Fun with Kiev repairs

[Peter_Jones]

Since purchasing a Kiev, I have purchased 3 bodies for spares, so I can dismantle and learn how it works. One of the three had a totally dead shutter, so I stripped the camera to its major components and have the second curtain working (need to figure out first curtain - this is fun). Of the 2 with semi-working shutters, I need to replace the ribbons, but am not too worried about this now. One has a shutter with a loud "clunk", the other is whisper-quiet and very smooth to wind on (has the makings of a good camera I think)

The only problem I have is all three came without lens mounts, and I think I can make 2 good cameras out of these. It's a steep learning curve, but am looking forward to giving these a CLA, (and also my working one). I eagerly await Ruben's Kiev Project . 🙂

 

[Spyderman]

I guess you bought the 3-Kievs-for-parts from Alex, didn't you. It's a shame they take mounts from otherwise repairable cameras... thus making them unusable. 🙁

Anyway, congrats to you and your reapirman abilities 😀

 

[Peter_Jones]

You're right, Spyderman. I'll have to look for Kievs with totally useless shutters to salvage lens mounts from.

Might be a bit early to congratulate me, I've not put one back together yet 😀

 

[ruben]

Hi Peter,
My greatest congratulations. Kievs have a great potential, not reached even by the best sellers. Only we, with lots of work can bring this potential back.

With the backing of the KSS, and Maizenberg's book, you may gain a lot of time.

Cheers
Ruben

 

[TVphotog]

Dang it!!! You're the one that did that!!! I was waiting till money wasn't so tight. Now I am gonna have to wait till Alex gets back from vacation to get some more. Good luck on the 'putting back together' That is always the sticky part for me.

 

[Peter_Jones]

I think he still has some with meters (on flea-bay shop) available.

This shutter tension lark is fiddly - i need three hands 🙂

 

[wolves3012]

I got as far as taking the back plate off the shutter and the top plate off my recently acquired 4A. I relubed the gear trains and got scared of any more disassembly!

Can someone tell me how many turns is "normal" on the shutter tension? I put about 8 on mine before is sounded right (compared to my 4, which is pretty much right on shutter speeds).

 

[ruben]

Hi wolves,
As a starting point comparing two Kievs, with one of them we are sure about, is good enough. If you like you can also compare the surgery Kiev with an SLR you are sure about.

But for final proof, you may have to perform a film test.

There is also one or two threads dealing with home made electronic shutter testers. Not my field.

Cheers,
Ruben

 

[Spyderman]

Can someone tell me how many turns is "normal" on the shutter tension?

I'm not an expert at this, but from what I've read:
- Henry Scherer (repairman of Contaxes) says that for a Contax 5 turns is maximum
- Maizenberg writes about 5 to 10 turns

When I CLA'd my two Kievs I set the tension to 5 (or 5 and a 1/2) turns. It turned out to be the bare minimum tension when the shutter closes at all speeds. And it sounds good (though I haven't put a film through yet...)