(Help wanted) Kiev-60 Shutter Capping - Advice on cleaning shutter bearings?

aconbere · Oct 15, 2024

Hi all,

I have a Kiev-60 that is starting to exhibit some capping. I'm aware of both the kievaholic kalibration page (https://kievaholic.com/kiev60kalibration.html) and the service manual that can be found online in russian. Unfortunately neither cover the process of cleaning and lubricating the shutter roller bearings, which is what I would normally start with before making any adjustments to the curtain tensioners. I'm curious if anyone has any advice on starting that repair, if there's a way to access the bearings without removing the whole shutter and mirror mechanism from the chassis, or if I'm just barking up the wrong tree.

Thank you!

- Anders

Marcelo Paniagua · Oct 15, 2024

I don't think there is an easy way to access the rollers without removing the shutter unit from the chassis. Once I had capping with one of my Kiev6c and the solution for me was adjusting the tensioners as described on the Kievholic page and the russian repair manual. Watch out for the flash sync cable if/when removing the shutter unit from chassis .

aconbere · Oct 15, 2024

Marcelo Paniagua said:
I don't think there is an easy way to access the rollers without removing the shutter unit from the chassis. Once I had capping with one of my Kiev6c and the solution for me was adjusting the tensioners as described on the Kievholic page and the russian repair manual. Watch out for the flash sync cable if/when removing the shutter unit from chassis .

Well I got the top off and removed the chassis screws and expected the mirror and shutter to lift cleanly out but it’s battling me

Curious if you have any advice. I wonder if it’s the after market mirror lock up button

Noted the chassis screws I removed in red.

Marcelo Paniagua · Oct 16, 2024

Hello

I think this is the video I used when I teared down my Kiev 6c.

Kiev Dissasembly

aconbere · Oct 16, 2024

Hmmm, sadly I think I'm doing everything in the video. The internals seem to get caught on the shutter release button. Which the service manual states (poorly translated I'm sure).

"Before removing the shutter from the camera body, it is necessary to remove the release button 5 (Fig. 2) and the lever 10 (Fig. 5)."

But it is not at all obvious to me how the release button would be removed HA.

Marcelo Paniagua · Oct 16, 2024

aconbere said:
Hmmm, sadly I think I'm doing everything in the video. The internals seem to get caught on the shutter release button. Which the service manual states (poorly translated I'm sure).

"Before removing the shutter from the camera body, it is necessary to remove the release button 5 (Fig. 2) and the lever 10 (Fig. 5)."

But it is not at all obvious to me how the release button would be removed HA.

If I remember correctly , you need to peel the leathered and oncover the area around the shutter relese. Then remove the screws and remove the shutter button. I agree, it is not show anywhere on the repair manual, but only on the part list:

Marcelo Paniagua · Oct 16, 2024

By the way video is for Kiev 6c so it may no required to remove on the Kiev6C but does on the Kiev60. From memory (about 5 years ago) I dont recall removing the shutter button but t may be required on the Kiev60, since they changed the position of shutter.

aconbere · Oct 16, 2024

Marcelo Paniagua said:
By the way video is for Kiev 6c so it may no required to remove on the Kiev6C but does on the Kiev60. From memory (about 5 years ago) I dont recall removing the shutter, but t may be required on the Kiev60, since they changed the position of shutter.

Ding ding ding, I reread the manual and double checked the noted figures and its definitely pointing at screws around the trigger.

Lifting the leatherette it’s obvious.

Thanks for the help!

aconbere · Oct 16, 2024

Oh my gosh, this camera is just crushing me. It's not so much that any one of these steps is /hard/ it's just somehow completely unintuitive to me.

With any luck this should be my last question. Out of the chassis the shutter works great, cock, fire, cock, fire. Once I drop it into the chassis, I can't finish the charging stroke. The advance lever sticks 2/3 of the way through the stroke. I'm wracking brain trying to think what could be getting caught up. The aperture preview lever doesn't seem like it's in the way of anything. The mirror release button seems seated correctly. The shutter fits snuggly down against the frame so doesn't seem to be askew.

*sigh*

aconbere · Oct 16, 2024

classic, I wrote this and then I’m pretty sure I figured it out. The frame counter release lever had slid under the bit that lets the frame counter loose when you open the rear door. So the counter was at max and halting forward travel. (not engaged when out of the body though)

aconbere · Oct 16, 2024

Phew, that did it

Marcelo Paniagua · Oct 17, 2024

Great

Great camera but kind of hard to work with it (either to repair or use). But somehow really like to use it.

This week I will work with the Vega 90mm for this camera. Seems the aperture pin disengaged. Had worked with the Volna 3 but first time dealing with the Vega. Hope it is as straight forward as the Volna.

aconbere · Oct 17, 2024

Marcelo Paniagua said:
Great

Great camera but kind of hard to work with it (either to repair or use). But somehow really like to use it.

This week I will work with the Vega 90mm for this camera. Seems the aperture pin disengaged. Had worked with the Volna 3 but first time dealing with the Vega. Hope it is as straight forward as the Volna.

It carries within it the soul of the Exakta Varex which I worked on earlier this year and quite liked.

I suspect at this point I’ve hit most of the gotchas and would find disassembling and reassembling another quite easy.

reddesert · Oct 17, 2024

Marcelo Paniagua said:
Great

Great camera but kind of hard to work with it (either to repair or use). But somehow really like to use it.

This week I will work with the Vega 90mm for this camera. Seems the aperture pin disengaged. Had worked with the Volna 3 but first time dealing with the Vega. Hope it is as straight forward as the Volna.

I disassembled a Vega 90 to get at the aperture mechanism. It was not difficult to get apart - remove 3 screws from the rear, lift off the rear flange/barrel, remove another 3 screws. There is a rotating shaft that drives the aperture and has a linkage to the pin on the rear of the lens. A little sleeve with pin will fall off this shaft when you lift off the rear, so watch out. What I found is that once the aperture blades get a little sticky, the spring that is supposed to stop them down (when the camera releases pressure on the lens pin) does not have enough force to do it. Here is a video about taking the whole thing apart to clean the blades, which I have not yet done:

Marcelo Paniagua · Oct 17, 2024

Thanks for video. Looks useful.

(Help wanted) Kiev-60 Shutter Capping - Advice on cleaning shutter bearings?

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