The Kiev 10 and 15 Film Transport Blues: Please He

Anybody have any experience actually USING the Kiev 10 and/or Kiev 15??
I have both, with the full complement of lenses, but have the same intractable problem with the film transport mechanism ... the film will wind okay for the first five to 10 exposures, then the film take up spool will begin to slip on it's axle,letting only the toothed film sprocket turn, which tears up the film pretty badly. This is immensely frustrating, as both cameras are perfectly functional in every other way.
At first I thought my camera was broken, but when I bought a second one, and it had exactly the same problem, I began to consider that this may be a fundamental quality of these cameras ... I'm guessing that they simply are not designed for the use of modern film cassettes.
The film compartment is too large, apparently designed for refillable Russian film cartridges (?) ... If I pack something beneath and under the film it helps a little but not enough ..
This is weird, I've never seen a camera,wherein the film takeup reel actually slips on it's axle when the pressure becomes too great ... Perhaps this was Kiev's way of signalling that the film was finished ???
Please,Has anyone else had this experience and come up with a possible solution?? I love these unique cameras and their lenses and would LOVE to be able to USE them, but sadly, will have to give them up if I can't find an answer to this problem ...
Any help would be greatly appreciated ...
- Dave Cartier, Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada

Hi!
I have used Kiev-10, 15Tee and 15TTL. And never had the problems that you are describing!
But I do know that Zenit-KM did suffer from problem with film cassette size & position, which was sometimes cured by extra padding in the compartment.
So it may well be possible!
PS and BTW:
Which film are you using? I had no problems with Agfa and Fuji, never tried Kodak (dirty expensive here) nor the Konica/Sakura etc crap.

Best regards,
Juhani

These cameras are to me a bit difficult to be used. I tried them when absolutely new and was surprised seein that a professional photographer near my home used one Kiev 10 for more than 15 years of heavy use, literally corroding all the camera external but the camera kept fully functional. After that the front panel became looose and the camera failed I repaired it and it kept working for two or three years more.
I believe your problem is easy-- try to a lesser pressure in the pressure plate. Note: Kodak cartriges are not well made and a slight defect cause tighting the spool and more, the thinner film support is fragile = as Kiev has only one side to pull the film, it breaks n perforations.
So. loose the pressure plate springs and avoid Kodak films
LP

I also have a Kiev 10 and 15. When I first purchased the Kiev 10, I ran a test roll through it and experienced the same exact problem. In fact I went through a few test rolls tearing up the sprocket holes on the film. I could see that the sprocket gear was turning just fine, and everything else seemed to be doing it's job like it was designed to. When I purchased the Kiev 15 it came with a manual. In the manual there was a picture (drawing) of the proper way to load the film on to the take up spool. There is a white arrow on the take up spool itself. this arrow is pointing to the slot where the film leader is to be placed (thru the slot on spool). The film end needs to be in the slot closest to the shutter because it will lock the film on the spool when the film reels on to it. If the film end is not placed into this slot there seems to be no pulling power from the winder which causes excess pressure on the other moving parts that transport the film. Placing some material or spacing under the film cartridge may help but will not solve the problem. The newer 35mm film cartridges will work just fine.

joe