i've been Kontaxed

[dee]

Been trying out the Kiev 2 and new Kiev 2a ...

Not so much of a learning curve than a jagged rock face !

I don't need any more facilities than my Leica IIIc or even the ''mika mouse '' pretenders , yet I choose to take out this big heavy cranky over engineered dee'light !

Fighting through the tourists around the London Eye and Westminster [ working there , not by choice , not that crazee ] for some out or the way shots ... and messing up big time with where the hell is infinity , why can't the aperture ring stay where it is , and where has the rangefinder spot gone again ? Yeh , I know under my finger !

I thought that rangefinders are for the moment ? Not with me working it - moments long gone ! i have worked out that my '65 Minolta SRs - is about the same size and weight - and never gave me this amount of agro - and it's in the closet !!

One thing did come back to me - focus , hold camera ready - looking over the top until clear - no people / buses etc in line of fire , then click .

Now a couple of times might be excused , - but I intend to take the Kiev out again , and have Steve take two of 'em apart and put them back right , at great expense - just to torture myself somemore , now ASdee is mad , but this takes the cake and the bakery ! Not only that the guy is booked till December , so there are other crazies out there - terrifying !

i have also been playing with my Oleg K4m - much easier , but not with a case - and the Kiev 4 - might as well take the K 3 - no advantage except oleg's tlc .

You could say hooked ? Poleaxed / Kontaxed ?

Dee mented

 

[TVphotog]

I think that just as with any other camera, once you are familiar with the mechanics, it becomes much easier. I wholeheartedly admit that the first couple of times I took out my Kievs, I was all fumble fingers. One night I just sat in the livingroom and played with them. I could pretty much use them in the dark now. Same with the zorkis and the FEDs. It just takes some getting used to. Once you get yours CLA'd, they will be even better to use.

 

[Keith]

Dee ... I love my Kiev II, in fact I like it so much I have just sold my Contax IIa because the Kiev feels better in my hands for some reason ... and I prefer the direction of the focusing wheel in the Russian!

The Contax grip is everything with these cameras and once instinctive, solves that problem of the rangefinder patch disappearing all the time which drove me mad initially. Everything about my Kiev II pleases me and I think they are the finest FSU ... by a big margin. 🙂

 

[FrankS]

I agree that the early Kievs are the best FSU cameras.

 

[ruben]

Dee ... I love my Kiev II, in fact I like it so much I have just sold my Contax IIa because the Kiev feels better in my hands for some reason ... and I prefer the direction of the focusing wheel in the Russian!

WOW, WOOW, WOOOOOOOOOOW. :bang: 😱 😕 😡 😱 🙂

I propose you a signature:

I sold my Contax IIa because the Kiev feels better in my hands


Keith you continue to be as original, syphatetic and provocative as ever.

Cheers,
Ruben

 

[Spyderman]

A good Kiev isn't bad 😀 (...but IMO a bad Kiev is worse than no Kiev at all...)

 

[darkkavenger]

I convey with FrankS words, an early kiev is a wonder in one's hands 🙂

 

[Xmas]

Dee
Neither the Ge or Ru could spell ergonomics, the Contax was slower or just as slow as the Leica, the Contax only survived because it had better glass. And only until the Ja company stuck an N in front of the ikon... I only use the Kievs because I take slow shots, & yes I like them as well.
Ruben
I can see Keiths problem the IIa and IIIa were not a step forward, that is why they eventually dropped out of the market.
Noel

 

[raid]

Where would you buy a good Kiev II?

 

[zhang xk]

A USSR state gift item can't be bad.

 

[Keith]

WOW, WOOW, WOOOOOOOOOOW. :bang: 😱 😕 😡 😱 🙂

I propose you a signature:

I sold my Contax IIa because the Kiev feels better in my hands


Keith you continue to be as original, syphatetic and provocative as ever.

Cheers,
Ruben

Oh great northern Kiev Guru ... I have complied! 🙂

 

[ruben]

Where would you buy a good Kiev II?

There are two approaches.
One is to buy whatever you find, considering your skills vis a vis the seller.

The other is to take for granted an additional overhaul. I support this approach, which although being more expensive at the begining, will render cheaper in the long range.

Since you live in the USA, i propose you Fedka, but... be very insisting in that you are ready to pay for an extra de-luxe overhaul to get absolute excellency in EVERYTHING. Yury may anwer there is no need as all his cameras are CLAed, and nevertheless you insist again, prompting him to do a more exhaustive checking, which he may do perhaps for free, or perhaps not for free.

I am told by Jocko that there is a great Kiev fixer in the UK, called Steve Ash, which I will try some day. This can be another venue as well. Jocko is very knowledgeable of both FSU cameras and his countrymen. You can also ask Mr Ash if he has any kiev II for sale, being this the cheaper and realistic way. Yet my advise on insisting in mechanical excellency still stands for him as well.

But if you go for the "perhaps I may be lucky", perhaps you may. But just perhaps minus.

Cheers,
Ruben

 

[raid]

Thanks a lot, Ruben. I will think about the options when I am ready to get a Kiev II.

 

[FrankS]

Raid, if on your search for a Kiev II, you happen to find a Contax II, it will also be suitable.

 

[dee]

My attitude , 9 months after the Red Misst deescended , is to buy what i like , and , eventually , have it serviced . Though my first Kievs 4 / 4m came from Oleg , 'cos I was made aware how well they need to be set up . What I have also found out is that my instinct towards what camera will be right for ME , have proven to be accurate - no matter how much better , I still don't like the later Zorkis - 3 / 3m / 4 / 6 , and , though I appreciate the Fed 2 ... my Leica - Likes or Kievs are what i would prefer to play with .

I have actually done well , with just a couple of deesasters which in the context / kontaxt ? ] of all of my ''babies '' evens out .

De spite these teething / teaching moments with my Kiev 2 / 3 / 2a - they are just wonderfull - by any standards - not by Soviet standards .

..and i would not have believed THAT a couple of months ago !

contentedeely