Disclaimer. The camera is new to me and I haven't tested it much since I made the adjustment shown below.
I have a Kowa Six with a inconsistent mirror/shutter cycle. If the camera has been idle a while, the mirror action will be snappy, but the following actuations will be slower. It's likely not a big deal because the shutter should remain properly synchronised. I suspect that the air damper needs a bit of cleaning. Thanks to @Alex Varas for the advice.
Take off the left cover. Leatherette is glued quite strongly.
I've already cleaned *most* of the old light seals and replaced them on the panel.
Mirror should be raised. Air damper is the brass tube on top. 7mm nuts in blue (right one is more easily loosened with the mirror down). The red screws are the valves to adjust the dampening. If you are cleaning the green gears (I didn't), synchronisation should be noted. One of the screws might be left handed.
Here's the damper. When held vertically you can see that the piston's fall is slowed. Plugs can be removed via the side screws.
The opposite end of the valves fit on the little brass posts on the holder.
The damper was actually very clean but I wiped the inside of the tube with a cotton swab. The piston fell a bit more quickly after that so I didn't adjust the valves, whose screw heads are under a good layer of lacquer. Maybe there was a spec of light seal inside? After reassembly, the mirror cycle is consistently snappy. Except on one frame of the test roll. So it might need a revisit.
I have a Kowa Six with a inconsistent mirror/shutter cycle. If the camera has been idle a while, the mirror action will be snappy, but the following actuations will be slower. It's likely not a big deal because the shutter should remain properly synchronised. I suspect that the air damper needs a bit of cleaning. Thanks to @Alex Varas for the advice.
Take off the left cover. Leatherette is glued quite strongly.
I've already cleaned *most* of the old light seals and replaced them on the panel.
Mirror should be raised. Air damper is the brass tube on top. 7mm nuts in blue (right one is more easily loosened with the mirror down). The red screws are the valves to adjust the dampening. If you are cleaning the green gears (I didn't), synchronisation should be noted. One of the screws might be left handed.
Here's the damper. When held vertically you can see that the piston's fall is slowed. Plugs can be removed via the side screws.
The opposite end of the valves fit on the little brass posts on the holder.
The damper was actually very clean but I wiped the inside of the tube with a cotton swab. The piston fell a bit more quickly after that so I didn't adjust the valves, whose screw heads are under a good layer of lacquer. Maybe there was a spec of light seal inside? After reassembly, the mirror cycle is consistently snappy. Except on one frame of the test roll. So it might need a revisit.
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