... Kiev 3 or Kiev 4 ?

[summar]

Hey Bolas: There's a handy instruction manual for the Kiev 4 that shows how to use the light meter:
http://www.dvdtechcameras.com/manuals/cameras/k4/k4.htm
The Kiev measures film speed in the old Soviet GOST units. They're basically 1/3 stop lower than the equivalent ISO units, but here's a conversion chart:
http://www.kataan.org/gost-to-iso-conversion-chart
Good luck with the camera. I have a 4a which I like a lot.

 

[bolas]

I just picked my 1958 Kiev 4 from restoration and it works beautiful. I love the sound of the renovated shutter ! Wow, the best of three i own (1955 K-3, 1958 K-4 and 1976 K-4A). Few days ago i placed all 3 them + Contax II from 1936 on the table and were looking for differences. Back panel from K-III is easy to change with original one from Contax. It is not good for later Kievs. I also noticed a strange thing with a logo on this one from 1958:

Please notice that the word KIEV is written diferent than normal - its Київ insteadof normalКи́ев. I've read somewhere that there are two variations of logo - Ukrainian and Russian. Is it this what i can see on my camera ?

@ dll927: I also prefer Contax II / Kiev II (or IV) - without lightmeter, but when i loved this option i always was curious how works this second one. That's why i bought them. Secondly - i also wanted to buy few older Kievs to check how much different they are then original Contax.Now i only have to wait for early (and cheap) Kiev II.

@ tenderobject: i am from Poland. It's not far too Ukraine from here, so there is a lots of Kievs in here (mostly from 70/80's but when you're patient you can find everything).