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Marco
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, January 19, 2004 - 09:14 am: | 
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First of all this is a prewar Contax II Rangefinder.
I have just finished a CLA and are having problems with the Shutter Capping. 50% of the time it caps....
Has anyone had this problem and what are the items I can work with to get this to work again.
Thanks
Marco |
rick oleson
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, January 19, 2004 - 10:03 am: |
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The Contax caps by means of the upper curtain mechanically grabbing on to the lower curtain with 2 little latches at the corners. Failure to cap can be caused by any resistance or drag in the system, particularly in the ribbons where the buckles on the closing curtain must slide... this can cause the curtain to run out of steam before it has latched on. Another possibility is that the latches may have been bent.
There is another possible source of capping problems, in the case where the shutter has been recocked and so the curtain latches are no longer in play: there is a hook at the upper center of the shutter assembly, which serves as a safety catch to keep the lower curtain from drifting downwards before exposure (especially if you change shutter speeds with the shutter cocked). If this is your problem, take a look at the hook and make sure it's catching the curtain.
In either case, something that occurred during the CLA is probably the cause, and you will probably find it by removing the film gate and taking a close look.
rick  = |
Mark Pearce
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, January 19, 2004 - 10:05 am: |
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Sounds as if the shutter latch needs adjusting. This is the hook on top of the film gate that holds the lower curtian up until the shutter is tripped. First make sure the rear caseing (the box with the film rails)is screwed down tight. If so, you have two options: remove the upper casing and see if you can make the proper adjustment using he screw that the hook pivots on. The rear casing can be left on for this method.
OR lightly (very lightly!) d the hook into proper contact. The rear casing must be removed and re-assembeled between adjustments, so this can be a bit time consuming.
This is a fairly common problem with the Contax/Kiev cameras after the shutter assembly has been removed and replaced.
Mark p, |
Marco
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, January 19, 2004 - 10:32 am: |
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Rick and Mark Thanks for your comments!
I now have a better understanding of the mechanics of the "latch" and understand what those two little holes are for in the upper curtain just above the holes for the ribbons! (I am assuming this is where the latch occcurs? am I correct?)
Di you have any suggestions on lubrication of the shutter mechanism? I repeatefly flushed with rosonol lighter fluid, dried overnight, then lubricated with very fine graphite suspended in lighter fluid and added light oil (very few drops) to the fast moving shafts connected to the top shutter curtain once it releses. Does this work?
If not I can now dissamble a Contax II in two minutes flat, and relubricate. |
rick oleson
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, January 19, 2004 - 07:26 pm: |
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Yes, those are where the hooks grab on...the hooks are on the top corners of the lower curtain.
The latch mark is referring to is a second device, located at the top of the shutter module; the mating doobie for this is a sort of hook right in the center of the top edge of the lower curtain... you can see this pass by as you cock the shutter if you have the back off the camera. In fact, you can see the bottom end of the latch itself just at the center of the top edge of the film opening.
Check both of these.
I don't generally lubricate without a good reason. If you've put a drop on the main spinning bits and it seems to be running smoothly, don't add any more.
= |
Marco Vera
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, January 20, 2004 - 08:05 am: |
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Thanks Rick,
I took a careful look at it last night...someone has been in this camera before..many times. Here is what I found:
The latching spring on the lower curtain (salvaged from a Kiev, the original one was no longer there..)bumps on the ribbon stitching and/or the leading edge of the top curtain and fails to catch on the right side. The catches on the spring are not exactly the same profile(russian quality control..)and the one that doesn't catch has a step on the leading edge! I will try to file this down to match the other...
This was a basket case Contax when I bought it for very cheap and I am learning as I go...a 79 Kiev donated misc screws and a lower curtain drum. I have found your scketches of great assistance early in my learning curve, thanks for making them available on your web site. |
rick oleson
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, January 21, 2004 - 12:33 pm: |
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good luck!
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