previous page in this Kiev60 - 645
Explained article
In the frame counter window you SHOULD see the frame number , BUT ...
If you look carefully the frame number is there , but it is not
registered centrally behind the tiny view window.
Its so small and way off toward the winder stop its almost invisible.
Do I need a Kiev60 - 645 ?
Well , as usual this has pro's and con's and is for the informed buyer
to decide if the advantages outweigh the negatives.
This leads into the next section of this article.
The particular camera as shown in the pictures so far was one that
landed on my work bench ¨In excellent condition¨ or so its new
buyer was told.
Now this one was purchased from a quite popular and I would say almost
famous Kiev camera seller that is located in Ukraine.
Not too many there do a 645 conversion so I don't need to name any
names , but who ever did this camera should really take up some other
profession.
The counter above being the way it is not good and in use would be
darned annoying , but this camera has even more surprises inside.
The shields (or flaps) that were used here to make the new opening were
just glued on with contact cement and these literally just fell off.
Fortunately this happened when the camera was being inspected and not
during a roll of film.
I can just imagine the tearing and ripping sounds as the film gets
shredded as it pushes a flap through the shutter curtain. UGG
These pieces of sheet metal look like they were cut with hand shears
and then filed , sort of square and were not even flat.
They had numerous sharp edges that could scratch negatives and shiny
parts not covered with black that could potentially cause a light
reflection to fall on the edges of the frame.
Normal contact cement type glues were used here and they should be used
VERY sparingly inside camera bodies as they outgas which can cause the
camera lens to fog.
If this sort of glue ever goes inside a camera or lens I recommend just
the smallest of a drop , NOT washed on with a mop and bucket like what
this camera guy seems to have done here.
Why couldn't the flaps have extended all the way to the film rollers
and secured around the corner by the screws provided there. ? And why
not use some molded plastic or a properly guillotined and pressed steel
section. ??
The reason why this job was done so shoddily is ¨the profit
margin¨
Some Kiev camera owners are very happy because when they ship their
broken Kiev camera back to Ukraine for some sort of repair that the
labour charges are very low compared to western countries , but they
WILL realise sooner or later - ¨If you pay peanuts , you get
monkeys.¨
This example from one of Ukraines biggest camera guys demonstrates this
fact clearly.
After seeing the quality of work
inside the camera the owner of this Kiev60 - 645 now wishes they had
spent their
money on a more wiser investment - such as beer and pizza.
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