This subject seems to be a matter of endless debate. I've read that, at least in the case of Kievs, this is not an issue. But some insist that it is true of all FSU cameras. What are we to believe?
The fact that the shutter speed dial revolves upon release of the shutter was true of all LTM cameras, regardless of country of origin. So why were FSU cameras vulnerable, and not Leicas? And how is one to know how how a years-old and maybe well-used camera was treated? Did every Russky that bought a camera know this and observe the correct procedure? That's probably doubtful.
Chances are that, upon buying a used FSU camera, whatever damage there may be should be apparent right away. I've bought a bunch of Kievs and Zorkis, and they all seem to sound as if the shutter is firing. Could they all have been repaired properly? Or was there damage to begin with?
This brings up the question of whom you buy the camera from. Given that it's a royal pain to re-ship a camera back to wherever it came from, no wonder there are always questions about which sellers are more reliable. Yuri at Fedka in NYC has a well-deserved reputation for going over his merchandise before sale and making sure things are on the up-and-up. His 'ratings' are probably as dependble as anyone's, and if he says it's "as is", he is probably telling you something.
In the case of the medium-format Kiev 88s, there are companies that import new ones and get them into proper operation. Needless to say, you pay for the difference, but the extra $$ may be worth it. Whether or not a used camera can be put into the same category is probably very much open to question. It used to be said that the Kowa Six was "the poor man'[s Hasselblad". Where does that leave Kiev 88?
