fast shutter speeds on kiev

[mravigna]

Has anyone ever had a kiev camera where the shutter speeds above 1/50th are still slowed down by the slow speed gears. When the shutter is cocked, you can hear the slow speed mechanism (wiz sound) still present even at the top speeds where this mechanism should no longer be slowing down the curtains. I have one kiev camera which works perfectly except for the high speeds. Everything with this camera works extremely smooth. Is there an easy fix to this problem? Thanks.

 

[acheyj]

Hi, looks to me like its the selector system. If you are prepared to open the camera up fairly deeply it will be in the actual shutter assembly, not a trivial task be warned !.
The Kiev Survival Site will explain it well.

http://www3.telus.net/public/rpnchbck/index.html

Then goto How it works, Changing Shutter Speeds. If you want to delve give me a shout, I had a lot of strife in this area till I got the hang of things. There sometimes is an adjustment problem in the actuating lever. I am sure there are others more competent that me to help you. Tho be warned the camera is a vastly more complex one than the Feds/Zorkis.

ron

 

[acheyj]

Just occured to me, make sure you cock the shutter before changing speeds, may not damage stuff but WILL confuse the slow speed system. as before Rick,s site explains it very well.

ron

 

[ruben]

I would open the back of the camera and look for what is happening at all the speeds.
What I will look for in not only the speed travel of the courtains but specially what happens when lifting them (winding cocking).

In case I find the lifting defective, i.e, allowing gaps between the courtains, this may indicate that the camera is extremely undertensioned - and this is not a big drama, but not a super easy fix as well.

BTW, I notice many of the really Kiev scientist we had are either sleeping or gone. Kindly don't assume I am at their level.

Cheers,
Ruben

 

[Pherdinand]

if i remember correctly there's a little cam in the top under the camera top plate and the slow speed escapement unit, that switches in at slower speeds. Might be that it got stuck in the switched-on position. But i am not sure about it.

About what Ruben says: isolving the undertensioning issue is not very difficult but it also needs some disassembly. The film gate has to be removed; there's a blocking latch for the bottom shutter roll (the roll where the shutter curtains are wound on in the uncocked position). You must keel the tiny screw with a tiny screwdriver while releasing this latch; then turn the tiny screw a few times to tension the shutter more; then re-fix the latch. It is a matter of patience. When i changed shutter ribbons on my Kiev, and was re-tensioning the spring, it slipped at least hundred times ouut of the screwdriver before i finally managed to get those 13 turns that are supposed to mean correct tensioning. But it works ok now.

Good luck with it anyway.
The kiev survival site has lots of useful tricks.

 

[ruben]

if i remember correctly there's a little cam in the top under the camera top plate and the slow speed escapement unit, that switches in at slower speeds. Might be that it got stuck in the switched-on position. But i am not sure about it.
.....

For the sake of Mravigna clarity, the abovequoted issue, and the undertension of the lower drum spring,I spoke about, are two different issues, nothing to do one with the other.

Marvigna will have to find the source of the problem. Or buy his third Kiev.

Cheers,
Ruben

 

[mravigna]

Might have to buy another Kiev

Might have to buy another Kiev

As Ruben said, I might have to buy another Kiev (I hope not since this has become almost an addiction). I should by now not feel the need to buy another since I do have a Kiev II and III a, Kiev 4 a) type 2, Contax II and III; all that properly function (all purchased on ebay exept for one from Fedka). I am however having problems with the Kiev 4a's type 1 that I purchased one a few week ago that I have now sent to Oleg for service, and this new one that will be replaced by Sellertreasure's (ebay). The seller will be sending me another camera. I can keep the one that he initially sent me but I still want to find out why this camera which is excellent in everything but the shutter problems that I mentioned. I am not too adventurous when it comes down to taking these cameras apart but I do like to know why this particular camera seems to be stuck with the slow speed gears at all speeds.

 

[acheyj]

Almost an addiction ! ! ?

ron

 

[Pherdinand]

Hey
do you want my Kiev 4 too?🙂

 

[Spyderman]

those 13 turns that are supposed to mean correct tensioning.

Pherdinand: are you sure 13 isn't WAY TOO MUCH ?

Mr. Scherer says that Contaxes need maximum of 5 turns. All my Kievs originally (from factory) had 10 turns, which I decreased to 6 +/- 0.5 and all cameras work well, and are smooth to use. I can't even imagine how a Kiev would feel if it had 13 turns of the main shutter spring...

 

[Pherdinand]

i am not sure of the number. It was just a number i remembered from the kiev survival site. Might be less 🙂
If you think it's way too much it probably is way too much, thanks for correcting me!

PS: have you received the hi-matic?

 

[Pherdinand]

by the way, ondrej - is "pok" also ="spider" in slovak?

 

[wolves3012]

Pherdinand: are you sure 13 isn't WAY TOO MUCH ?

Mr. Scherer says that Contaxes need maximum of 5 turns. All my Kievs originally (from factory) had 10 turns, which I decreased to 6 +/- 0.5 and all cameras work well, and are smooth to use. I can't even imagine how a Kiev would feel if it had 13 turns of the main shutter spring...

I've been meaning to ask what the correct number is, so you've answered this for me. My 4a has 7 turns, guessed by me from the sound of the shutter - looks like I wasn't far off then!

 

[ruben]

I too agree by the 6 and half.

OK, Mravigna, with such a fleet you cannot rely on fixers. You have to start opening one of your Kievs and use it as a disassembling learning camera. Go along the KSS - No better site in the world for a single brand of cameras.

Cheers,
Ruben

 

[mravigna]

Well Ruben, I think you have a point

Well Ruben, I think you have a point

I will have to try this as you say, but not for now. I have collected quite a few of these cameras (including parts) and will, if I can find the time, start taking some of these apart. For now, I would rather focus on using the one's that work and printing photos.

 

[rolleistef]

Simple tip : cock the shutter, and hold the speed selector up. You may normally hear a small click - and the proper speed is selected. Has happened to me a couple of time and it has always worked so far.

 

[mravigna]

hello Rolleistef - I only wish this could work

hello Rolleistef - I only wish this could work

I tried this but it doesn't work. Everything on this camera works very precision like but the slow speed gears just keep on sticking on even at higher speeds than 1/50th. The camera looks great; too bad!

 

[ruben]

I will have to try this as you say, but not for now. I have collected quite a few of these cameras (including parts) and will, if I can find the time, start taking some of these apart. For now, I would rather focus on using the one's that work and printing photos.

You too have a point here, and better than mine, provided that in those that work at least focus is accurate.

Cheers,
Ruben