RELOADING KIEV VEGA 2 CASSETTES
Kiev Vega 2 cassettes are about the easiest
submini cassette to reload.
1. Memorize these
instructions since you can't refer to them in the dark; better yet, run through
the steps with the lights on with scrap film.
2. Gather all your items
together -- 16mm film, Kiev Vega 2 cassettes (Kiev Vega 2 cassettes will work NOT
fit in Minolta cameras), scissors, and film template.
3. Wash your hands
thoroughly, or use film gloves (obtainable at most camera shops) in order to
avoid getting oil or dirt on the film.
4. With the lights on,
remove any tape securing the caps from the film-feeder end and the film-take-up
end of the cassette. The film-take-up end is the end of
the cassette that is slightly larger and holds the film-take-up spool. The cap
on the film-take-up end has a hole in it to allow the camera to advance the
film. The cap on the film-feeder end is solid.
5. Remove both caps.
6. Remove any tape and film
from the film-take-up spool.
7. Completely check the
cassette for any loose dirt or film scraps.
8. Turn off the lights.
9. Cut a 26" length of
film, using a template, ruler or whatever you can device. A yardstick with a
notch or piece of tape at 26" will work fine. (Any type of 16mm film,
regardless of perforations, will work with the Kiev Vega 2 cameras, but the Kiev
30, 30M, and 303 require unperforated 16mm film due to their larger image size.)
10. Wind the film tightly
into a roll and pull out a 1-2" leader. Make sure that the emulsion in
wound in toward the center of the roll.
11. Slip the leader through
the film outlet while dropping the roll of film into the film-feeder end of the
cassette. The film slot can be difficult to find in the dark, so you may need
to practice with the lights on with a scrap piece of film.
12. Place the cap back on
the film-feeder end of the cassette.
13. Turn on a dim light.
14. Check to make sure that
the film is loaded correctly -- emulsion toward the lens.
15. Line up the leader of
the film with the film take-up spool. Make sure that the open end of the
film-take-up spool is facing in the right direction. The film and the spool are
exactly the same height and the film must line up exactly with the edges of the
spool. This will help prevent the film from detaching in the camera.
16. Use the Kiev Vega 2
cassette metal film clip to hold the film to the spool -- or a 1/2” piece of
tape looped around the spool, and attached to the film on both sides of the spool.
17. Slide the film into the
take-up film slot (which is as difficult to find as the feeder slot was) while
slipping the take-up spool into the cassette.
18. Place the cap back on
the film-take-up end of the cassette.
19. Place the reloaded
cassette in a protective case and tape shut with black tape.
20. Mark the outside of the
case with the type of film.
21. If the film won't
advance once it's in the camera, most likely it was not properly aligned to the
film-take-up spool.
This
may sound like a lot of work, but once you get used to it, you can reload a
cassette in a matter of seconds.