Dorothy Lee

Thank you so much Dom,

I could not see inside the sprocket and have not yet attempted to disassemble it lest breaking it even more.

I will try to look into the sprocket with the magnifying glass-- it is a great call haha.

I have contacted the seller and he said he will gladly exchange it for me, which is a great news because the repair would cost me even more than I had anticipated.

I just hope the new one does not have any broken parts.

A burr meaning a high spot, a sharp edge or point that is protruding out past the flat surface. If you mark the film carefully you should be able to determine where the scratch begins within a couple of mm, then examine that area carefully with a loupe or magnifying glass. You might need to remove a sprockets. (It's been many years since I looked at a K3 so I can't be specific about the disassembly needed).

You may need to use a very fine file or emery paper to remove the burr. I would use a deburring stone, which is a very hard and flat tool designed for this purpose but not easily found in shops. Be careful not to roughen any surface that touches the film.

 

Looking at my K3, it seems that your scratches are inside the sprocket guide rollers so I suspect either the metal plates which travel the full width of the film- could there be a chip stuck in there?- or the plastic fitting to the left of the sprocket.

There is also a metal ridge in the middle of the roller so you could check that.

 

Maybe so, I have not mentioned earlier but there was a tiny triangular metal piece that broke off when I have received it.

It was running fine so I did not think it was a big deal (it probably is but part of me did not want to believe it haha)

It may need a part replacement or something if I have gotten a broken camera; or get a refund from the seller.

You’re right, I see it now. Damn, how superficial one can be!

 

In that case, Dorothy, you’ll probably be finding something with the pressure plate, if it wasn’t loose debris.

Hey Simon,

I have wiped down the pressure plate but also the scratch forms before entering the pressure plate.

What Simon said. If you can, use a piece of fresh film, maybe snip the first few feet off an unexposed roll. Make sure the camera is clean, brush it out, wipe down the pressure plate, etc. Run the film through with the lid closed but before it runs out stop the camera, open it up and mark with a sharpie on the film where it enters a sprocket and at either end of the pressure plate. Then remove the film and find where the scratch begins relative to your marks. You should be able to work out exactly where the problem is.

 

The loop formers are notorious for scratching, but that would be on the emulsion side. Hopefully it was dirt or a film chip, otherwise it could be a burr on the pressure plate or sprocket guide.

Hello Dom,

Would the burr mean the whirring of the camera or the dent on the sprocket that is causing the scratch?

I have brushed down the whole magazine compartment but I still get scratches on the non-emulsion side.

The emulsion side is clean so I don't think there is any dust or dent on the gate that is causing it.

If it is the sprocket, then how do I make it flush?

If anything I will have to have a professional take in to fix it :(

Thank you all for the replies!

Search the cause like everybody else. Thread up fresh film, run shortly, stop mechanism, mark contact areas on film back with a felt pen, remove film carefully, compare. Open film guides, feel for burrs with fingers.

 

As much as I can see from your picture, you have scratches on the emulsion side. That points to the aperture plate of the gate. Inspect closely with enough light to see whether there’s something around.

Hi Simon,

I have scratches on the non-emulsion side where it has to be scanned.

I have mentioned that the scratch appears from the first sprocket guide into the upper loop and then after going through the pressure plate, into forming lower loop and out through the second sprocket guide, I have another scratch.

So I am assuming it will be the main sprocket guide...

Hello,

I bought a Krasnogorsk 3 off of Ebay and it shipped over from Ukraine this Monday.

I have a shoot this Saturday so I know it is a bit of a rush but it arrived early enough for me to test the exposed film and I found out that there is a continuous scratch along the non-emulsion side of single perf super 16mm film...

I thought since this is a regular 16mm camera, maybe the scratch is where the other claw is trying to pull down?

It is not in the middle but rather the edge.

But I know K3 takes both double perf and single perf and this scratch is very concerning, not really sure where it is picking up the scratches from.

When it is going through the upper loop through the roller I see a single scratch and when it comes out from the lower loop and out into the take up spool, I see another scratch. (2 lines as indicated on the picture)

So I am assuming it is from the main sprocket or release pin...

Please let me know if I got a crappy one and if or if not this is fixable to start anywhere, because I am sure it is not a dust since it is consistent line all along the film.

Thank you so much