My Kiev 6c 645 Arrived, and I am more than excited!

R

ruben

Guest
Yeap, I am talking about my first impressions after half an hour of holding and looking at it. But there is a lot to say.

Before it came, I had a moment at which I thought I made a mistake, a big one.
Since I already own in medium format both Iskras and Mammys C-330, I suspected this camera is not going to solve my complaints.

With the Iskras I have two issues. One is the bellows too much retro looking for venting them at the streets. The other is the need to mount and dismount the lens hood each time I unfold the camera.

With the C-330 my issues are that it is too big for street photography, and quite cumbersome for lens exchange, besides not being 645.

So these were my issues from whose viewpoint I opened the case at the mail cointaining this Kiev 6c.

But upon reading and gathering info I became aftraid of two issues. The Kiev will be too bigie, too heavy and too noisy. And in all of these I was surprised for good.

No doubt this is not an OM, in terms of size, nor a Kiev rangefinder in terms of silent operation, but in my very subjective feeling - and this is what counts most - altough the camera being biggie, it is not too biggie, not it is too heavy at all. . Any of us that has carryied an SLR with a zoom will not find a decisive or dramatic difference.

Now for the noise. Once I owned a Kiev 88. The flap was terrible. This Kiev 6c is noisy but quite educated for a medium format.

All in all, this is a camera I can use for street photography.

I still expect technical problems as I have not make in depht checking. But so far, a great surprise for good.

Cheers,
Ruben
 
Happy for you Ruben.
I very much like MF. Since I went digital with Canon (20d, 400d) I still occaionally use MF for my landscape work.
Its easy to scan and is equal to or better than my digital gear for large prints. On returning to photography I never did get my darkroom rebuilt so the wet process stops at the film. Use mainly Mamiya RB67 and an antique Bertram 6x9 press style camera, also have a C330f.
Of course 35mm RF is another story one day will explain my facination with the Kiev. Looking forward to some results.
BTW I thought you had an article re the timing of the gears on the 4a ? hence my previous post.

ron
 
acheyj said:
Happy for you Ruben.
.....
BTW I thought you had an article re the timing of the gears on the 4a ? hence my previous post.

ron
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Hi Ron,
Nope, this is the third stage I never dared to mess with. For years I just was obsessioned with having an ultrasoft winding knob, and this is my level with some miscellanea and all what is involved in adjusting the rangefinding.

I stopped here and went to use the Kievs and enjoy from the fruits.

Cheers,
Ruben
 
Hi Ruben,

Congrats. I love 645 format and I hope you enjoy your new baby - look forward to seeing some results.
 
Two things happened since I wrote my last post here.

The good news is that in my way back home, I put the dyno baby on my chest, walked to the bus, traveled, and all this without film, just to check the people's reaction. No one gives a damn. I think that it is we the photogrphers that are more sensible to camera size than the man in the street.

Inside the bus, I even fired some shots (blank, as stated) and again, no one gives a damn. The Kiev MF sound is loud but grave tone, in contrast to other 135mm SLRs whose noise is lower but accute (high and crispy).

The bad news is that at home I checked frame spacing, and it is ok, but from time to time the winding lever becomes trapped near the end. Then I have to finalize the winding movement several times, till things go back to normal. But in these short windings, film moves a bit, but the counter moves a frame per action.

Cheers,
Ruben.
 
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Congratulations,

I own a working Kiev 88 (a rarity for sure) and I also thought that I made a big mistake after the purchase, but I have come to love it. Great for portraits and landscapes, not great for street, but I have something else for that. If you need a repair I hear Arax are very good.
 
santino said:
since the Kiev 6 is a clone of the Six, I guess it should work in your case too
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It isn't. They are both SLRs that happen to have the same mount, but one is a clone of the other no more than a Chinon is a clone of a Spotmatic. They are quite different internally.

If a freshly bought camera has transport issues out of the box, it sounds like warranty time, Kiev or no Kiev.

Philipp
 
maybe you're right, but the Six for example is known for large frame spacing. it can't be really solved (unless you wind it correctly). Mr. Baier developed a wind control system but it has nothing to do with the factory Pentacon.
 
I also own a Kiev 88 and really love it.. a bit bulky in size, but it's screen and lens quality really shine :)

One day I might try to find a Kiev 6c :)

Let's enjoy the FSU big brothers :)
 
Rey said:
Congratulations,

I own a working Kiev 88 (a rarity for sure) and I also thought that I made a big mistake after the purchase, but I have come to love it. Great for portraits and landscapes, not great for street, but I have something else for that. If you need a repair I hear Arax are very good.
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Hi Rey,
Selling a Kiev 88 some 15 years ago, provoked in me such a gear trauma afterwards, than since then I never was able to sell anything again, and became in fact a sort of "collector", with all due respect to real collectors.

As for Arax, from all what I have read and study and asked, it seems this is The Place, and I am already sorry I didn't buy my camera from them, despite their slightly higher prices. But if the currently one gives me a lead, then my next (body only) will be from Arax. They are renowned as well for optics.

Cheers,
Ruben
 
ruben said:
Two things happened since I wrote my last post here.

The good news is that in my way back home, I put the dyno baby on my chest, walked to the bus, traveled, and all this without film, just to check the people's reaction. No one gives a damn. I think that it is we the photogrphers that are more sensible to camera size than the man in the street.

Inside the bus, I even fired some shots (blank, as stated) and again, no one gives a damn. The Kiev MF sound is loud but grave tone, in contrast to other 135mm SLRs whose noise is lower but accute (high and crispy).
...........
Cheers,
Ruben.
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Ok, now I am in my second Kiev 6c day, more realistic about its size and weight.

Despite both, the camera is very much gippable, and I added a hand bracket, not besides the camera but in front of one of its sides, meaning that the bracket leg extends towards the attaching screw in a diagonal way. It works fine.
But this is not a camera to walk with long walks attached either from the neck, nor wristed to my hand. Shoulder only for walks beyond half an hour. It is weighty.

Therefore this opens the very challenging question weather it will be usable for my street photography, instead of my daylight Kiev rangefinder. Let's see.

Cheers,
Ruben
 
ruben said:
Hi Santino,
Short English resume please.

Cheers,
Ruben
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you have to hold the release button pushed while cocking the shutter/advancing film until you reach a point displayed in the picture on Baier's site. Then let the release button out and normally advance the lever (don't let it snap back!). my resume is kinda in bad english so feel free to ask again if you didn't understand.
 
I have a Kiev 60 and find it to be a big mama for street photography, too big to have around my neck for any great length of time.
it is more at home on a tripod.
the Yashica TLR 124 is a little more comfortable to lug around on a hot dusty day.
 
I've got a Kiev 60 and think it is one of the underrated cameras out there. No beauty, sure, but my MC Biogon 80/2.8 is a great lens, can cope with at least the older Hasselblad Planars and without the Prism its really not that heavy. I lug it around everywhere;)
Ahh just figured out the no-prism variation is not for you, having the 4,5x6... hmhm. stil not heavier than a F4, I'd say.

I strongly recommend internal flocking - it improves the picture quality a lot, esp. when shooting in the sun. I bought a flocking kit by Baier-Photo, but painting the internals with matte black paint should do as well.
There are some sites where this is described, also how to adjust the framespacing for the thinner western film-rolls.

Have fun with it. And look out for one of those 180mm Sonnars. Super heavy but beautyfull.

GO Kiev!
-Michael
 
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I've been shooting with ARAX for the past 3 years. If I load it just right I get 13 frames of 6x6. With a good Sonnar 180/2.8 it's a great camera. I also like Flekltogon 50/4.

Enjoy it!
 
I've been tempted by these cameras many times, but always put off by tales of frame issues, and leak issues, and issue issues.

I will one day have the courage to buy one.
 
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