This afternoon's work : Canon IVSB

[Mael]

Well, it is a busy day today : 🙂

I had cleaned and adjusted a Canon 7 RF both in horizontal and vertical
I had cleaned and lubed a hazy 50mm f/1.8 Canon LTM lens
I had cleaned and lubed a Seiki Kogaku lens 13,5cm lens that you saw in a previous thread !

Now, this is the next thing to do for this afternoon and tomorrow : full CLA with shutter curtain replacement for this Canon IVSB.

Here is where it is now :

This camera definitely needs new curtains : 😱

I'll post some pictures with the new curtains instaled.

See you ! 😉

 

[Charles Woodhouse]

Hi Mael,
I see from your post that we do the same type of work,but these days I only work on pre1970 35mm cameras with focal plane shutters,preferably rangefinders.
I developed my own technique for curtain replacement and I will be interested to see if your methods are similar.Most of my work is with Leicas or their copies but I have replaced curtains in a fair range of interesting cameras such as Rectaflex,
Ducati(one curtain),Exakta VP & 35mm,Praktina and Minolta 35.In all the cameras I have just mentioned I make up complete sets of curtains and tapes before installing them,whereas with Leicas,etc,I usually only have to install the curtains.
Occasionally I have to replace the tapes,but unfortunately I haven't found a proper ribbon weave tape that matches that found in prewar Leicas or pre1956 Canons.
I recently rebuilt the shutter in my very early Seiki Canon S-II.The original tapes were made from cotton curtain material so I made new tapes from change bag material and curtains from cotton material and it works perfectly.
I'll look forward to your further posts.
Charles Woodhouse, Brisbane, Australia.

 

[Mael]

Hi Charles.

My method for curtain replacement depends on the general state of the camera. Anyway in every case they are not made before installing, they are cut and adjusted especially for each camera. I usually not open the whole shutter, I only do it when the camera is very oxydized or if parts needs t be replaced.

I don't sew the curtains, I have made several tests and my method lasts very well even on heavy duty use of the camera.

If you think ribbons must perfectly look the original one it is a choice, but personnaly I generally consider these are hidden in the camera and the aim of it is to do their job and last in first.



New type of curtains available from Aki Asahi in Japan are very similar to the Canon RF of the fifties, and are perfect for most of my work. He sells 200mmX200mm sheets of double sided silk cloth with rubber inbetween. He also has shutter tapes that fits nicely most of the cameras and even replaces Contax shutter ribbons.

 

[HuubL]

Hi guys, I wonder if it's doable for a not too clumsy amateur to fix the sticky slow timer of a IVSb and clean the VF? Anybody knows of a manual/website with details? TIA

 

[Mael]

Hi guys, I wonder if it's doable for a not too clumsy amateur to fix the sticky slow timer of a IVSb and clean the VF? Anybody knows of a manual/website with details? TIA

It will be difficult to adjust shutter speeds without removing the camera body and without shutter speed tester...

The second curtain spring drives the entire slow speed mechanism, but changing tension will affect the efficiency of the highest speeds. This is a matter of skills, experience, and tools...

 

[HuubL]

It will be difficult to adjust shutter speeds without removing the camera body and without shutter speed tester...

The second curtain spring drives the entire slow speed mechanism, but changing tension will affect the efficiency of the highest speeds. This is a matter of skills, experience, and tools...

I read'yo! This seems to be a job for my CLAer. Thanks

 

[John Shriver]

I've replaced some Canon screwmount shutter curtains. Harder than on a Leica to some degree. The high shutter speed curtain gap is set only by how you mount the curtains on the drums, if they aren't right curtain tensions won't fix it. Canon obviously used a jig. Leica, at least on the IIIc, has adjustable cams for tripping the second curtain at 1/500 and 1/1000.

Also, as Mael notes, the Canon demands thin curtains. Thinner than required for a Leica screwmount.

I have to do one of the Canon screwmounts again, I'll probably mount the curtains with Scotch tape until I get the locations absolutely right, and then secure them with shellac. (I tried to use Pliobond on my IV-SB2, which is what Canon used, but I've decided that the shellac they used, and I used, on the IIF, is a much better choice. You get a second chance with shellac.)

 

[charjohncarter]

Guts, that all I can say.