R
ruben
Guest
Hi folks,
If you don't mind I would like to strongly recommend Alex as a very unique seller, and detail a bit why I do think so.
I have been purchasing from him a lot of minor parts that you cannot find anywhere else, ranging from cases, Kiev self timer levers, diopter attachments, black Kiev front plates, etc. His prices for difficult to find parts are almost ridiculous cheap. His combined shipments always low.
Always Alex has been first of all a very serviceable person. You can look for a small part, that Alex will price at u$ 3.- , and you can exchange all the emails you want - Alex will answer promptly. You cannot but get the feeling, that behind the seller there is a man concerned with gear and cameras. He knows what he sells, and be aware this is not the rule of every seller.
Regarding cameras, I have purchased from him only two. They were not my best eBay purchases. But I was mistaken, not him. He happens to rate his cameras on a specific basis, or according to the camera. Only the past days I noted some cameras rated as MINT, or New, while what I have been purchasing were rated as good to excellent.
An "excellent" camera is not the one that upon opening the package you exclaim "WoW, this is excellent", but a rating formula by which the camera works ok. This formula follows Keh rating, I think, witha somewhat lower degree. But this gap is not important, once you understand the principle. Therefore if you want a highly good one, you should look for the highest equelons of qualification. Once you get this you are done.
Several times, on the basis of my offer of extra payment, I asked special services and he was very flexible and honest. One of this is that you can request a CLA for a camera you are purchasing on the basis of an extra 50% of the camera price.
My latest Kiev 6c medium format was purchased from him. It was qualified as excellent. I asked Alex if it will not be convenient to give it a CLA before shipment, with the extra 50% and he answered that there is no need. The only problems I have found with the camera were some slight frame spacing issue, which still I have to investigate if I am using the settings as I should, and sometimes a false winding, when winding is not done carefully. But here again, I have heard this is the weak point of all Kiev Medium Format, and the 6c in particular. Besides that, a Kiev 6c converted to 6 x 4,5 is extremely hard to find, and not by chance it was at Alex.
The most reputed seller of Kiev Medium Format in the FSU, "ARAX", offering many services, refused me to upgrade a 6c to 6x4,5 - arguing the 6c are not as reliable as the later models - a very controversial view.
The fact is that the 6c is the only Kiev camera accepting 220 film, i.e, giving you 24 expsures in the normal 220 6x6 format, but 32 exposures per roll if your camera is 6 x 4,5 !
All other things showed a camera slightly used but not abused at all. Cosmetics highly good.
Nevertheless, Alex is more concerned with functionality than with cosmetics.
Have a look at his accessories list and you will find yourself at Disneyland.
And, again, a very very friendly man.
Cheers,
Ruben
If you don't mind I would like to strongly recommend Alex as a very unique seller, and detail a bit why I do think so.
I have been purchasing from him a lot of minor parts that you cannot find anywhere else, ranging from cases, Kiev self timer levers, diopter attachments, black Kiev front plates, etc. His prices for difficult to find parts are almost ridiculous cheap. His combined shipments always low.
Always Alex has been first of all a very serviceable person. You can look for a small part, that Alex will price at u$ 3.- , and you can exchange all the emails you want - Alex will answer promptly. You cannot but get the feeling, that behind the seller there is a man concerned with gear and cameras. He knows what he sells, and be aware this is not the rule of every seller.
Regarding cameras, I have purchased from him only two. They were not my best eBay purchases. But I was mistaken, not him. He happens to rate his cameras on a specific basis, or according to the camera. Only the past days I noted some cameras rated as MINT, or New, while what I have been purchasing were rated as good to excellent.
An "excellent" camera is not the one that upon opening the package you exclaim "WoW, this is excellent", but a rating formula by which the camera works ok. This formula follows Keh rating, I think, witha somewhat lower degree. But this gap is not important, once you understand the principle. Therefore if you want a highly good one, you should look for the highest equelons of qualification. Once you get this you are done.
Several times, on the basis of my offer of extra payment, I asked special services and he was very flexible and honest. One of this is that you can request a CLA for a camera you are purchasing on the basis of an extra 50% of the camera price.
My latest Kiev 6c medium format was purchased from him. It was qualified as excellent. I asked Alex if it will not be convenient to give it a CLA before shipment, with the extra 50% and he answered that there is no need. The only problems I have found with the camera were some slight frame spacing issue, which still I have to investigate if I am using the settings as I should, and sometimes a false winding, when winding is not done carefully. But here again, I have heard this is the weak point of all Kiev Medium Format, and the 6c in particular. Besides that, a Kiev 6c converted to 6 x 4,5 is extremely hard to find, and not by chance it was at Alex.
The most reputed seller of Kiev Medium Format in the FSU, "ARAX", offering many services, refused me to upgrade a 6c to 6x4,5 - arguing the 6c are not as reliable as the later models - a very controversial view.
The fact is that the 6c is the only Kiev camera accepting 220 film, i.e, giving you 24 expsures in the normal 220 6x6 format, but 32 exposures per roll if your camera is 6 x 4,5 !
All other things showed a camera slightly used but not abused at all. Cosmetics highly good.
Nevertheless, Alex is more concerned with functionality than with cosmetics.
Have a look at his accessories list and you will find yourself at Disneyland.
And, again, a very very friendly man.
Cheers,
Ruben
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