Since my old idea is now an option - there must be really something wrong
with the metal curtains as we discovered.
This considering that the Kiev 88 has no instant return mirror and it is
possible with the mirror up to have sunlight burn a hole in the cloth
curtains (this is where the metal curtains are superior - as in old Contax
rangefinder cameras with metal curtains vs. Leica with cloth curtains). I
know one can burn a hole in cloth curtains with the mirror up as I did
this to a Pentacon 6 many years ago in the California desert.
Aren't these companies all moving backwards to where Broncia models C, S2
and S2A were working properly with cloth curtains all along? And since
the Bronica cameras have instant return mirrors, burning holes in the
shutter curtains is unlikely to happen.
- Sam Sherman
[Ed. note: see Unfixable Pro Cameras for more
on the problems with Hasselblad 200/x shutter repairs, and Kiev 88 Pages and the Kiev-88 Mailing List for more on the Kiev camera
shutter selection problems.]
>Aren't these companies all moving backwards to where Broncia models C, S2 >and S2A were working properly with cloth >curtains all along? And since the Bronica cameras have instant return >mirrors, burning holes in the shutter >curtains is unlikely to happen. > >- Sam Sherman
Hi Sam
What's the condition of the cloth shutters after 30 years from C,S2 etc.
which have not gone through servicing? am curious how they age.
From Bronica Mailing List;
Date: Mon, 29 Jan 2001
From: flexaret@sprynet.com
Subject: Re: Bronica Lists and Focal Plane Shutters
Kelvin,
All of the shutter curtains in my old Bronica cameras are in excellent
condition, as follows:
Bronica Deluxe (1959)
Bronica C (1965)
Bronica S2 (1966)
Bronica S2A (1970)
The above dates are approximate, but considering how old they are all of
the curtains are fine.
The S2A has a shinier type of material than the earlier curtains and looks
more silk-like, This camera looks like new and seemed to have never been
used when I got it last year.
When I was a kid I got a Praktiflex II, my first SLR, and I was not happy
that it had fabric shutter curtains. I still have that camera over 40
years later and the curtains are still fine.
When I read that Rangefinder Contax cameras had metal curtains I thought
that was the only way to go, and later on was very pleased when the Copal
and Seiko metal focal plane shutters came on the market.
However, after all of my years of taking pictures with cameras with fabric
curtains, I only have the following to report.
Yes, old 35MM Exaktas from the mid 1950s sometimes developed hard, dried
rubber curtains which eventually were pinholed and I had those curtains
replaced. The same goes for old Korelle Reflex and Master Reflex. Old
Primarflex cameras (from the early 50s) sometime had curtains which dried
out when the 1936 models had curtains still good (same for 1935 Exakta). I
also mentioned that on a camera without an instant return mirror to block
sunlight, I did burn a hole in a fabric curtain in a Pentacon 6 with a
180MM Zeiss Sonnar lens, out in the California desert. If I had kept that
camera wound with the mirror down I guess nothing bad would have happened.
(Advice for Pentacon 6, Exakta 66 and Kiev 88 - cloth curtain users).
As for old Bronica cameras, the instant return mirror blocks any sunlight
from burning the shutter. I have no shutter curtain problems with these
cameras and of the many I have examined through the years, the curtains
were always okay.I am just now examining an old Bronica S, junker/parts
body in terrible shape and the curtains are pinhole free and nice and
pliable.
I think my concerns about fabric curtains are overstated as my history
with them in Bronica at least is very good.
- Sam