Moskva-5, what to look out for?

My Moskva-5 from asr-photo should be here inna week or so. Besides

running a roll through it, what else should I check on it to make sure

it's functioning properly? What are it's quirks?<p>

Thanks

Hi

1. With the back off, shine a light directly at the red windows from the outside, and look to see if any light is sneaking past the sliders. If so, you'll need to fix that or you'll get fogged film

2. Also with the back off, stick some tracing paper or "invisible" tape across the film gate. Put the camera on a tripod, lock the shutter open and check the focus on you improvised ground glass. Check at infinity and close up at a minimum.

3. For the first roll, shoot some unforgiving slide film like velvia. This will allow you to easily check speeds, and makes it easier to see focus, etc.

4. Quirks, there are some ;-) Nothing too serious, I'd just advise to only wind the film on after you've extended the lens, and just before you take the shot. Then cock the shutter and shoot.

5. You'll probably need a tripod bush - a 3/8" to 1/4".

Paul

I've owned two Moskva-5 camreras and my experience is that focussing via rangefinder is accurate only at longer distances about 3m - infinity. I also get some fogging from time to time, mainly on slide films, since b&w emulsions are less sensitive to dark red light, which is coming through 'index window'. It is recomended not to wind film in the direct sunlight.

Otherwise it is fine camera, cheap an a lot of fun. Also one of the smallest and lightest 6x9 cameras.

Regards,

Janez

I've never had a problem with either Portra 400 NC or T-Max 400 fogging from the red windows in my Moskva-5, though I can certainly see where it could happen if something is out of kilter inside the back -- especially the 6x9 window, which is pretty close to the edge of the film. Also, light leaks around the door aren't unknown. If you have the 6x6 format mask, check that carefully for burrs that could scratch film; they can be removed with a Scotchbrite scrub pad and any bright spots blackened with a Sharpie or Magic Marker.

As suggested, it's not a bad idea to check the accuracy of the rangefinder, though I gather it's a major pain in the butt to adjust if it needs it. Mine has some vertical misalignment that makes it hard to focus accurately unless there's a vertical object in frame. Also, when holding the camera for verticals, it's a little tricky to avoid blocking the offset rangefinder window with your thumb.

The shutter on these cameras is rather strident, and I find it hard to hand-hold steadily even at 1/250 (I occasionally wish for a waist level finder, since finding how much easier it is to hold my Voigtlander Rollfilmcamera steady in waist level position), but on a tripod it's rock steady and can easily produce images that are sharp to the limits of my 2400 ppi scanner. With any folder, however, it's possible for the front standard to become misaligned or bent, causing focus errors in the form of one side or corner of the image being out of focus when the opposite is sharp.

I haven't noted problems with film flatness in my Moskva-5, even though my habit, dating from before 1970, is to advance film immediately after exposing (avoids frame skips from advancing, then not shooting, and advancing again later, and also avoids doubles from forgetting whether I've advanced or not). If you hold the bed and let it open slowly instead of snapping out like a switchblade, there shouldn't be enough suction developed to pull the film away from the pressure plate. You may (likely will) find it advantageous to vacuum the inside of the bellows to remove dust that will otherwise tend to deposit on the film when you open the camera, leading to permanent black spots on the prints where the dust blocked light from the film.