MFlenses - A new life in a digital age
MFLenses 2026

Manual Focus Lenses Forum

Explore the world of vintage lenses through repair notes, real test shots, and detailed archive threads packed with images.

Explore the world of vintage lenses through repair notes, real test shots, and detailed archive threads packed with images.
DiskFreeVault safely moves Mac apps and data to external storage.
Spotlight

Featured partner placement for the forum front page.

Kiev 4 repair & modification
Post new topic Reply to topic
View previous topic :: View next topic  


Post
Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 8:46 am
Post subject: Kiev 4 repair & modification
Reply
Post
Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 8:46 am
Post subject: Kiev 4 repair & modification
Reply
Got a shutter stuck Kiev 4 for 9,99 €. My left index finger starts finally to heal from the latest "industrial accident" (http://forum.mflenses.com/af-is-good-sometimes-t8476.html) so it is time to get some practice.

But here comes the crazy part of project: If and when I ever get the shutter fixed I replace the original mount with an interchangeable m42 / canon fd mount. Shocked Twisted Evil


Post
Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 8:52 am
Post subject:
Reply
Post
Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 8:52 am
Post subject:
Reply
You will need extension tubes of exactly the required difference in register distances, or even more, but not less, otherwise you will not be able to focus at all.


Post
Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 1:16 pm
Post subject:
Reply
Post
Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 1:16 pm
Post subject:
Reply
Yes I know, that is the challenge .. Cool


Post
Posted: Mon Sep 22, 2008 9:27 am
Post subject:
Reply
Post
Posted: Mon Sep 22, 2008 9:27 am
Post subject:
Reply

Shutter fixed, even the times seem to be in order. Fortunately all cogs and springs were in place and working. Lower curtain was stuck behind what I think is the flash synchronization spring (yellow mark).

Next job is to start making the mount. I think I'll have to remove the original focus mechanism, first I though the new mount would fit around the old one - but then - I dont't have any contax lenses. Then I have to make some sort of dial for the distance metering, which seems to work. Simplest would be to paint some different colourings to the metering wheel itself: black for infinity, red for 2 meters etc.


Post
Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 2:17 pm
Post subject:
Reply
Post
Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 2:17 pm
Post subject:
Reply


Not very far anymore. Just have to replace the cardboard with aluminium.


Post
Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 12:56 pm
Post subject:
Reply
Post
Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 12:56 pm
Post subject:
Reply
Shutter test with Helios 44M.

All pics aperture about 8. No (auto-)sharpening, toning, contrasts etc., just pure CanoScan 4400F on "2400 dpi" and then scaled or cropped.
1/250, testing also infinity focus:

the same cropped:

1/250, distance around 1,5 m:

1/40, inside the house

1/5 handheld, but the long times work too!


Post
Posted: Thu May 27, 2010 10:11 am
Post subject:
Reply
Post
Posted: Thu May 27, 2010 10:11 am
Post subject:
Reply
What was all this good for? Why not buying a lens and using the camera as it was intended?


Post
Posted: Thu May 27, 2010 10:29 am
Post subject:
Reply
Post
Posted: Thu May 27, 2010 10:29 am
Post subject:
Reply
I did, see my signature .. Cool

The Helios was basically just a shutter test.
My first intention was really to produce something
that was FF but to which one could put almost any lens.
Of course one would have lost the rangefider coupling
but instead I could have engineered the scale somewhere
else. But the metal work was too just difficult an effort
and I ditched the project .. for a while.


Post
Posted: Fri Jun 07, 2013 12:46 am
Post subject:
Reply
Post
Posted: Fri Jun 07, 2013 12:46 am
Post subject:
Reply
Did you ever get this finished?

It reminds me of a Argus C3 modified to take M42 lenses sporting a Super Takumar that I saw some time ago.

I think its an interesting project
Post new topic Reply to topic
Page 1 of 1