Kiev, am I crazy?

[chipgreenberg]

I'm thinking of buying a Kiev from Oleg or Fedka to server as a back-up/ temporary body while my Contax lla is being serviced. I've had a particularly bad run of luck with old cameras lately. (even new ones!) Would I be looking at more of the same?

Mark Hansen has had the contax for something like 8 months of the last year. Now he's chasing a light leak and just put me "back in the queue," so who know when I'm going to see this body. A Kiev would let me shoot 35mm with my Sonnar for not a lot of money while I wait. Once the contax is back the Kiev would sit on the shelf as a back up camera.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

I have a Zorki-3M from Oleg, new shutter curtains, been fine for years.

If Oleg has given a full CLA, replaced the shutter ribbons, checked it out: it should be fine.

I've had to hunt down a light leak on a Contax IIIa. Not Easy.

A friend of mine bought a Black Valdai J-3 from Fedka. It needed work, was missing one of the two guide screws that hold the two halves of the helical together. I had to cut one of the guides with an exacto knife to straighten the slot out, simply putting the screw in place caused it to jam. Leaving the screw out caused inaccuracy in the focus. The lens sold for a premium.

 

[Cascadilla]

The Kiev won't cost that much and it can serve as a second body (with another lens or different film) when your Contax comes back. I would go for it if I were you.

 

[chipgreenberg]

Thanks for the input, I wrote Oleg to see what he has!

 

[paul in AZ]

I got a Kiev4A from Oleg. It works perfectly.
But be forewarned about the postal system(s) and delivery times. Ours may be slow now but Russia's can be glacial.
I got mine last Sept and it took about 3+ weeks to get here. Much of the time was waiting in Moscow's P.O. to catch a ride to Chicago. Oleg is way out in eastern Russia and packages go through Moscow.
A friend bought a Zorki from Oleg in early November. It is still sitting in that Moscow P.O. which seems to be the clearing house for exports.
Also figure on postage costing some $30 or so.

Other than slow delivery which is a function of their post office I wouldn't hesitate to buy from Oleg.

 

[helen.HH]

of course Your Mad...
but then who isn't in Today's World

Count Yourself Lucky, at least it's a fun challenge and creative.

I have bought from Oleg in the past, Wonderful to deal with
https://fedka.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=22&osCsid=hqbsbuj0oai1gkho6o7edv41c5

 

[rolfe]

You won't go wrong with a 4a from Oleg, but a IIa is even better.

Rolfe

 

[bullterrier]

stick to the plan!

 

[Sonnar Brian]

I picked up a 1957 Kiev 3a (Flash Sync) with "Made in USSR" on it, meter still accurate, have had it for several years now.

I'd go for one from the 1950s.

 

[xayraa33]

Any in good working shape pre 1973 Kiev 4 or 4a will be fine with your Zeiss lenses...the quality is a bit less than the direct repro of the Contax II of the 1950s Kiev RF cameras, like on the Kiev 2 or 2a cameras but they are still very decent quality and very usable.

 

[David Hughes]

Another vote for the 2a mostly because they have the little foot to stop them falling over. With luck you might pick one up with a lens for the same price as a body; they (prices) vary a lot.


Regards, David

 

[mconnealy]

Oleg repaired the shutter on my Kiev IIa about fifteen years ago. Still works fine and the Jupiter 8 is a great lens. I think I paid him about $40 for the job and the shipping charge was very modest in those days. Prices and wait times are higher now, but Oleg still seems like a bargain.

 

[chipgreenberg]

Oleg repaired the shutter on my Kiev IIa about fifteen years ago. Still works fine and the Jupiter 8 is a great lens. I think I paid him about $40 for the job and the shipping charge was very modest in those days. Prices and wait times are higher now, but Oleg still seems like a bargain.

that's good news Mike, your Kiev looks nice. I have some emails back and forth with Oleg at this point..I'll see what he has.

Chip

 

[Ambro51]

Your Contax will resent you getting a Russian mail order Bride. Expect conflicts!

 

[Sonnar Brian]

My Contax II has a frame counter from a parts Kiev 4 that Roland gave to me years ago. The Contax II had a CLA done, but the original part was damaged. Not a hard camera to work on.

No conflict at all!

My Kiev 3a with an unusual J-11 that I picked up at a camera show for $20.

Jupiter-11, Special Paint by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

 

[Sonnar Brian]

http://www3.telus.net/public/rpnchbck/index.html

This site is incredibly useful.