Kiev RF cameras

[Mauro]

Dear RF friends, I already own a FED 3B - a wonderful camera, indeed - and now I am interested in Kiev RF cameras.
n particular, I would like to buy a Kiev 4: in your opinion, should I prefer the model without lightmeter or with it? Any further advice/suggestion/tip will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks for your help, and have a nice day!
Mauro

 

[Spyderman]

It much depends what you prefer: to have lightmeter and a bulkier camera or no meter and somewhat sleeker camera.

I personaly would prefer the one with meter, just in case...

 

[varjag]

Genarally, you should not rely on selenium meter in decades-old camera. And IMHO meterless Kievs are more wieldy and sleek, but of course am biased owning one of them 🙂

 

[Todd.Hanz]

most of the meters are no longer operable/ dependable so unless it's "just for looks" I would get whatever is the cheapest and in the best condition. You can buy a VC meter II for the hot shoe that works very well, see this: http://cameraquest.com/voivcmet2.htm


Todd

 

[Solinar]

I'll second the VC Meter recommendation and it will be much less fiddly, too.

 

[ed1k]

My almost 30 years old Kiev 4 has quite accurate meter, you always can ask seller - it's not difficult to check. I mean it is up to you to decide what you want. Bigger concern for you is that Kiev has contax RF mount and your FED lenses won't work with Kiev.

 

[MicheldeG]

I have a Kiev with a meter on it that is always in a very good mood but not reliable at all as a lightmeter. It seems that seleniumcells refuse to do what they are made for when they grow old, so most Kievs have that problem as already said in this thread. I personnaly should prefer a Kiev without meter because I don't like to have stuff on my camera which is useless.

 

[Jocko]

Dear Mauro,
I have a metered Kiev 4m. Oleg quite recently replaced parts of the (originally useless) meter and it probably functions as well as it ever could: Used with care it is just about adequate in ordinary daylight using print film. Yet as noted by our friends above, there is no doubt that a meterless Kiev plus C/V or hand-held meter would be a much better combination.

I personally prefer the look of the metered camera. In addition it is said - although this is controversial - that the Soviet multi-finder was calibrated for use on the metered Kiev. This should mean that a metered camera and multi-finder would be less prone to parallax errors when using long\wide angle lenses. However, the original user manual shows the finder on a meterless Kiev... so who knows?

The best advice is simply to buy the best you can find - but despite my aesthetic prefence I think I'd tend towards the meterless version.

Cheers, Ian

 

[w3rk5]

Hi Mauro. I just got a 1964 Kiev 4 (with light meter) sometime last week. I like the look of the non-metered one better. I got the 4 for the extra weight, not for the light meter itself. I rely on the sunny 16 rule on all my shots. The light meter works, but I don't know how accurate it is.

P.S. You can always buy a top plate and change it to either a 4 or 4a. 😉

 

[ruben]

Hi Mauro,
Take into account that the selectable f/stops and speeds of the metered Kiev is good so far you are using it around the ISO 100. If this is OK for you, then a metered Kiev becomes a highly desired tool, provided the meter is working.
Take into account too, that Kievs are highly seductive cameras when bought at the right place and later you may be wanting to expand.
Cheers,
Ruben

 

[darkkavenger]

Thanks Todd for the info on the VC meter II I didn't knew at all about it and it might be handy to use on my Kiev 2A. 🙂

 

[PetarDima]

I have Kiev 4 with meter - I don't use it - it works very strange.

 

[Xmas]

If we ignore the look of the top plate.

The meter is good enough for slide film if it still works ok, I dont bother carrying my Weston 5.

The camera needs to be looked after to avoid damaging the meter suspension, handle like eggs..., the unmetered can be handed more easily e.g. left in glove compartment of a car.

There is room in the ERC for a viewfinder if you have an ummetered camera (with cameras post '55, that have the same cases for metered and unmetered cameras)

So if you want to use lots of focal lengths then an unmetered is more convenient e.g. if you always use a 35mm as a standard lens, and have a small 35mm viewfinder.

Noel

 

[tkluck]

A Kiev is worth buying just for the sound pf the shutter. Forget the meter, unless you'd like the shoe a little higher to prevent red eye. That trapdoor in front is kinda neat though. Pity there are no collapseable lenses. The "Contax hold" is a love-hate thing for some folks. Me, I like my 4-am. No loose take up spool. Adding a Contax lens cap to your Kiev lacks the impact that adding a Leica lens cap has on your Fed.

Aging selenium meters, when they do still work, are at the end of their useful life (depending, if I remember right, the amount of humidity they were exposed to over the last 30-40 years). Besides, they didn't work all that well when they were brand new. Handy, but not particularly sensitive. In their heyday they were competing mainly with the chart on the film box.

The Voigtlander VC Meter II is a lovely accessory for classic cameras, along with their double shoe accessory (for a finder & meter). The Sekonic L-208 Twin Mate is also a good choice.Then again, a Gossen Pilot isn't a bad choice ether (selenium but,not that near the end). Nether is as Leitz-ish as the VC II.

Personally I hate loathe and despise led meters and digital read outs. (omitting multi-page rant, suitable for framing). And I don.t have the $150+ to spend for a $50 light meter All is not lost, however. Plenty of clip on CDS meters were manufactured, and they have real analog needles. They might require mercury batteries, but that is absurdly easy to cope with these days. Plenty of adapters out there, letting you substitute common silver batteries.

I use a little Kalimar clip on cds meter. Also have a Gossen Pilot. And I believe I'm getting the hang of my Leudi extinction meter. I'm looking for a Yashica YEM 35 meter. If it's Leitz-ish style you must have, there is always the Leica MR. Usualy use even clip on meters hand held. Tend to get greezy finger prints on the windows while I fiddle with camera mounted meters I can't see through the finder. A real hazard at picnics or affairs with orderves...

For shear class you cant' top a Sekonic/Norwood Director around your neck. Don't even have to work to be cool, although mine does. A Luna Pro runs a close second, but it has to actualy work. A Pentex spotmeter ties for second, and it lets you make wise pronouncements about zones and stuff.

Obviously, cameras and lenses are not the only things that seem to accumulate without even realizing it. Don't need a light meter I need a GAS meter...

 

[jdos2]

The meters on my Kievs are more reliable than the shutters.

I've got only two working Kievs, both are metered, both meters work. I've had 1/2 dozen non metered, and all their shutters broke. Coincidence? I THINK NOT!
:smile:

Heck, even my Contax IIIa's meter works. Lucky in meters unlucky in shutters.