Keeping a Kiev armed?

V

varjag

Guest
Folks, what do you do in situations when you already have winded the film (and cocked the shutter), but there's no shots in immediate future? Would you just shoot the frame away, or is it ok to live Kiev with the shutter cocked for a few days? Maybe there's a trick to reset sutter without advancing the film?
 
I leave mine wound all the time - I don't want to have to remember to wind when a shot presents itself. OTOH, my Kiev is my primary camera. It's always with me and I honestly doubt there has been more than 2 days between frames since I bought it. If you're not going to use it for a week or longer, then I'd leave it unwound as over a long time it can harm the springs used in the shutter. But the only one I've personally seen with that problem is a Contax III that sat wound from ~1960 till a few months ago.

William
 
I have no real experience w/the Kiev (recently got 1, but it's in the shop), but I leave my Contax II's w/their shutters cocked all the time. However, that's what I do w/any camera that has film in it, so we're not talking about a lengthy period time (a week or 2 @ most).
 
Going by "verjag's" location line, maybe he should seek advice closer to home!

I have both Zorkis and three Kievs. As for that not changing the shutter speed until the shutter is cocked, I've seen reasoned arguments both ways, and one guy who said he had repaired Contaxes and Kievs for 20 yrs. said he knew of no reason you have to cock the shutter first. Where does that leave Zorkis?? Now, if they said not to put your finger through the focal-plane shutter, I would see why. There seems to be a belief that cocking the shutter first was true on all cameras, regardless of brand, on which the speed dial rotates during exposure. So who's to say - do it and be one the safe side.

I might also mention that 3 different cameras I bought from FSU sellers
 
My understanding is that everyone agrees that TM Leicas & Leica copies, including Zorkis, need to be wound 1st before setting shutter speeds. With the Contax II/III & the Kiev, authorities are divided: many folks, & my Zeiss Ikon Contax instruction manuals, say that shutter speeds can be set before or after winding the shutter, but others, including Henry Scherer, say you should wind before setting speeds.

dll927 said:
Going by "verjag's" location line, maybe he should seek advice closer to home!

I have both Zorkis and three Kievs. As for that not changing the shutter speed until the shutter is cocked, I've seen reasoned arguments both ways, and one guy who said he had repaired Contaxes and Kievs for 20 yrs. said he knew of no reason you have to cock the shutter first. Where does that leave Zorkis?? Now, if they said not to put your finger through the focal-plane shutter, I would see why. There seems to be a belief that cocking the shutter first was true on all cameras, regardless of brand, on which the speed dial rotates during exposure. So who's to say - do it and be one the safe side.

I might also mention that 3 different cameras I bought from FSU sellers
Click to expand...
 
dll927 said:
Going by "verjag's" location line, maybe he should seek advice closer to home!
Click to expand...

Actually just about everyone here is shooting with SLRs. I've stumbled upon a Kiev-4a when looking for an expendable SLR at a flea market. Of course I fell in love instantly and had to buy it.. that was my best investment for a while probably.

Anyway I wasn't asking whether i should set the speeds before or after film advance (I mostly set it after, but don't have a problem with occasionally setting it before). The question was if that's ok for the shutter spring to be left wound for a long time.

Thanks folks for your advices, now I wouldn't worry about leaving it wound for a day or two.
 
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