Really Ukrainian but....

C

ch1

Guest
I just received my Kiev 4AM w/J8 (I think?) lens?

I cannot read Cyrillic (will have to ask my sister-in-law to be sure - and I HATE asking heranything!).

Kind of seems to "work" okay - but not the finest piece of engineering I've ever seen.

Any immediate "pitfalls" I should be aware of?

Oh, BTW, shouldn't this thread be called "FSU Made Rangefinder cameras"?
 
Finishing of the body may not be as good as older examples, speed dial wouldn´t be as smooth as should be...and some other minor details.
Usually some models have a legend in the acc. shoe (in cyrillic characters) like " cdelaho B CCCP" which translated says "Made in USSR", and the symbol GOST (in cyrillic is something like GOCT - sorry don´t have cyrillic character set in my PC) which was close to ASA settings then ISO, and actually is the same.
If the Lens legend is something like IOPNTEP 8 then you have a J8.

Hope it helps!

Ernesto.
 
If you don't mind my asking, did it come from evilbay or one of the better known FSU camera stores? Just curious ! Let us know how it shoots !
 
if you haven't seen it yet The Kiev Survival Site is a good place to start. The Kievs are fun shooters once you get the hang of the 'contax grip' and develop that callus on you thumb and fore finger from the wind knob. :)

I just love the sound the shutter makes, particularly at 1/125
 
copake_ham said:
Any immediate "pitfalls" I should be aware of?
[/B]
Click to expand...

You know the prob with the shutter ? Must always be cocked when you set the times.
Talk about this prob with an Kiev owner, I had a Fed 5 once, same issue. The shutter will break if handled wrong !

bertram
 
The only thing I don't like about my 4AM (and I guess wouldn't like with the others) is the infinity lock. I'm always turning the focus the wrong way and then having to mess with the camera to unlock the lens.

Other than that I can't find fault with mine.

By the way, the engineering isn't at fault it's the manufacturing. If it had bad engineering, they wouldn't still be operational :)

Chad
 
I cannot read Cyrillic (will have to ask my sister-in-law to be sure - and I HATE asking heranything!).
Click to expand...

You always can ask here. There are quite a few people here speaking russian :)
Jupiter 8 == Юпитер 8
Helios 103 == Гелиос 103
Industar 61 L/D == Индустар 61 Л/Д

Eduard.
 
copake_ham said:
Any immediate "pitfalls" I should be aware of?
Click to expand...
The usual FSU camera rules:
1. Cock shutter before changing speed
2. Cock shutter before setting self-timer

Additionally:
3. Don't lose the takup spool.
4. Make sure the back is tight ... some will separate where the top of the back meets the body when pressure (such as in holding the camera) is applied to the back.
5. Learn the "Contax grip" so you don't obscure the RF window.

Peter
 
Just a couple of things.

Kievs/Contaxes don't care about if you wind before or after changing speeds. You can do it however you like. The 4am has, IIRC, a fixed spool so you shouldn't have to worry about that. The top edge of the back is a major source of leaks - I used to use a strip of black rubber electical tape across that joint on my 4a to seal it.

Enjoy! It may be rough in the manufacture, but it's the endline of one of the truely great designs in camera history.

William

William
 
wlewisiii said:
Kievs/Contaxes don't care about if you wind before or after changing speeds.
Click to expand...
I've read differing views on the winding issue with Kievs. The manual apparently recommends winding before setting.

wlewisiii said:
The 4am has, IIRC, a fixed spool
Click to expand...
william, I think you are correct on this. I had that nagging doubt as I mentioned the spool in my post ... but I don't have a 4am to check.

Peter
 
ed1k said:
You always can ask here. There are quite a few people here speaking russian :)
Jupiter 8 == Юпитер 8
Helios 103 == Гелиос 103
Industar 61 L/D == Индустар 61 Л/Д

Eduard.
Click to expand...

Eduard,

Thanks for the offer - my s-in-law is a PITA but, she is fluent in many Slavic languages. Which is why she would've been my "last resort".

Fortunately, from your listing I realize it is a Helios 103.

Whew! I'd do just about anything not to have to ask her! :D
 
copake_ham said:
I just received my Kiev 4AM w/J8 (I think?) lens?

I cannot read Cyrillic (will have to ask my sister-in-law to be sure - and I HATE asking heranything!).

Kind of seems to "work" okay - but not the finest piece of engineering I've ever seen.

Any immediate "pitfalls" I should be aware of?

Oh, BTW, shouldn't this thread be called "FSU Made Rangefinder cameras"?
Click to expand...


George,

If you get a Jupiter 12 (35mm f/2.8) for your Kiev, it will not fit your post war Contax although the lens mount is the same. The rear element extends too far back. ;)

R.J.
 
One of the many oddities of this site is that we have a forum for 'Russian Made Rangefinder Cameras' and another for 'Other including Russian, Ukranian, Bessa'.

I guess you Kiev and Fed people need to check out both places.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom