... Kiev 3 or Kiev 4 ?

[bolas]

I just bought my new Kiev RF ... i am not quite sure which one is it ? It has built-in lightmeter and is quite old ... i thought that it can be Kiev III but i am not sure about diffrences between late Kiev 3 and early 4 ? This one was made in 1958. Bottom plate is different than in Contax III, but it still has this bigger screw mount for tripod.

In compare to my 4A from 1976 major difference is this bottom plate. There is also a small difference in self-timer lever (it's exactly like in original Contax). Another thing like in original Zeiss is maximum shutter speed - 1/1250 not 1/1000 like in 4/4A i know. Kiev logo on a front plate is a bit changed than this one i know from later Kievs. It's engraved not so deep. Unlike pre-war Contax is has flash-synchronisation. Serial number 5875XX.

Here is a pic, any ideas (4A on the right)?

 

[blazejs]

This might help: http://www.ussrphoto.com/Wiki/default.asp?WikiCatID=20&ParentID=1

 

[xayraa33]

it is a early Kiev 4.

they were externally like this till 1972 save for the 3/8" tripod socket and the later black paint on the selftimer base cup.

 

[bolas]

Blazejs thanks for the link ! 🙂
Acording to this site it can be really rare late III, or early IV from the first year of procuction ... is there any difference in lightmeter scale ? On some pics of late III's it looks like this:

http://www.ussrphoto.com/Wiki/defau...ontentID=560&Item=Kiev+3+/+III+Ukrainian+Logo

 

[xayraa33]

The small type lightmeter and no Contax foot makes it a Kiev 4.


Here is my 1972 Kiev 4 which I bought in 1994 fitted with the excellent Zeiss Opton Sonnar f1.5 lens.

 

[bolas]

Now everything is clear 😉 Thanks !

By the way: i don't know how to use this light-meter ? Any advice ?

 

[blazejs]

I suspect it's already dead. Selenium meters don't last for that long. I'm trying to meter with sunny 16 now but have Sverdlovsk 4 with me all the time. Just in case.

 

[bolas]

It seems to be working somehow, it's reacting to light change so for sure is alive ... i'll compare the results tomorrow with my Sverdlovsk-4 🙂

 

[Wahoo]

... i'll compare the results tomorrow with my Sverdlovsk-4 🙂

Hey, I've got a couple of those in plastic containers.

They are still unused, are they any good ?

 

[bolas]

In my opinion best cheap stuff you can find ... 🙂
Trusted and precise ...

 

[blazejs]

I used to shot slides with my Lubitel metering with Sverdlovsk 4 so this must be OK.

 

[bolas]

As a true Kiev-o-holic i just bought another one 🙂 A truly nice piece from 1955,and i have the same questions as few post up 😉 Is it Kiev 3 or another early 4 ? Number is 55118XX. Unlike this previous one, this have contax foot and have no flash synchro ... i think this could be a Kiev III ...

Few pics (sorry for quality, they were made with mobile):

 

[tenderobject]

As a true Kiev-o-holic i just bought another one 🙂 A truly nice piece from 1955,and i have the same questions as few post up 😉 Is it Kiev 3 or another early 4 ? Number is 55118XX. Unlike this previous one, this have contax foot and have no flash synchro ... i think this could be a Kiev III ...

Few pics (sorry for quality, they were made with mobile):

very nice 50's kiev.. it might be kiev II.where do you get your kievs? been having a badluck getting a good working kievs off on ebay. ukranian sellers mostly don't check their cameras or think people in my place doens't know how to use these beauties. :bang:
had atleast 3-4 kievs the past few months with usua shutter vf/rf problems. 🙁

check this site..

http://www.sovietcams.com/index.php?-359592833 looks like kiev II

 

[xayraa33]

1) it looks to be a Kiev 4 with the back of a Kiev 3
2) a Kiev 3 that someone grafted a meter top from a Kiev 4
3) an early prototype of a Kiev 4

I tend to go with number 2

 

[bolas]

Thanks for replies. Wow ... this second option sounds like transformers 😉
I belive it could be late Kiev III - as shown here:
http://www.sovietcams.com/index.php?1381056359 (the last one)
There is no "B" in serial number, new logo but it still had a lot from Contax, no flash sync. Are there any Kiev IV without flash syncronisation ? On the other hand whole lightmeter looks like in IV's.

@tenderobject: i'm buying them mostly in local antique shops or in second-hand photo stores. There is a lot of different Kievs here, but mostly late 4's or 4A/4AM from 70's-80's

 

[xayraa33]

Thanks for replies. Wow ... this second option sounds like transformers 😉
I belive it could be late Kiev III - as shown here:
http://www.sovietcams.com/index.php?1381056359 (the last one)
There is no "B" in serial number, new logo but it still had a lot from Contax, no flash sync. Are there any Kiev IV without flash syncronisation ? On the other hand whole lightmeter looks like in IV's.

@tenderobject: i'm buying them mostly in local antique shops or in second-hand photo stores. There is a lot of different Kievs here, but mostly late 4's or 4A/4AM from 70's-80's

A Kiev III is a Kiev II with a meter top and tower type lightmeter scale/rewind knob.

Yes the body looks like a Kiev III (or 3) but yours has the smaller lightmeter penthouse of a Kiev 4 ( or IV) and its shorter lightmeter scale and rewind knob.

 

[tenderobject]

Thanks for replies. Wow ... this second option sounds like transformers 😉
I belive it could be late Kiev III - as shown here:
http://www.sovietcams.com/index.php?1381056359 (the last one)
There is no "B" in serial number, new logo but it still had a lot from Contax, no flash sync. Are there any Kiev IV without flash syncronisation ? On the other hand whole lightmeter looks like in IV's.

@tenderobject: i'm buying them mostly in local antique shops or in second-hand photo stores. There is a lot of different Kievs here, but mostly late 4's or 4A/4AM from 70's-80's

some kiev/contax are weird. 😀 its better to get old kievs than 70's or late production kievs i think. my first RF is kiev 4 and its working well now after my friend zorkikat cla'd the camera. 🙂 it's a 60's kiev. some kievs i got from ebay are from late 60's to late 70's serial number and almost all have problems 🙁

where are you? i can only get kievs on ebay.. but for now i'll stop buying cameras there.. its PITA to get a working russian camera there.. :bang:

 

[dee]

The lack of a flash sync kinda clinches it as a re-konstruction - any factory pre-series would have been konstructed around a Kiev IIIa with flash sync .
[ Source Mike Hayley and ex- Arsenal techs ]
I have one konstructed in Ukraine awaiting CLA etc .

 

[dll927]

I still think the 4A is a better-looking camera -- the one without the light meter. Besides, what good is an ancient light meter with old technology and probably barely in working condiditon, if at all?

 

[xayraa33]

I still think the 4A is a better-looking camera -- the one without the light meter. Besides, what good is an ancient light meter with old technology and probably barely in working condiditon, if at all?

Don't be too quick to discount the lightmeter on the Kiev 4.
I got two Kiev 4s and the meter on bought is as accurate as my Gossen Luna Pro lightmeter on the upper ranges.

I use to think it spoiled the Kiev's lines but the meter's built in handiness and the fact that you never forget to bring the lightmeter along makes up for what beauty it takes away.