Last chance for my Kiev 4A

[Vendee]

I really like my Kiev 4A and in particular, I love the images that the Jupiter 8 lens produces but I've got this problem which I can't solve. I've posted here about it before and I've posted about it in other forums but I just can't figure it out. This is the last chance... if I can't sort it out, it'll have to go 🙁

I'll let the scans tell the story.





As you can see, at the top of the frame, the image seems to be split in two. The split is very well defined. OK so there is a dark band which runs across the entire top of the frame which could be explained by the shutter speed being inconsistant but the left/right split is hard to explain. The shutter is vertical travel and there seems to be nothing on the edges of the shutter blinds which could be causing it. I don't think its light leaks because that would give bright areas on the image and these are dark areas. I've watched the shutter blinds operate and they seem normal. Obviously I can't check them at their higher speeds but at the lower speeds they seem to be moving normally. I just can't work out what would be causing these dark areas on a camera with a vertical shutter.

And it isn't doing it all the time. This is a shot from the same roll:-



Any ideas please?

 

[FrankS]

Very weird. I'll be watching this thread, hoping for a resolution/explanation as well.

 

[mdarnton]

I used to have a similar problem with one of my Leicas, only oriented differently. I finally figured out that it happened only when I changed lenses in bright light. It was a light leak around the curtains. Following that idea, how about using up a blank frame by just taking the lens off and letting the sun pour in for a while onto the wound shutter, then put the lens in, cap it, fire a blank, wind, and try the same thing with the unwound shutter, and see if you get the effect on one frame or the other.

Alternately, maybe it's a light leak from the back seams, or somewhere else. But I'm betting it's a light leak---as you say it's not oriented correctly to be the shutter.

 

[batterytypehah!]

I wouldn't rule out a light leak just yet, either. Obviously, not causing the dark area on the right, but the light area on the left.

 

[wolves3012]

As you say, the orientation rules out the shutter being uneven. One thing that puzzles me a bit is that, apart from the fault on the first shot, both sides of the frame actually look ok in their own right and the fence in the lower part of the frame has an even exposure across its width. The sky looks pretty overcast so flare shouldn't be a problem either. Does it happen at certain speeds or all?

One suggestion I can make: First, I assume the problem is definitely on the negs and processing has been eliminated? The problem is in the top of the frame, i.e. the lower part of the shutter-proper. There is a way that you *might* be able to see it happening. Take off the lens and back and set up a diffused flashgun aimed into the lens mount. Connect the gun and trip the shutter but set on too high a speed for slash-sync (i.e. 1/50th or faster). If you're lucky, the flash may light up the problem area of the "exposure" by picking a suitable speed. Worth a try. The shutter will be partly closed when the flash fires and it just might help identify the cause.

 

[Vendee]

Thanks guys..... appreciate your help.

Its definitely not a development issue. I have 5 film bodies and develop my own film. Only the Kiev does this and the dark areas are always in the same part of the frame.

Anyway, I think I may have found the problem. I used an LED torch/flashlight which is the same diameter as the lens. I formed a seal between the torch and the lens and with the back off, checked the curtains in a totaly dark room. I checked with the shutter cocked... no leaks. I checked with the shutter fired.... no leaks but then when I cocked the shutter again I noticed a thin sliver of light travelling up the body.

It seems I have a light leak along the top edge of the lower curtain. When the shutter is cocked or uncocked, the leaky area is out of frame but when I cock the shutter, I'm getting a miniscule strip of light travelling up the frame. Here's a photo showing where the leak is :-



As its between two metal parts of the curtain, I'm going to apply a tiny fillet of black RTV sealant to seal the leak. I may also try keeping the lens cap on while cocking the shutter. Thanks again for your help. I'll put another roll of film through it and let you know the results.