Kiev II film advancing problem

[msarkki]

Hi

Any ideas on how to solve the following problem:
My Kiev II works fine until I hit approx frame 21-24 in a 36 exp roll. Then instead of film keeping rolling nicely to the take-up spool it kind of "bends" sharply and starts to roll on the wrong side of the spool. Naturally the last exposure gets badly scratched, sprocket holes get torn and the whole film gets stuck and cannot be advanced any longer.

Take-up spool is home made from an empty film canister - but should not be that different from the original take-up spool.

Could "friction clutch" rotating the take-up spool have something to do with this? Can that be adjusted and if so, how it should be adjusted? That thought crossed my mind since after facing this issue camera needs to be opened in the darkroom - and everytime it feels that the film is pretty loosely on the take-up spool .

 

[brbo]

Could "friction clutch" rotating the take-up spool have something to do with this? Can that be adjusted and if so, how it should be adjusted? That thought crossed my mind since after facing this issue camera needs to be opened in the darkroom - and everytime it feels that the film is pretty loosely on the take-up spool .

I'm not one that knows much (or anything) about Kievs, but I managed to adjust the friction of the clutch so that the spacing is absolutely perfect on my early Kiev II. I use empty canister around the take-up spool, too. For me the canister really made the difference as it forces the film to be firmly pressed against the sprocket advancing gear.

I guess your problem is that take-up spool is slipping too much. Film is loosely wound inside of the canister and at some point film can't be pushed into the canister anymore without bending, either inside the canister or outside of it. I guess in your situation the film is bent outside the canister and pushed underneath it.

I think that your thinking is correct and that adjusting the friction of the clutch will take care of it.

 

[David Hughes]

Hi,

I had the same trouble on my Leica IIIc and the clutch was the cause and the cure. When it's too loose it lets the film spin and loosen on the spool and then binds against the last frames of film.

BTW, keep an eye on ebay as the proper spools appear from time to time at a wide range of prices.

Regards, David

 

[snapper78]

Exakta or Exa take-up spools work well on my Kievs.

 

[msarkki]

You and brbo were right. Tightening the take-up fork did the trick. I checked from Maizenberg's book. (should've done that in the first place of course, but didn't remember I had the book...🙂) Maizenberg instructed to tighten the screw, but not to snap it. So I guess it really shall be tightened and not to be left too loose. The screw in my Kiev fork was completely loose and now after tightening the take-up fork slips but there is reasonable force. Yesterday I made 38 exposures on 36 exp FOMA with no issues on advancing film.

-m-

Hi,

I had the same trouble on my Leica IIIc and the clutch was the cause and the cure. When it's too loose it lets the film spin and loosen on the spool and then binds against the last frames of film.

BTW, keep an eye on ebay as the proper spools appear from time to time at a wide range of prices.

Regards, David

 

[Grytpype]

Exakta or Exa take-up spools work well on my Kievs.

The best one to get is the green-ended spool from a lever-wind Exa 1a/II/IIa/IIb or Exa500 because it is designed to take up anti-clockwise. The blue-ended or all-black spool from an Exakta or knob-wind Exa is designed to take up clockwise.

It is actually a much better spool than the genuine Kiev or Contax spools!

 

[newspaperguy]

id you look here? http://rick_oleson.tripod.com/kievspool.jpg

Also, check the archives - this has come up many times.
I'm using the Henry Fisher version in my Keiv II. This adds
a second cassette end to the bottom, preventing it from
falling out when empty.