broken kiev 4?

While learning about my new kiev 4 (contax clone) I made the mistake of trying to change speeds without first turning the advance knob to cock the shutter. The knob is stuck in the raised position and does not turn forward or back. Since a professional repair would cost more than the $40 camera, do I now have a paperweight? Also if I can get it working, do I need to buy an empty film cassette since it did not come with a take-up spool? Thank you, Jim

I don't know enough about Kiev rangefinders to answer your first question; however, I did once run across the following, which might help with your second question:

http://rick_oleson.tripod.com/kievspool.jpg

That's a graphic that shows how to modify an empty film cartridge into a Kiev take-up spool. If you don't process your own film, try asking at a 1-hour lab for a few empties. Chances are they'll be happy to hand some over to you. Note that I've never tried this myself; I just saved the URL for future reference in case I ever bought a Kiev rangefinder that lacked a take-up spool.

If you don't get an answer to your first question, you could also try asking on the Yahoo Dead Link Removed Despite the name, discussion of all Russian and FSU cameras is welcome there, and I'm sure somebody there would be able to answer your question -- hopefully in a way that'll help you salvage your camera!

Best of luck!

Hi Jim.log onto " Kiev Survival Site".
When you remove the top plate manipulate the frame counter with a small screwdriver.This might help.

Mike

thanks for the help

I'll follow up on the suggestions and see if I can get the camera working - Jim

www.fedka.com repairs Kievs and also sells spools. Is it worth it? I don't know--I think fedka charges over $50 for shutter repair service.

Try this. Remove the back of the camera and the lens and see if there is some way to make the shutter cock by either pushing down or pushing up the curtain blinds. If the shutter is not completely closed, you might be able to manipulate it. And, no, I'm not a Kiev or camera repair expert so don't accept my suggestion as being based in anything except a guess.

thanks

Lee - Your suggestion freed the shutter temporarily - it is very sticky. A repair person will help me with the issue in a few days. Jim

Hello Jim.

I hope you got your K4a going to your satisfaction. I can assure you that the spool link referred to you by srs5694 works very nicely. I am the same person who created it, as my sample came from Ukraine without a spool. Rick asked if he could put my sketch onto his site, and I was more than pleased that he would have it there. To make one, all one needs is a tiny drill bit (I used a No. 60, same as for holes in circuit boards), a nail file, a Dremel tool with its standard abrasive cutter disk, a little bit of single strand copper wire (about 22 or 24 gauge), some small pliers that can cut the wire, and a few minutes time... about 20.

The design holds the spool on axis, keeping it from wobbling while loading and when turning. Since the spool turns freely inside the captured cap, it won's scratch the K4A's inside paint either. And it is FREE. Free is good.

Rick Oleson says that about the only thing that ever goes wrong with a good working K4a is that the ribbons need replacing every decade or two. With his guidance and sketches on his website, and a little Arsenal ribbon from Oleg in Moscow, I replaced those in my K4a several years ago. A little tedious for a hobbyist such as I am, but no problem. I had been winding mine on way too snappily, otherwise I probably would not have caused one of the original ribbons to detach. I wind more slowly and deliberately now.

Good luck with yours. I am now looking for a proper 50mm brightline finder for mine. That tiny little viewfinder is tough to see through with glasses. BTW, I put a donut of black electrical tape around the viewfinder window, and now it will no longer scratch my glasses, even if I press them tightly against it.

Happy day.
Henry in Atlanta

if the broken camera cost $200 or $400, would a $50 repair be "worth it?" I've never understood why people think repairs aren't worth the money simply because they can buy yet another camera that will need repair. :confused: I guess I'd rather have one working camera than two busted ones for the same money, but maybe that's just me.

When buying cameras, especially from overseas, why is there an unrealistic expectation of perfect condition when the price should make it blindingly obvious there is something wrong with the camera?

malheur 72 said:

While learning about my new kiev 4 (contax clone) I made the mistake of trying to change speeds without first turning the advance knob to cock the shutter. The knob is stuck in the raised position and does not turn forward or back. Since a professional repair would cost more than the $40 camera, do I now have a paperweight? Also if I can get it working, do I need to buy an empty film cassette since it did not come with a take-up spool? Thank you, Jim

Click to expand...

You can use the spool from any 35mm film cassette without mofification. You will have to stick the film leader on the spool with some tape.

Fanshaw said:

You can use the spool from any 35mm film cassette without mofification. You will have to stick the film leader on the spool with some tape.

Click to expand...

Cutting a slot in a salvaged commercial cassettes spool is more convenient, for resonably fast loading, than tape.
Or buying an origonal Kiev spool form a FSU cam shop on e-bay, if you are patient. A spool from a reusable cassette is also usable.

Noel

Unfortunately, not all the reusable cassettes have the original Kiev spools. One of my Kievs came with a Fuji take-up spool that has a center-cut slot and requires trimming the leader to load. I ordered three of the original Kiev cassettes in order to have a couple of spares. Yep...two of the Kiev cassettes had Fuji spools, one had an Ilford. Luckily, I carry a Leatherman Micra that has scissors.

The Nikon AM-1 film cassette has a spool that works as a take-up spool for my Contax IIIa. They tend to go fairly cheaply on Ebay. I suspect they will work in a Kiev.

It's true that a spool from an empty 135 cassette will work. It is also true that it will fall out very easily while trying to get the back onto the camera. That problem is what was solved by the design on Rick Oleson's site, referenced up-thread. The captured ring from the bottom of a cassette holds the film in the proper attitude while closing the back.

Some have pointed out how squinty the finder window is. I have lately been using a Voigtlander Kontur frameline device. It seems a bit strange to use at first, but once used to it, one can easily shoot in available darkness with the K4a. This "finder" does not show a view. It shows only framelines. The view comes from the other eye, which is simultaneously open. Strange, but it actually works and solves the problem.

Happy day.

Henry in Atlanta

Even if you have a proper Zeiss or Kiev take up spool you have to hold the body upside down until you latch the back locks.

The only difference is the origonal contax or kiev spools have pilots in the bottom of the spools to gather the pin on the bottom lock, and stop the spool from skewing more than a few degrees, as the base plate is locked.

But normal commercial spools seems to work just as well and you will still get uneven spacing whatever spool you use e.g. Kiev AMs have a fixed spool and they still uneven space between frames or tear sprocket holes out.

Noel

But normal commercial spools seems to work just as well and you will still get uneven spacing whatever spool you use e.g. Kiev AMs have a fixed spool and they still uneven space between frames or tear sprocket holes out.

Click to expand...

You are right in that uneven spacing is a characteristic of the Kiev 4a. But the spool illustrated on Rick Oleson's site is an order of magnitude better than a simple spool taken from a 135 cassette. The addition of the ring at the bottom keeps it on axis, and makes loading much less awkward. By far.

Happy day.

the contaflex spool also works well.. tried mine and found it also has the advantage of staying on the winder instead of dropping off