comfortably exactly on it and at the same time nothing interferes and does not block access.
The viewfinder gives a rather small and not very bright picture. But on the other hand, in addition to indicating the position of the focused ring and the exposure pair, it also has luminous cheapest frame frames with parallax compensation. A very information-rich viewfinder.
For me FED-50 is an ambiguous camera.
On the one hand, we have an example of a very high-quality and well-thought-out design. The camera is convenient to use. A bunch of readouts in the viewfinder - for those times it looked just cool. A full automatic machine, the quality of work of which does not cause any particular complaints - this is a feat of the Kharkovites. Do not forget that any automation was very difficult for the Soviet photo industry.
On the other hand, the complete lack of the ability to control the depth of field is a very controversial decision. The lens with 38 mm FR is not wide enough to not think about depth of field at all.

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