Silence your Krasnogorsk-3

[Scott Cohen]

Guys/Girls,

 

I have two K3's. The one with more miles is quieter.

 

Well, it also has a messy face plate. Scratches and what not.

 

I bought a 1/2 pint of Black Rust-Oleum paint at Home Depot.

 

Painted ONLY the face plate. Two coats.

 

I swear it is quieter by a 20-30 percent. Sound eminating from the front of the camera, towards talent is really reduced.

 

Still way too loud for sound takes... but a bit quieter.

 

Thought I'd pass the tip along for those who don't want to build a barney but want it just a bit quieter.

 

SC

[Hal Smith]

Painted ONLY the face plate. Two coats.

 

I swear it is quieter by a 20-30 percent. Sound eminating from the front of the camera, towards talent is really reduced.

Did you paint over any seams? A astounding amount of sound leaks out cracks and seams.

[Dennis Kisilyov]

Look inside each of your cameras,

 

Mine has "roofing tar" applied to the inside of the front plate. As I see there are about 20 places in which I could go nuts with acoustic asphalt stickies.

 

Main vibration sources are the transfer mechanism and speed control gear.

It is very feasible with mechanism tuning and acoustic foam to drop -19dbV at 1ft range from the mechanics.

[Scott Cohen]

Look inside each of your cameras,

 

Mine has "roofing tar" applied to the inside of the front plate. As I see there are about 20 places in which I could go nuts with acoustic asphalt stickies.

 

Main vibration sources are the transfer mechanism and speed control gear.

It is very feasible with mechanism tuning and acoustic foam to drop -19dbV at 1ft range from the mechanics.

 

"Roofing Tar"??? Why?

 

Was that a low cost method of sound reduction in Russian cameras?

 

Or does the tar serve another purpose? (God knows what!)

 

SC

[Dennis Kisilyov]

"Roofing Tar"??? Why?

 

Was that a low cost method of sound reduction in Russian cameras?

 

Or does the tar serve another purpose? (God knows what!)

 

SC

 

 

I can only guess that this was for keeping the big cavity where the lens mount is free of elements, the tar is sticky (to this day...) so it collects dust and film particles. This way it does not end up in the exposed gear system.

 

It may also be there to reduce vibration, but I doubt it, since the tar does not go beyond the aluminum gasket.

 

Also there is WAX in the camera :-). In two places there are "Zenit" logo tamper evident wax. One on the baffle plate screw - right near the footage counter.

 

One more on the lower right 4th screw holding the lens mount (under the aluminum K-3 badge.).