Yet Another Kiev 88 Problem/Question

[chuck94022]

In my continuing adventure with my old Kiev 88, I decided to replace my backs with new ones. The backs are cheap, and cost almost the same as replacement seals, so why not?

So I have received my slick new NT 6x6 120 backs (two of them), and tried them on my old Kiev 88 body. And of course, ran into a problem.

I properly loaded the film, and mounted the back on the camera. Both indicator windows are white. I take a shot. The body indicator window turns red as it should, but the back's window stays white. Because of this, when I cock the shutter, the back doesn't advance the film. If I then make a second exposure (with my hand over the lens to avoid a multiple exposure), the back's window turns red and I can advance the film.

The back does have a multiple exposure setting, but I do not have it set in that mode. If I do put the back in that mode, of course the film doesn't advance, as I would expect.

The behavior is fairly consistent (but not perfectly so), and is the same with both backs. I must make at least one (sometimes two) additional shutter releases for the back to indicate that the frame has been exposed. I have observed the rare case where the back did indicate an exposure occurred on the first release of the shutter. I have also observed that if I tilt the camera so that the windows are angled skyward it seems to more readily show the red window on firing the shutter. But I haven't determined that this is consistent (or even if I am just imagining that tilting helps).

Is this a problem with the old body? The information with the NT backs seem to indicate they will work with the Kiev 88 and Kiev 88CM bodies. I have the former.

 

[summicron1]

no clue about your problem, but I do have to wonder at your apparent latent masochistic tendencies for having one of those turkeys in the first place.

I had one, once. It made three trips for repair in the first month, the last one-way along with a demand for a refund, which they could hardly contest, given the circumstances.

 

[chuck94022]

no clue about your problem, but I do have to wonder at your apparent latent masochistic tendencies for having one of those turkeys in the first place.

I had one, once. It made three trips for repair in the first month, the last one-way along with a demand for a refund, which they could hardly contest, given the circumstances.

Me too... I'm on the phone with psychiatrists right now!

I just ran two rolls through it, one for each back. The new ones leak light almost as bad as the old ones. I guess it is off to the junk heap for this load of crap.

(I'm sure there's a Lomographer out there that would pay a premium for the random leakiness...)

 

[Dr Croubie]

Normally they work the other way around, ie if you just lightly press the shutter then the pin in the body trips the window in the back to change before the shutter actually trips (and then you can't put the darkslide back in).

But you're saying that you trip the shutter and the back doesn't register that it's been tripped?
Could be either that the 'double exposure' bit is somehow activating itself (from being loose or whatever), or the pin in the body isn't reaching far enough into the back to trip the back. I haven't pulled apart a back far enough to have a look at them, but given that it's the same problem with both backs, i'd blame the body.
One thing you could try is to take the back off, press the shutter button and watch the little pin in the bottom right (looking at the shutter). See how far out the pin goes when you press the shutter in. Then just take the back (without film is probably better), and press the pin with a small screwdriver or something, see how far in that has to go before the window trips. If one or the other is obviously wrong there could be a problem.

Meanwhile, fwiw, I don't think the backs are too expensive. I got my 88CM with an NT back for $105+ph, and another NT back for $26+ph. Then just picked up another 3 original backs (plus a free dead one for parts) all for £30+ph a few weeks ago. Worst problem I've had is that the double exp on one of the NTs doesn't work, but I wouldn't use it if it did...

 

[chuck94022]

Here's what I've finally decided - I'd rather spend the tiniest bit more money on a camera that actually works as designed, like a Mamiya or Hassy. I don't mind fighting light leaks, but I do prefer that when I press the shutter, I'm not surprised by nothing happening, or by ruining the previous shot.

So the Kiev has been relegated to novelty, and I won't be investing any more real effort in it. I certainly won't spend any more money on it!

 

[gone]

Smart move Chuck, to put it mildly. I've shot a lot of good Russian glass, but will never, ever own another Russian camera. That philosophy has saved me a lot of grey hairs.