I know very little about Kiev/USA. Try reading other links here for the latest information, or at
http://www.rickdenney.com/The_Kiev_Report/Kiev_report_webpage.htm
or
http://forums.delphiforums.com/kievreport/messages
You specifically indicate a "Kiev-19m", not a Kiev-15, so my following comments are at least a bit tangential in nature, but ........
I have a K-15 (TTL, 1/1000) that I have sent in to be cla'd. There were a couple of minor issues, and since I needed to have another camera cla'd, I sent it too. Therefore, I have no experience with negative or picture quality yet.
The reputation of the camera seems quite good, but be prepared to have the camera cla'd. Since I don't shoot 20+ rolls per day (or for money), Nikon F3 reliability and durability are not at the top of my list. I think the Kiev-15/17/19/... are not in this league, but I believe that they are otherwise quite reliable when properly repaired and maintained.
The lenses also appear to be very good, at least the specs suggest so. The very few specs I've found indicate that the lens center resolution is about as good as similar year/era/design Nikon lenses, but the edge resolution may be less competitive. But for the price ......
Note that
the K-15 has a proprietary mount, the
K-17 and later have a Nikon mount. The lenses will not interchange, since the tabs on the mount are different diameters. I also have a Telear-N 200/3.5 with interchangeable M-42 and Kiev-18/Nikon mounts, and I checked. The Telear does fit a Nikon, but not the K-15.
Most importantly,
the K-15 lenses have no aperture control ring. The aperture control knob is on the camera, and moves the aperture blade directly.
I am unaware of ANY other camera that will mount the Kiev-15-style lens AND control the aperture. As a practical matter, if you (mistakenly) buy a Kiev-15-type lens, you will be unable to use it unless you get a K-15.
Tangential Note: If you try to adapt a Kiev-15 lens to ANY OTHER camera, you will need to provide some sort of aperture control cable, and probably use TTL metering, since there are NO aperture markings on the lens.
If you decide to get one of these cameras, you need to be certain that lenses you buy are the correct type. Make sure that, if you get a Kiev-19, the lens you look at has an aperture control ring (-->
no ring = wrong type,
no returns and
$20 postage)
And, after looking at many lenses and doing lots of comparisons, it's not too difficult to almost make the mistake of buying a lens for the type of Kiev you DON'T have.
I mention these things because I figure that camera lenses, certainly the pre-plastic/polycarbonate lenses, can last hundreds of years if properly treated and maintained, so finding a survival path for them is usually worthwhile. But some cases are more difficult than others.
