R
ruben
Guest
After having some success in improving the frame spacing issue and further softening of my winding knob operation, I think some lonely Kiev 4am owners out there on the hills may like to read the following. My further improvement was due to two factors, a) a different way of film loading, and b) "revitalizing" the pressure plate.
About b), I will open a separate thread. This one concerns the way of film loading.
As this issue was subject of discussion in the past, showing different opinions among vets, let's start with what all of us agree:
Due to the Contax basic design, it is of the utmost importance that film will travel straight along the camera reels, and catch the sprokets with accuracy. New comers may think I am speaking nonsense, since this is provided with any old camera from the sixties onwards. But by the time the Contax was designed the situation was different, and we are left with the duty of taking special precaution at this stage.
The controversial model 4AM provide us with a fixed spool, but taxes us with smaller protruding sprockets. Is the implication that the take up spool is to take command over the sprockets like in any other camera ? I don't think so, since as much as I observed the gears I didn't find any dramatic change but the same as in older models.
At the old pre-war Contax manual seen at Rick Olesson website, along the severe warnings about loading film correctly, we see a nice girl holding the film flat against the reels, with her thumb, while with her other hand starting to insert the back.
This way (flattening the film with the thumb while inserting the back), is of no relevance but when you are inserting film in other Kievs, pre 4AM, and at those cases, in my opinion, when you are using a spool instead of a Kiev cassette.
So how do I do it ?
1) I start by engaging the take-up fixed spool. Engaging is NOT just passing the film tonge across the take up spool but also winding a full turn, and testing if the film is really engaged. No need to say that if after you wind a full turn you fire the shutter you have done nothing.
Now, it may be the case that you will need two full winding turns, and there is nothing wrong with it, if it happens.
2) Once I have the film strongly engaged at the take up spool, I loosen the necessary length of film to enable me to insert the commercial cassette (Fujicolor, or whatever) into the forks at the left side.
3) Then I gently rewind and take care the film correctly engages the sprockets.
4) After that I continue to rewind a bit more as to eliminate any looseness in the commercial cassette. I do it gently, and when I reach the stop, I apply a bit more of force, and keep this position. Film holes always engaging the sprockets
5) At this situation we have achieved a rather strong tension of the film, between the take up spool and the commercial cassette. Now, with the other hand I place the back, without loosening the rewind knob untill the back is fully re placed. The pressure plate of the back is what will continue the job of maintaining the film correctly engaging the sprockets. (Besides its usual job of flatenning the film like in any other camera).
6) After the 4AM is closed you can release your presuring of the rewind knob and then lock the camera back with the lower lockers.
7) It is to be expected that after you release the rewind knob it will turn back seeking some freedom from tension. But we have bad news for the poor rewind knob: now we want to test if the film is really engaged. For this we now fire our shutter release, gently rewind the "freedom space" within the commercial cassette, gently hold the pressure while we wind for next frame. We must see the rewind knob circulating, i.e. releasing film for the take up spool. Otherwise something went wrong.
8) Are we done ? Almost. From time to time it will not hurt to gently rewind the "freedom space" of the commercial cassette before winding, to check the film continues well engaged and it has not free itself from the fixed take up spool. Tension is the name of the game.
Cheers,
Ruben
As you know the winding knob will ever turn softer without film than with. This is another thermometer for knowing film continues to be engaged. But if at some point the winding turns unusually hard, then don't force it - time for the changing black bag. The film has disengaged from the sprockets and is being pressured between the sprockets and the pressure plate.
About b), I will open a separate thread. This one concerns the way of film loading.
As this issue was subject of discussion in the past, showing different opinions among vets, let's start with what all of us agree:
Due to the Contax basic design, it is of the utmost importance that film will travel straight along the camera reels, and catch the sprokets with accuracy. New comers may think I am speaking nonsense, since this is provided with any old camera from the sixties onwards. But by the time the Contax was designed the situation was different, and we are left with the duty of taking special precaution at this stage.
The controversial model 4AM provide us with a fixed spool, but taxes us with smaller protruding sprockets. Is the implication that the take up spool is to take command over the sprockets like in any other camera ? I don't think so, since as much as I observed the gears I didn't find any dramatic change but the same as in older models.
At the old pre-war Contax manual seen at Rick Olesson website, along the severe warnings about loading film correctly, we see a nice girl holding the film flat against the reels, with her thumb, while with her other hand starting to insert the back.
This way (flattening the film with the thumb while inserting the back), is of no relevance but when you are inserting film in other Kievs, pre 4AM, and at those cases, in my opinion, when you are using a spool instead of a Kiev cassette.
So how do I do it ?
1) I start by engaging the take-up fixed spool. Engaging is NOT just passing the film tonge across the take up spool but also winding a full turn, and testing if the film is really engaged. No need to say that if after you wind a full turn you fire the shutter you have done nothing.
Now, it may be the case that you will need two full winding turns, and there is nothing wrong with it, if it happens.
2) Once I have the film strongly engaged at the take up spool, I loosen the necessary length of film to enable me to insert the commercial cassette (Fujicolor, or whatever) into the forks at the left side.
3) Then I gently rewind and take care the film correctly engages the sprockets.
4) After that I continue to rewind a bit more as to eliminate any looseness in the commercial cassette. I do it gently, and when I reach the stop, I apply a bit more of force, and keep this position. Film holes always engaging the sprockets
5) At this situation we have achieved a rather strong tension of the film, between the take up spool and the commercial cassette. Now, with the other hand I place the back, without loosening the rewind knob untill the back is fully re placed. The pressure plate of the back is what will continue the job of maintaining the film correctly engaging the sprockets. (Besides its usual job of flatenning the film like in any other camera).
6) After the 4AM is closed you can release your presuring of the rewind knob and then lock the camera back with the lower lockers.
7) It is to be expected that after you release the rewind knob it will turn back seeking some freedom from tension. But we have bad news for the poor rewind knob: now we want to test if the film is really engaged. For this we now fire our shutter release, gently rewind the "freedom space" within the commercial cassette, gently hold the pressure while we wind for next frame. We must see the rewind knob circulating, i.e. releasing film for the take up spool. Otherwise something went wrong.
8) Are we done ? Almost. From time to time it will not hurt to gently rewind the "freedom space" of the commercial cassette before winding, to check the film continues well engaged and it has not free itself from the fixed take up spool. Tension is the name of the game.
Cheers,
Ruben
As you know the winding knob will ever turn softer without film than with. This is another thermometer for knowing film continues to be engaged. But if at some point the winding turns unusually hard, then don't force it - time for the changing black bag. The film has disengaged from the sprockets and is being pressured between the sprockets and the pressure plate.
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