Kiev-2A - got suddenly stiff!!

[darkkavenger]

Hello all, tonight as I returned from the swimming pool, I noticed, while trying to focus my Kiev-2A, that the focusing wheel was gripping hard, like if blocking.

The camera was secured in my Tamrac bag and locked in a safebox, without humidity. When returning home I took two shots and the cam was working well, then I stored it as usual with care on my bag.

When I took it a few ago, I was surprised that the camera wouldn't focus. I thought it was the lens first (currently using an Helios-103) but the lens is working just fine, and I checked, it's the bayonet mount that "grips" (hard to turn the focusing wheel) between the 10m mark and 6m mark. Afterwards it's very smooth, same between infinity mark and 10meters mark.

Has anyone ever had this ? I've never ever had any problems of this kind before. Could it be some dust ? Is there a way to solve the problem without disassembling ? (I hate this with a passion because all I'll do will be breaking the camera).

Thank you for your help!
Max

 

[darkkavenger]

*bump bump*

 

[w3rk5]

Sorry to hear about your Kiev issue. I haven't had this happen but it sounds like you will need to take it apart. It's strange that it happend so suddenly.

You might want to contact rpinchbeck or Mike Kovacs before you do anything drastic. Those guys know alot about the inner workings of the Kiev/Contax. Good luck with it Max. Keep us updated on you findings.

 

[nzeeman]

hmmm same happened to my kiev 4. i opened focusing wheel but couldnt find any damage on it. 🙁
try to open it maybe it just some dirt in it.

 

[darkkavenger]

w3rk5, I hope Mike and Russ will be checking this thread. 🙂
nzeeman : I think it might be some dirt, but I don't want to open a camera who has been operating wonderfully up to now. I'm afraid of damaging it.

 

[varjag]

Max, am not sure there's anything you can do to address the problem without (partially) disassembling camera.

As it sounds you have focusing gear train jamming in a particular position. It can be as simple as dirt, or as bad as manifestation wear on the cogwheels. In either case you will need access to the gears and helicoid. Read the chapter on bayonet cleaning and dismantle at Russ's site, it ain't that hard.

 

[darkkavenger]

Hello Eugene, I'll have a check... I hope it's nothing serious. 🙂

 

[Pherdinand]

could be dirt in the helicoid itself, and it could be some dirt/sand grains stuck in the cogwheels of the focusing wheel-to-helicoid transmission. It is not very difficult to take the rf unit and the inner part of the mount (the one that rotates) out.

 

[darkkavenger]

Eugene was right about disassembling the helicoid.. it doesn't seems complicated. I will finish the roll of film in the camera and try the fix myself. 🙂

 

[nzeeman]

Eugene was right about disassembling the helicoid.. it doesn't seems complicated. I will finish the roll of film in the camera and try the fix myself. 🙂

yes it is pretty simple you have only 7 screws to unscrew and you got front plate off. there is almost no chance to make damage. even i didnt brake anything. 😀

 

[rolleistef]

Max, il se peut que le bras du télémètre bloque quelque part. Il y a le bras proprement dit, et une sorte de galet qui le relie au mécanisme de map. Il suffirait d'un grain de sable pour que ça bloque. Il suffit pour y acceder de tout démonter 😀, le dessus, le dos de l'obturateur et l'obturateur lui même... ce n'est en fait pas très compliqué, ça totalise juste 24 vis. bon courage!
en fait, il est quasiment impossible de casser un Kiev/contax! il faut juste éviter de bouger la grosse vis du crochet qui retient le 1e rideau en place, c'est tt.
(there might be something with the rf arm. a single sand grain would stick everything. Just need to remove everything : top, shutter cover and mechanism, but a Kiev is nearly unbreakable, just need to avoid moving the big screw that keeps the release hook...)

 

[darkkavenger]

thanks Stéphane, that sounds encouraging. I'm determined to try this tonight, for sure!

 

[w3rk5]

Before you start to take the Kiev 2A apart, is it possible for you to get a broken Kiev to practice on first?

 

[darkkavenger]

I'm afraid i won't. I'll try to drop within half an hour to Jan Pazdera in case they have a cheap Kiev. 🙂

 

[darkkavenger]

*Quietly returns to his office with a spare parts Kiev-4 and a lovely Fed-3 type B* 😀

 

[Ash]

😀 😀 nice

 

[darkkavenger]

The Fed-3 will probably end up being sold, although I couldn't resist into buying it for its silk-smooth advance lever 😀 The Fed-3 type B was my first RF ever... see where it has brought me 😉

 

[brachal]

*Quietly returns to his office with a spare parts Kiev-4 and a lovely Fed-3 type B* 😀

I bought a silky smooth Fed-3 from Jan Pazdera a couple of weeks ago when I was in Prague on vacation! What a great shop. Good luck with your Kiev.

 

[darkkavenger]

Thanks Bill! The woman looked at me (she sees me quite often) and asked : "you collect and sell, no ?" with a kind of wink *giggles* She showed me a Zorki-S and a Lomo-135, but I took what was more useful :nod: the Zorki-S was lovely!

 

[physiognomy]

*Quietly returns to his office with a spare parts Kiev-4 and a lovely Fed-3 type B* 😀

Good find! I recently bought a Kiev 2a & wondered what I'd do if it ever had a problem down the line (I intend to keep this camera indefinitely)... Luckily a parts Kiev 2a (stuck shutter) came along & I got it for relatively little $$, so when it arrives I'm going to be following some of the repair guides on Russ' site. If I can't fix it, I will have a good source of original parts should I ever need any.

Good luck with your repair!

Peter