Post by dee on May 15, 2023 5:02:34 GMT -5
Hi
Due to the cost of film, I haves moved to Fuji as the closest form to analogue.
However my Minoltas and various Soviet camera still lurk around .
Here are two very modified Kievs , both formed from a scrap Kiev II and genuine Contax III.
I am careful to describe them as Kiev as they were made from a contact in Kiev by ex-Arsenal techs.
It appears that many early Kievs were updated by fitting Kiev 4 top plates/meter/and controls.
The owners had little choice as camera were an enormous outlay and Kiev III had a massive top heavy meter.
Although the K4 meter mirrors the later Contax , it is the same as the Contax/Kiev III reduced in height.
Both have the rarer 1957 K4 top plates fitted [ later K4 had strengthening ribs added to the meter top section near the hot shoe , an area of weakness.]
Why ??
I like using the meter , and the later Kievs were revised to eliminate the foot and adapt the back.
They also fit the early case , not that I would use one .
Just a silly thing taking advantage of the situation!
I have another two Kiev II rebuilt in Ukraine around a scrap Contax II which needed just a few screws to sort it and another where I was given a set of Contax parts missing the shutter, so it's late Kiev with brand new old stock shutter at heart.
I am very conscious of the sensitivity of Contax enthusiasts retaining the authenticity of the camera at great expense , but both the arsenal Guys and Oleg lack nothing in expertise when it comes to these complicated beasts . It's just the West's perception of Soviet cameras which have been butchered o keep then running for decades. Check out Vintage Camera for Oleg .
It was not long after this that I could not afford film , so they retired too early .
I have a glitch , actually several , making it tricky to read cyrillic script , it disturbs me , so my Kievs are manly block KNEB or Contax face plates .
I have avoided those fake Contax made form late Kiev4 or 4a.
The exception with script , are a pair from the Guru Oleg , now sporting either purple or tan leather coverings and new old stock meter cellsThe meter is reasonably accurate , should you have some idea as to how to adjust for the wide input or sunny 16 .
The labels are just a bit of fun with the very original logo printed of silver paper .
Plus a 1979 mint and boxed imported it UK from Optical and Technical in the 70s.At the time , 1975? I really wanted one but finances prohibited.
regards dee
