light leaks

[kymtman]

<p>Not really a question but could be an answer to one phase of light leaks. This was really a puzzling leak that I had with a Kiev-88 re-make by Hartblei. I had used it several times with good luck. It is fairly smooth operating and a bit quieter than my other Kiev88 that I had that went on the blink after 5 rolls of film.<br>

I noticed that when I wound on to the next shot, the crank got stiff for a bit. Didn't pay much attention to it until recently (after a couple of Years) as I was exercising the shutters. Then the stiffness again begin. I wound again and watched as the crank gear pushed the film holder open just enough to let in light where it had leaks before on the film. Also noticed some looseness in the connection of the holder to the body. What was happening was that the body half gear that wound the film back gears was catching on the edge of the film back thereby pushing it open. To remedy the problem I took the film back apart and elongated the opening where the gear goes into the opening to make contact with the body half gear. I noticed that when the gear of the body started to wind it would push the film back up a wee bit also. By some manipulation of the body catch latch and the prongs at the bottom of the camera that the film back sits on I was able to align the gears for a smooth operation of the film winding, and also no light leaks. Think I will Keep the "Bladsky" now.</p>

[jim_krupnik]

<p>Great detective work, Ron. Very often, the little issues that can turn a bargain like the Kiev 88 into a nightmare can be cleared up without breaking the bank. Your post is a keeper for future reference.</p>

[papy_g1]

<p>Same went for me with the second back I got with my Zenith 80, not the gear pushed the back, but it was the little pin, because it wasn't well aligned with its hole in the back, so I filed it a bit, and it worked nice.</p>