1952 Kiev II

[Gene M]

A pleasure to use.

http://westfordcomp.com/classics/52kiev/

[taffer]

Ditto, I love mine. Beautiful shots Gene, specially Gnarled tree and White birch.

[doubs43]

Gene, those are first-class shots and that's surely a "keeper" Kiev.

Are you anywhere near Palmer. MA? I have a friend who lives there.

Walker

[Gene M]

Not too far from Palmer.

[Pherdinand]

i am thinking of a Kiev '53 myself...how funny. It's completely overhauled and operational, while the first buyer seems not to respond to the seller...i'm next on the list. Comes w 50/2 and 35/2.8. Asking about 90 euro for it...

[RML]

Oddly enough, I've been looking at Kievs as well over the last couple of weeks. First I'll pay all my outstanding bills and get me some essentials for my wife and girl. If there's some money left I'll get me a nice Kiev and a J8M, probably from Oleg or such.

I know they're out there but can you guys and gals come up with some good resources on Kievs?

[Pherdinand]

Remy, there's one on marktplaats now, @euro30 right now, with a J8(M?), supposedly in good working order. In the "contax/yashica" directory i think. The advantage, you can check it out live before paying for it.

[wlewisiii]

Presuming that you mean resources about the Kiev, here are the best starting points I'm aware of.

http://www.keithberry.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/kiev-4.htm
http://cameraquest.com/zconrfKiev.htm
http://www3.telus.net/public/kaylalyn/index.html
http://www.beststuff.com/forum/list.php?f=21

You can learn everything you want to know about a Kiev camera from these sites.

Hope this helps.

William

[Rick Beckrich]

Add this site to your list:

http://www.sdash.plus.com/#contaxbuying

FWIW-I purchased my KIEV 4am from Oleg.
So nice to get a camera that's ready to shoot
right out of the yak hair bound package!
Rick :cool:

[pangkievrange]

Bought 3 kiev 3 from Oleg (2 with the bold letters, 1 with the regulaer kiev script). Very pleasant experiences. Everything is perfect. The rangefinder is right on at infinity. My experience with other sellers is a kind of hit and miss affair. About a 70-80% success rate. You need to be a bit handy in order to play FSU cameras.

pangkievrange

[tedwhite]

I borrowed a Kiev 4A from Rich beckrich and rather liked it.

I don't know why I am intrigued by Russian cameras when I've got a new Bessa R and a Yashica GSN. But there's clearly no logic to camera madness. Anyway, given the fact that I've got the Bessa R in M39, should I only look at Feds and Zorkis? And if so, from a logical perspective (lens interchangeability), which of those are the most likely to be the "right" ones, and from whom should I buy?

What is, for example "Oleg's" website address?

[wlewisiii]

Probably would be best to do Fed/Zorki in your case, Ted, if for no other reason than to _not_ be buying lenses in yet another mount. The Zorki 6 and the Fed 3 seem to be the favorites around here though a bu*t ugly Fed 5 can be found on eBay for <$10 pretty easily...

http://www.okvintagecamera.com/ is Olegs page. I also like Fedka http://www.fedka.com/catalog/ He costs more but he's located in the states and his customer service is incredable.

William

[tedwhite]

Thanks, William, for the prompt reply. I am currently looking at a FED 2 with some sort of inscription "FEDZerjinsky" and a FED 3.5/50 collapsible lens. BIN is $57, but there are no bids. Opening bid was something like $49.

Take a look at #7502016133.

It looks sorta early Leica. I have no idea when this particular camera was made, but it looks in the photos to be in good condition.

I'll take a look at the sites you've suggested, and also at the cameras you've suggested.

Ted

[wlewisiii]

It looks pretty nice to me, but I know little of the Leica clones from the FSU. Here http://www.geocities.com/fzorkis/stoisha1.html is an article that looks like a good starting point for learning about them. Another one: http://homepage.mac.com/mattdenton/photo/cameras/fed_2.html

I do know I'd hesitate to buy a Kiev that old that looked that good because the pretty ones tended to sit in a drawer for 40+ years because they never worked in the first place. OTOH, that price will get you a very nice collapsible Elmar clone that will work well on your R and Alex-Photo is a well known seller (I've only bought lens caps from him, but it was a very smooth transaction.) I'd probably bid the minimum just on GP.

William

[2maneekameras]

I heartily recommend Alex, he also does business as ASR-photo. I have purchased a few cameras from him. They were exactly as described. He always notifies me when he has shipped the item. The only problem: no paper and Yak hair packing, just tape, cardboard and foam very well done. I got my first camera from him within six business days to the West Coast of the USA. Thats was faster than any camera I have had shipped from someone in the USA with the exception of someone in the adjacent state.

[Fedzilla_Bob]

I can attest to Alex's service as well. He is who I got my Industar 61 and a FED 3 from. Also sells cameras for parts at very low prices from time to time.

He gets good ratings from me. He always sends notification and asks that you let him know when it came through.

[tedwhite]

Thank you, folks. Will that Ellmar collapsible work on my Bessa R? Just wondered if it would hit anything inside the camera.

Ted