RJBender
RFF Sponsoring Member
Real Kiev
Real Kiev
Here's an older Kiev, with an 85mm Jupiter, that I bought several weeks after the fake Contax. It has the foot on the base just like the real Contax and a beautiful satin chrome finish. I haven't compared weights with a scale, but the Kiev seems 30-50% heavier than the fake Contax with 50mm lenses attached to each camera. The shutter action seems smoother and quieter with the older Kiev.
I've seen Contaxes recently sell for under $300 in excellent condition. Now that I have all the glass I need, including a 135mm Sonnar from Stuttgart, I 'll probably get a real Contax before I get a fake Leica or another fake Contax. I must admit that I almost bought a fake 3 Coronas "Leica" with "R" instead of "B" engraved at the rewind lever from Moscowphoto. The one they have listed now has a "B" marking.
R.J.
Real Kiev
Here's an older Kiev, with an 85mm Jupiter, that I bought several weeks after the fake Contax. It has the foot on the base just like the real Contax and a beautiful satin chrome finish. I haven't compared weights with a scale, but the Kiev seems 30-50% heavier than the fake Contax with 50mm lenses attached to each camera. The shutter action seems smoother and quieter with the older Kiev.
I've seen Contaxes recently sell for under $300 in excellent condition. Now that I have all the glass I need, including a 135mm Sonnar from Stuttgart, I 'll probably get a real Contax before I get a fake Leica or another fake Contax. I must admit that I almost bought a fake 3 Coronas "Leica" with "R" instead of "B" engraved at the rewind lever from Moscowphoto. The one they have listed now has a "B" marking.
R.J.