Non standard frame spacing?

[jaypolaski]

Alright...time for the next question. This one is for all of the Kiev users out there. Is your frame spacing on your film exceptionally wide? I noticed that the frames are much wider apart than they need to be, and this width varies depending on the shutter speed used. The faster the shutter speed, the further the frames, to the point where I've lost a good three exposures from it. Any ideas? Is this the norm? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[theory]

I think this happens to most Kiev rangefinders. As you may have seen already, the film advance and the shutter speed selected are the same knob. I know with my Kiev 4 that when I choose slower speeds the spacing is generous, and when I choose the fasted speeds, the spacing is almost non-existent.

One tip that may help reduce the spacing is, once the film is loaded and you replaced the back to the camera, ensure the film is taut by gently rotating the rewind knob until you feel resistence. Then, you know the film is tight and it should be ready to roll (no pun intended).

 

[jdos2]

As best covered at "beststuff.com," the wide spacing is due to the take up spool linkage NOT slipping enough. It's supposed to pull gently, and the gears in the advance mechansm are supposed to meter the film movement, but if there's not enough slip in the take up reel linkage, there'll be too big a space. That's how I heard it, so I dribbled a drop of tri-flow on it as best I could, worked it around, and my spacing on both (working) Kievs is pretty good.
Both my Prominents advance the film correctly, but the film gates on 'em both are so wide that the frames are within a mm of each other- slightly less. I don't get printed (machine print) what's on the negative- the crop is more severe, as designed, I guess.

 

[jdos2]

Digging for the appropriate info...

 

[kiev4a]

I've got a 1971 Kiev that Henry Scherer overhauled that still has the wide spacing problem. So far I've just lived with it.

 

[jdos2]

http://beststuff.com/forum/read.php?f=21&i=32404&t=32400
^^ First link describes another view of the problem.

http://beststuff.com/forum/read.php?f=21&i=32411&t=32400
^^ More opinion/evidence.

I searched for "Kiev AND 4 AND frame AND spacing" finding out later that the word "AND" isn't necessary (and only reading the instructions quickly in the pre-coffee mode)

I only have two working Kievs, having trouble with all the others' shutter tapes. Of the two I have, I've resurected the one I got from a fellow forum member (tapes were fine) and the other I bought from Oleg. I've not played with either of their take-up mechanisms; my experience was from others that I've tried to play with to get 'em to work "well enough," before their tapes let go.

 

[jaypolaski]

Okay, so I'm not the only one... I may just deal with it, until; the shutter tapes go, then send it to Oleg for a CLA, and have him take care of it 😉. I develop at home, so it really isn't a problem... more a curiosity. Thanks for all the info.