I must be Crazy!!!!

[stevew]

I was on ebay looking at Kievcamera. I couldn't control myself and bought a Kiev 35 A (a copy of the Minox E-GT series cameras). I've had 2 of the Minox's over the years and really loved them. They would fit in a shirt pocket and had a very good lens, but they always broke. Anyway I did the deed a bought the Kiev copy.

I'll let you know how it is when it comes in.

 

[Stephen G]

Good luck, I broke mine after 2 rolls.

My suggestion: NEVER use the cable release socket. I tried, and it removed the shutter release assembly, spring and al.

Had it not been for that, I think it would have been fine. A friend of mine bought one around the same time and I think his is still kicking, a couple years later.

 

[stevew]

Good tip

Good tip

I only paid $24 plus $10 shipping, so no great loss. I really did love those Minox'es though. I carried mine everywhere, backpacking, to the store, to the beach it was with me. I still have my old GT (doesn't work) in it's leather case, maybe the case will fit this Kiev.

 

[varjag]

Kiev-35A isn't truly a Minox copy. Story is, after Photokina'80 Soivet industry officials ordered Arsenal to produce a thing like that, but for some reason they didn't come with the down-to-a-screw copy approach but adopted some parts from Minox and developed others from scratch. The lens, 5-element MC Korsar 2.8/35 is an original Soviet design and can well be a better performer than the one used at Minox. The electronics (its weakest part) is an original design too.

If manufacturing and QC work wasn't as sloppy in Soviet camera industry of the 80's, it could be quite a good camera. I still ponder on getting one (Kiev-4A is too unwieldy for trips to grocery), but yet to find an exemplar am fully satisfied with.

 

[reagan]

stevew ~ Awaiting your impressions. I've looked at those myself and am curious. Often found for a decent price, (as yours IMO) seems worth a shot. Good luck.

 

[lubitel]

I love my Minox GT, and it still works no problem. But I do wish, sometimes, it had a rangefinder.
Has anybody used olympus XA? I heard its quite similar from size AND has a rangefinder. How does it compare to minox?