jcrutcher
Veteran
Is there in value in one of these cameras? I see them on ebay and they're very cheap. they look like the real deal but I understand after the war some were labeled Contax but most were Kiev. Does anyone have any input? THanks, Jim
Mablo
Well-known
The monetary value is low but they can be great user cameras. You can start your journey into the Former Soviet Union (FSU) rangefinder land including Kiev from here:
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=43469
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=43469
sevo
Fokutorendaburando
The Kiev II and III have some collectors value, and are higher priced both for rarity and as the base model for Contax fakes respectively as a parts carrier for Contax repairs.
The Kiev 4 series is hardly collectible, due to their high production numbers and the poor reputation of the later production run. Demand and production quality declined over the years, and by the mid seventies, they seem to have been produced to fulfil statistic requirements rather than for actual use (a flaw of the Soviet plan system), and have corresponding "dummy" quality. But early Kiev 4's are very nice user cameras and tend to be reliable.
The production year is encoded in the first two digits of the serial number. Try to get one in the sixties range, the earlier the better, and try to pick a cared-for, used camera - all the good ones were sold and used, the unused ones are rejects...
Sevo
PS: The Kiev 5 is more collectable for its rarity, but IMHO currently severely overpriced. It is ugly in a steampunk way, and never made it into the decline phase, so the bodies are of decent quality - it has a few nice modern improvements (better finder, rapid wind lever) but they did away with the wide Contax RF base, and they removed the internal helicoid for 50mm lenses, so that only the rare Kiev-5-dedicated Helios-95 and Jupiter-8HB will fit. As soviet lenses are a bit of a crapshoot and these lenses are rarely ever seen without body, you may have to get two or three until you get a good lens...
The Kiev 4 series is hardly collectible, due to their high production numbers and the poor reputation of the later production run. Demand and production quality declined over the years, and by the mid seventies, they seem to have been produced to fulfil statistic requirements rather than for actual use (a flaw of the Soviet plan system), and have corresponding "dummy" quality. But early Kiev 4's are very nice user cameras and tend to be reliable.
The production year is encoded in the first two digits of the serial number. Try to get one in the sixties range, the earlier the better, and try to pick a cared-for, used camera - all the good ones were sold and used, the unused ones are rejects...
Sevo
PS: The Kiev 5 is more collectable for its rarity, but IMHO currently severely overpriced. It is ugly in a steampunk way, and never made it into the decline phase, so the bodies are of decent quality - it has a few nice modern improvements (better finder, rapid wind lever) but they did away with the wide Contax RF base, and they removed the internal helicoid for 50mm lenses, so that only the rare Kiev-5-dedicated Helios-95 and Jupiter-8HB will fit. As soviet lenses are a bit of a crapshoot and these lenses are rarely ever seen without body, you may have to get two or three until you get a good lens...
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jcrutcher
Veteran
Thank you. I just purchased a copy Contax II. Didn't pay much for it I'll let you know how it works when I get it and shot a roll. I'm assuming its built off the Kiev 2a since it has a flash sync and no meter. But you never know. Thanks for the replies and input.
Jim
Jim