hitmanh
dum de dum de doo
Although I really like my rf645, it does suffer a little from the F4 glass... so I decided to get my little mitts on a Kiev 60, and my god, it's a beast! It is phyiscally the biggest camera I now own, including the 20d plus battery grip, makes my Yashica 14 look like a compact pocket camera, and my tripod is propped in the corner looking nervous 
Matt
Matt
Attachments
Ash
Selflessly Self-involved
I'm SO glad I didn't invest in one of them. It looks so much larger than I ever imagined!
Good ol' Ruskies
kbg32
neo-romanticist
I had an Exakta 66 for awhile. That was a beast as well. When the shutter fired, you heard it for blocks! Great lenses though.
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hitmanh
dum de dum de doo
aye, the shutter on this thing isn't the quitest thing in the world... you really now when it fires
The funniest thing is this comes with a strap and I can imagine serious shoulder/neck injuries happening with this thing... lol
The funniest thing is this comes with a strap and I can imagine serious shoulder/neck injuries happening with this thing... lol
Ash
Selflessly Self-involved
I think the strap is more for when someone tries to rob you. You swing the camera knocking them out, steal their wallet, and make a run for it
hitmanh
dum de dum de doo
Ash said:I think the strap is more for when someone tries to rob you. You swing the camera knocking them out, steal their wallet, and make a run for it
I think caving their heads in a more likely result
hitmanh
dum de dum de doo
Abbazz
6x9 and be there!
Very nice tonality, Matt. Thank you for sharing.
Cheers,
Abbazz
Cheers,
Abbazz
Ash
Selflessly Self-involved
Remember to lift with your legs, not your back
Good to know you got a working camera. Nice pic, but be careful leaning back with something heavy at your eye level, you might fall!
Good to know you got a working camera. Nice pic, but be careful leaning back with something heavy at your eye level, you might fall!
harry01562
Registered semi-lurker
size is relative
size is relative
The camera is large, no question. Comparing it to a Canon F1N with winder, which is smaller than the full motor drive, it doesn't seem so large. There is also very little difference in weight.
For comfort and safety, I'd get one of the straps I show: the Optech. It has the fittings for the Kiev available, and it does make a huge difference. Be sure you check the fittings, as the strap comes with a choice of, I think, 3 kinds of fastening. I found the original blue Kiev strap came loose suddenly on a couple of shoots. That could have been a disaster, but I was fortunate. Camera shown is an Arax mod, with the very nice 120mm lens attached. Nice combo for a lot of shooting, and the lens is very sharp.
Harry
size is relative
The camera is large, no question. Comparing it to a Canon F1N with winder, which is smaller than the full motor drive, it doesn't seem so large. There is also very little difference in weight.
For comfort and safety, I'd get one of the straps I show: the Optech. It has the fittings for the Kiev available, and it does make a huge difference. Be sure you check the fittings, as the strap comes with a choice of, I think, 3 kinds of fastening. I found the original blue Kiev strap came loose suddenly on a couple of shoots. That could have been a disaster, but I was fortunate. Camera shown is an Arax mod, with the very nice 120mm lens attached. Nice combo for a lot of shooting, and the lens is very sharp.
Harry
Attachments
hitmanh
dum de dum de doo
Ash said:Remember to lift with your legs, not your back
Good to know you got a working camera. Nice pic, but be careful leaning back with something heavy at your eye level, you might fall!
lol... I will remember, otherwise there may be a short stay in hospital involved. What I really need is a tripod on wheels I can push it around on
Ash
Selflessly Self-involved
Get a trolley from TESCO's
Mark Wood
Well-known
If the body's working fine, I can recommend trying out the CZJ lenses for the Pentacon Six on it, especially the 50/4 Flektogon and 180/2.8 Sonnar. (The camera fitted with the latter will be at least a 2-person lifting job!)
harry01562
Registered semi-lurker
Besides strongly seconding the use of the 180 Sonnar, I'd also recommend the 30mm fisheye. It's full frame, and interesting perspective, and fun to use.
It's also one of the great bargains in lenses.. I paid just under $200 for mine some time back, and never regretted the purchase. I also bought the 16mm FSU lens for my Canon SLR's for 1/2 the price of the 30.
Harry
It's also one of the great bargains in lenses.. I paid just under $200 for mine some time back, and never regretted the purchase. I also bought the 16mm FSU lens for my Canon SLR's for 1/2 the price of the 30.
Harry
hitmanh
dum de dum de doo
hmmm, mentals images of me, sitting in a tesco's trolley, with me keiv... who wants to push?
I've got my eye on bothe the CZJ lenses and the 30mm FSU lens My poor credit card is going to suffer next month
Matt
I've got my eye on bothe the CZJ lenses and the 30mm FSU lens
My poor credit card is going to suffer next month Matt
rbiemer
Unabashed Amateur
Matt,
When I bought my Arax(Kiev)60, I also bought 4 lenses. You should've seen the evil look I got from the postman as he plunked the package on the floor and asked me to "sign here".
I don't have anything but FSU lenses for mine but I've mostly been happy with those. If I had been a little smarter, I would not have got the Mir 45mm but instead got the Flektagon 50. The 30mm is pretty amazing!
I find myself using the camera and the waist level finder more often than the with the meter prism. Slightly lighter and(for me) more importantly closer to 100% VF coverage.
If I get another lens for mine, I'll likely get the Kaleinar 150 for a moderate tele.
Somehow the phrase "tons 'o fun" comes to mind with these!
Enjoy yours!
Rob
When I bought my Arax(Kiev)60, I also bought 4 lenses. You should've seen the evil look I got from the postman as he plunked the package on the floor and asked me to "sign here".
I don't have anything but FSU lenses for mine but I've mostly been happy with those. If I had been a little smarter, I would not have got the Mir 45mm but instead got the Flektagon 50. The 30mm is pretty amazing!
I find myself using the camera and the waist level finder more often than the with the meter prism. Slightly lighter and(for me) more importantly closer to 100% VF coverage.
I absolutely agree with this! The Optech strap makes a world of difference carrying the 60 around. I think that when I was looking for a different strap I learned that the fittings the Arax/Kiev uses are the same type as the Pentax LX--it's easier to find them listed/described that way.harry01562 said:
If I get another lens for mine, I'll likely get the Kaleinar 150 for a moderate tele.
Somehow the phrase "tons 'o fun" comes to mind with these!
Enjoy yours!
Rob
harry01562
Registered semi-lurker
hitmanh said:I've got my eye on bothe the CZJ lenses and the 30mm FSU lens
Matt
Your cc may suffer, but if you get good ones, you'll be a happy shooter. Great glass, and impressive!!!!
Harry
harry01562
Registered semi-lurker
improving Arsat 45/3.5
improving Arsat 45/3.5
I found a Pentax PH-SA 82mm lens shade for the 45 that makes a big difference in performance. I like mine, and have gotten some nice landscape shots with the combo. I also found one of the 2x tele adapters that performs well with the 180, making a 360/5.6. Again, be sure to use the shade designed for the lens, as it makes it a much better performer.
I also bought the lens shown in the pic, the 120/2.8. It isn't much bigger than the standard 80, and is a very nice and inexpensive lens. The kit with 5 lenses + shades, filters, etc., is heavy. With coverage from 30mm fisheye to 360 tele, it also covers a lot of situations. Much bang for not much bucks. The MF stuff is selling cheap, because of the pros going digital, but the lenses seem to still go pretty steep, at least for the desirable ones. No way you can match the 30mm Arsat's price with what a Hassy 30 goes for even these days.
Tons of fun, that says it all.
Harry
improving Arsat 45/3.5
I found a Pentax PH-SA 82mm lens shade for the 45 that makes a big difference in performance. I like mine, and have gotten some nice landscape shots with the combo. I also found one of the 2x tele adapters that performs well with the 180, making a 360/5.6. Again, be sure to use the shade designed for the lens, as it makes it a much better performer.
I also bought the lens shown in the pic, the 120/2.8. It isn't much bigger than the standard 80, and is a very nice and inexpensive lens. The kit with 5 lenses + shades, filters, etc., is heavy. With coverage from 30mm fisheye to 360 tele, it also covers a lot of situations. Much bang for not much bucks. The MF stuff is selling cheap, because of the pros going digital, but the lenses seem to still go pretty steep, at least for the desirable ones. No way you can match the 30mm Arsat's price with what a Hassy 30 goes for even these days.
Tons of fun, that says it all.
Harry
rbiemer
Unabashed Amateur
Harry,
Thanks for the tip about the lens hood! I got hoods with the other lenses(except the 30mm) but not with the 45mm. I tend to carry the camera and one lens when I'm using this.
At some point I'd like to get a bellows unit for the Arax; Pentacon units aren't very much money lately but I've been shooting almost no medium format lately--these miniature cameras we all talk about around here have me a little distracted
Rob
Thanks for the tip about the lens hood! I got hoods with the other lenses(except the 30mm) but not with the 45mm. I tend to carry the camera and one lens when I'm using this.
At some point I'd like to get a bellows unit for the Arax; Pentacon units aren't very much money lately but I've been shooting almost no medium format lately--these miniature cameras we all talk about around here have me a little distracted
Rob