Early 1950s Kiev 2 - as well made as a Contax

[Philip Whiteman]

I was prepared to believe it, now I have proof. I have just stripped down and serviced an as-new 1953 Kiev 2 and found the works inside are as nicely finished as the exterior. Side-by-side comparison with my 1939 Contax II shows the cameras to be identical in almost every detail, the Soviet version having a couple of cost-saving measures (no weight-saving hollow in the folding foot, no groove in the focussing wheel) but much better, Leica-style chrome plating.

Mechanically, the feel - the weight of the film advance and smoothness of focussing etc - is identical and, save for one crude adjustment to the shutter capping (one of the latch tabs was bent - something that might have been done during past servicing, rather than in the factory) this Kiev really is to all intents and purposes a Contax made in Ukraine.

 

[xayraa33]

Even with all the periodic short-cut changes and less and less refinement, it was still a fairly well made camera till 1972.

 

[Philip Whiteman]

...or beyond: I have a 1978 4 that I hope will - now I have fixed its light leaks - will perform just as well. Certainly its film advance/shutter wind feels just as nice as the '39 Contax and '53 Kiev 2, even if the focus action is not quite as precise and smooth.

 

[oftheherd]

I seem to recall reading that somewhere up to the mid-fifties, Kievs were still being made with original Contax parts.

 

[xayraa33]

...or beyond: I have a 1978 4 that I hope will - now I have fixed its light leaks - will perform just as well. Certainly its film advance/shutter wind feels just as nice as the '39 Contax and '53 Kiev 2, even if the focus action is not quite as precise and smooth.

After 72 they went with the vinyl leatherette instead of real leather and the all metal chromed self timer lever went chintzy plasticy and its pivot point was covered with a lightly glued in circular vinyl patch which always falls out and is lost, totally crappy from the earlier models.

 

[Philip Whiteman]

I must admit my original frame of reference was the mid 1970s Kievs that were around when I was a teenager. The Contax and '53 Kiev I bought more recently have been a revelation - and, once you've handled these there is no going back, even if the later, poorly made and finished Kievs can be made to produce fine photos.

Interesting to learn about the date they went from leather covering to leatherette...

 

[Grytpype]

The earlier Kiev covering doesn't actually seem to be leather (though I have no knowledge of anything earlier than 2A). It's just a thin leatherette, but very much nicer and more leather-like than that horrible vinyl.

There certainly is a great difference in the quality of finish of parts between early and later Kievs, but I'm not sure whether functionality declined so much. The most difficult Kiev I've dealt with as far as quality-control issues are concerned is also the earliest - a 1956 2A!

Steve.

 

[David Hughes]

I seem to recall reading that somewhere up to the mid-fifties, Kievs were still being made with original Contax parts.

Hi,

Hmm, that would mean that, at the end of the war, Contax had a ten year supply of parts and the Soviets took them back home. I'm more prepared to believe that war time conditions would have meant them living day to day as the saying goes.

But they did take the/some Zeiss people to the USSR, and they later returned home, their influence may have lasted for many years and then, as demand improved, the camera was modified for easier production. That's normal regardless of the country's politics.

Also, I can't see how anyone can comment on the factory's QC 50, 60 or 70 years later. The state my old cameras were in had a lot to do with the previous owners and not the factory. Proof of that's in the number of all makes of camera for sale with corroded battery terminals and no instruction manual; just look on ebay.

Regards, David

 

[mich rassena]

I'd really like to buy an early Kiev as an alternative to a Contax. Where can I find a good guide to distinguishing the various models of Kiev online? I'd like to be able to look at an auction page and tell which are the older models.

 

[ForestCap]

I'd really like to buy an early Kiev as an alternative to a Contax. Where can I find a good guide to distinguishing the various models of Kiev online? I'd like to be able to look at an auction page and tell which are the older models.

http://www.sovietcams.com/

 

[David Hughes]

Hi,

If you want a rough quick clue then the older ones have a little foot to stop them tipping forward when put down on a flat surface. All cameras should have this...

Regards, David

 

[mich rassena]

http://www.sovietcams.com/

That's a great website. I'll scroll through there for examples.

 

[mich rassena]

Hi,

If you want a rough quick clue then the older ones have a little foot to stop them tipping forward when put down on a flat surface. All cameras should have this...

Regards, David

Looking for the foot is a very helpful suggestion. For some reason, my mind immediately goes to the Kiev 4 as the template for all Kievs, forgetting there were several preceding versions. It's those versions I should look for instead. Also, from the sovietcams website, it looks like the early ones had Cyrillic lettering only.

 

[xayraa33]

The earlier Kiev covering doesn't actually seem to be leather (though I have no knowledge of anything earlier than 2A). It's just a thin leatherette, but very much nicer and more leather-like than that horrible vinyl.

There certainly is a great difference in the quality of finish of parts between early and later Kievs, but I'm not sure whether functionality declined so much. The most difficult Kiev I've dealt with as far as quality-control issues are concerned is also the earliest - a 1956 2A!

Steve.

Kiev RF cameras had real leather covering till 1972, just like pre war Contaxes.

 

[oftheherd]

Hi,

Hmm, that would mean that, at the end of the war, Contax had a ten year supply of parts and the Soviets took them back home. I'm more prepared to believe that war time conditions would have meant them living day to day as the saying goes.

But they did take the/some Zeiss people to the USSR, and they later returned home, their influence may have lasted for many years and then, as demand improved, the camera was modified for easier production. That's normal regardless of the country's politics.

Also, I can't see how anyone can comment on the factory's QC 50, 60 or 70 years later. The state my old cameras were in had a lot to do with the previous owners and not the factory. Proof of that's in the number of all makes of camera for sale with corroded battery terminals and no instruction manual; just look on ebay.

Regards, David

What you say makes sense. I guess I just supposed it had to do with the small amount of Kievs made after WWII that made the parts last longer.

 

[David Hughes]

Looking for the foot is a very helpful suggestion. For some reason, my mind immediately goes to the Kiev 4 as the template for all Kievs, forgetting there were several preceding versions. It's those versions I should look for instead. Also, from the sovietcams website, it looks like the early ones had Cyrillic lettering only.

Hi,

Although I haven't done any research in depth I should have added that the serial numbers seem to give the year, based on them beginning 55 and 56 in my heap of old stuff.

As for the lenses, the red letter "P" or "П" meaning they'd changed the spec. and they are now coated is another give away. It was dropped when coated became the norm.

Regards, David

 

[Highway 61]

I'd really like to buy an early Kiev as an alternative to a Contax. Where can I find a good guide to distinguishing the various models of Kiev online? I'd like to be able to look at an auction page and tell which are the older models.

http://www3.telus.net/public/rpnchbck/zconrfKiev.htm

 

[David Hughes]

Hi,

Another good guide here:-

http://ussrphoto.com/Wiki/default.asp?ParentID=1

Regards, David

 

[Grytpype]

Kiev RF cameras had real leather covering till 1972, just like pre war Contaxes.

I can only say that the USSR must have genetically engineered a very different breed of cow to the ones that produced the real leather covering for the Contax!

 

[TerryMcC]

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Lomo book download

Hi,

Another good guide here:-

http://ussrphoto.com/Wiki/default.asp?ParentID=1

Regards, David

I found a book mentioned, Lomo: 100 years, and the site says it can be downloaded as a PDF. I tried on my iPad and PC without success. Has anyone been able to download, or have a copy on file for sharing?