Kiev 35A operation

[Jammybstard]

Hi, first post hope you can help me.

I have dug out my Kiev 35A, I was planning to sell it, I got some use out of it last year, but moved on to a Pentax SLR and havent used it since, so It may aswell go on ebay.
This is a question for anyone you has one. I have took it out of the box to inspect it, and have been playing with it with no film.
As anyone who has one knows, you have to double cock it to wind the film on.
The light meter works perfectly after the first cock, but drops to the bottom and stays there when I cock it a second time. If I fire it and cock it again (once) the light meter needle springs back up.
I've checked the battery voltage and its fine.

Can anyone sugest wha the problem is? or if this is normal when there is no film in the camera!

Thanks for reading

 

[Valkir1987]

The Kiev 35A is a copy of the Minox 35 (...). I hava a Minox 35 EL. When you cock the shutter the needle of the light meter jumps up. When you fire the shutter, the needle goes down. The needle should go up when you cock the shutter for the second time. The Kiev 35A seems to have a reputation of a dozen of common problems which show up. (light leaks, electronics, failing shutter etc.) It can take good pictures if fully checked and repaired. Maybe its hard to say the Kiev 35A is more a collectors item than a proper (problem free) camera. But a second hand Minox isn't so expensive these days.