View Full Version : how long does it take?!?
JoeFriday
06-23-2005, 19:39
I bought two Kiev 4a's off eb*y on the same day, and paid for them both within hours of the auction closings... one was coming from the Ukraine, the other from within Russia (not sure where)
the Ukraine package arrived in about 8 days.. which actually amazed me.. but the other Kiev is still 'somewhere in transit' and it'll be 30 days tomorrow.. is that an unusually long time? I'm starting to wonder if I'll be getting it at all
back alley
06-23-2005, 19:40
only 30 days...;)
JoeFriday
06-23-2005, 19:48
oh.. I forgot to factor in the nights.. now it's twice as long!
back alley
06-23-2005, 19:51
ah yes, the long and lonely nights, dreaming about fondling some lovely new russian...
am i using my outside voice again...
JoeFriday
06-23-2005, 19:57
speaking of... it's been nearly two weeks since I've gotten some random email from a russian wannabe bride.. maybe I've been put on some blacklist over there
speaking of... it's been nearly two weeks since I've gotten some random email from a russian wannabe bride.. maybe I've been put on some blacklist over there
Maybe she can ask around where your Kiev is lingering? :p
Maybe she can ask around where your Kiev is lingering? :p
Maybe she can ask where ALL of our Kievs are lingering?
Pherdinand
06-24-2005, 02:45
Maybe they figured a new deal: If you wanna get your Kiev you have to accept a bride with it.
P C Headland
06-24-2005, 03:35
I recently got a meter (Sverdlovsk 4) from Russia, it took about a week. I got a lens from Costa Rica, that too took a week. My mum posted some stuff from New Zealand, both packets taking 6 days....
However, a lens from the US just arrived the other day, having taken TWO MONTHS! In fact, quite a bit of stuff from the US seems to take a long time. Particularly bad if NL customs spot it on the way through.
Maybe they figured a new deal: If you wanna get your Kiev you have to accept a bride with it.
Yep, I got one of those "If you wanna get your honeymoon on Maui, you gotta accept a bride with it" deals one time. And that's what's made me the wimpering shell of a man I am today.
"30 days for a Kiev?" That's not so long. "Two months for lens from the US?" That's not so long. "Til death do us part?" Now THAT'S a long time!! :( Can I get a witness?
Maybe they figured a new deal: If you wanna get your Kiev you have to accept a bride with it.
Now you not only get a bulky "rear lens cap" with your new Russian lens, you get ....
Maybe they figured a new deal: If you wanna get your Kiev you have to accept a bride with it.
So much for my theory that the FSU gear is fun and inexpensive :(
May as well start saving for them Leicas,Contaxes, and Hassleblads.
Rob
pangkievrange
06-24-2005, 08:57
So much for my theory that the FSU gear is fun and inexpensive :(
May as well start saving for them Leicas,Contaxes, and Hassleblads.
Rob
It's too late for me. But I'm still very happy with my choice.
pangkievrange (over $2500.00 spent on a kiev RF collection that includes SC 21mm lens + $5000.00 for kiev MF)
It's too late for me. But I'm still very happy with my choice.
pangkievrange (over $2500.00 spent on a kiev RF collection that includes SC 21mm lens + $5000.00 for kiev MF)
I hope the $5000- is a typo, and you meant $500-. I'm still looking for a Mir-26B for my Salut.... so maybe $5k isn't a typo :bang:
Shipping wise, all my FSU stuff have taken only about 1 to 2 weeks from the FSU to Toronto, Canada. However, my multi-finder has taken 2 months and still no sign of it yet.
The only real answer is -- it varies. And I don't think the hangup is in Russia. I've had one order arrive in nine days (from the day ordered), and one took almost a month. In the month case, the seller e-mailed me three days after the order and said it had been shipped. So anyone's guess is good as to why there is such a variance. It just might be U. S. inspectors and how they feel on a particular day.
pangkievrange
06-24-2005, 11:09
I hope the $5000- is a typo, and you meant $500-. I'm still looking for a Mir-26B for my Salut.... so maybe $5k isn't a typo :bang:
Shipping wise, all my FSU stuff have taken only about 1 to 2 weeks from the FSU to Toronto, Canada. However, my multi-finder has taken 2 months and still no sign of it yet.
A complete set of Carl Zeiss Jena (MC, some focal length may have a single coated version) sends you the north of $1000.00 easily.
pangkievrange
pshinkaw
06-24-2005, 11:33
My packages from the Russian Republic have always taken longer than from the Ukraine. Also, if it was sent by surface mail rather than airmail, 6 weeks isn't unusual. My longest was 5.5 months (Siberia). My shortest was 9 days, Ukraine.
-Paul
My longest was 5.5 months (Siberia).
I think I'm getting depressed. :(
Gabriel M.A.
06-24-2005, 22:30
Getting packages from the former CCCP is as much of a crapshoot (won't use the tired joke) as the quality of the items that went through "QA" (misnomer?). When I bought my Kiev prism for my Hassie over two years ago, it took four weeks. Luckily, the prism is flawless with the exception of one screw, whose half head came off.
Good lucksy!
As for Siberia, remember that's a cold place. Five and a half months might be needed to get the RR tracks cleared. Air mail? The airstrip is only clear 3-4 days a year.
Why else did Uncle Joe send all his former cohorts there??
JoeFriday
06-28-2005, 12:41
It's Here! *doing the Happy Dance*
Picked up the package from the post office today.. the camera is gorgeous, altho the lens has a few marks on it.. we'll have to run some film through it this week and see what comes out.. so far it's made a conversation piece in the office, tho
It's there!! *doing the spoiled brat stomp* Drat! Double-drat!! Curse those cheesehead postal workers!! Why does this sniveling good-for-nothing get his little camera while MY treasures are scattered all over the Seven Seas?
waa!
waa, waa!
waa, waa, waa!
..................... uh ............. huhmmmmm ................ I mean ................
Hey that's great Brett! Congratulations! Couldn't be happier for ya!
Okay, serious, let's have a look. Send along a pic of the little beauty. It's a 4A, right? I'm waiting on 2 Zorkis and a 4AM. The Zorkis I've been given notice that they're on the way - and the 4AM? Nada! And I haven't thought squat about the Zorkis. All I find myself looking for is the 4AM!! But you've given me hope, ol' boy. You've proven that there are Kievs coming in this direction!!
JoeFriday
06-28-2005, 18:35
since I suddenly can't seem to attach an image, here's a link to my gallery
5 Weeks And Worth It (http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=13569&cat=3894&page=1)
That does it. I'm really jealous now. No really. That's not only a nice looking camera, it's a really great photo. "Worth the wait" I'm sure. Get out there and enjoy!!
Very pretty Kiev there, Brett! Umm, did that hood come with it?
A Kiev 4a was my first or second FSU purchase and man-o-man did I sweat the wait. Not so long as you had to. As you said , well worth the wait!
Looking forward to photos!
Rob
As for Siberia, remember that's a cold place. Five and a half months might be needed to get the RR tracks cleared. Air mail? The airstrip is only clear 3-4 days a year.
Why else did Uncle Joe send all his former cohorts there??
Wouldn't buy anything from Siberia. I've had nothing but bad experiences with sellers there--primarily their government rules and the postal system.That's why there are almost no sellers in that region. I've been waiting for one Zorki 1 for two years. I think it may be time to write it off.
JoeFriday
06-28-2005, 19:56
thanks for the compliments, guys.. I had to resort to using the Nikon D70 for that photo.. but I think it came out pretty nice.. still no idea if the Kiev takes good photos, but I know I like looking AT it :)
that's a very nice 4a, Joe. like rbiemer asked, did it come with the hood? i also have a 4a but not as nice as yours, some of the black paint on the Kiev logo are gone on mine. it did come with a snap-on yellow filter, though. it arrived in 2 weeks from ukraine. my first roll of Velvia 100 on it just produced wonderful pictures. pretty good for a $45 camera. enjoy yours!
pangkievrange
06-29-2005, 06:01
thanks for the compliments, guys.. I had to resort to using the Nikon D70 for that photo.. but I think it came out pretty nice.. still no idea if the Kiev takes good photos, but I know I like looking AT it :)
Tip for cleaning up old kiev:
Tool: toothbrush, q-tips, tooth pick with some cotton for place hard to reach and 95% isopropanol available in drugstore.
typical dirty area: serrated focus wheel, serrated counter disk, knurled focusing barrel of the lens and top parts (e.g., shutter release button, cocking knob) for cocking shutter. The toothbrush is very good for these places.
pangkievrange
JoeFriday
06-29-2005, 06:46
this Kiev needs absolutely no cleaning.. it's immaculate.. very solid, also.. unlike the other Kiev that arrived earlier.. that one is in user condition, while this one is near mint
as for the hood.. no, that wasn't included.. I bought it off eb*y from "heavystar".. it looks and works great.. a bit pricey compared to some other buyers, but still a nice setup
here's his latest auction for them...
40.5mm screw-in hoods (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=78999&item=7518671903)
pangkievrange
06-29-2005, 09:30
this Kiev needs absolutely no cleaning.. it's immaculate.. very solid, also.. unlike the other Kiev that arrived earlier.. that one is in user condition, while this one is near mint
as for the hood.. no, that wasn't included.. I bought it off eb*y from "heavystar".. it looks and works great.. a bit pricey compared to some other buyers, but still a nice setup
here's his latest auction for them...
40.5mm screw-in hoods (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=78999&item=7518671903)
Congratulation on getting a working kiev! Does it still have a light seal for the back? If so, that means that the camera is indeed in an original shape. I would recommend 2 small pieces of black electric tape be used to cover the two tiny gaps between the top of film plane (right and left) and the body.
I bought one and 43mm vented too from him. But I found another guy offered $8.00 for 40.5mm vented hood later on. It's too later for me. For those who still want to buy the vented version, $8.00 is hard to beat.
pangkievrange
thanks for the tip, pangkievrange.
pangkievrange
06-30-2005, 06:10
thanks for the tip, pangkievrange.
You are welcome. For the finder glasses, detergent/Qtip will be the best tool. To remove the residue of detergent, soak Q-tip in hot water and shake off excessive water before cleaning the glass surface. repeat it until the residue is removed. It's kinda of a rinsing process. If somebody has kiev 3 or 3a, the knurled dial knob for light meter is dirty in general. I had to clean up a very dirty dial of light meter in one of my kiev 4 (toothbrush and 95% isopropanol available in regular drugstores). I protect the clean glass (view finder, rangefinder, eye view) with tape before cleaning up.
pangkievrange
pangkievrange, got the $8 vented hood you mentioned in your previous post. just waiting for it to arrive. also cleaned the viewfinders of my two Kiev IIs last night. didn't realize how clear the viewfinder can be.
pangkievrange
07-06-2005, 06:08
pangkievrange, got the $8 vented hood you mentioned in your previous post. just waiting for it to arrive. also cleaned the viewfinders of my two Kiev IIs last night. didn't realize how clear the viewfinder can be.
You have better kieves overall! The cleaning process itself is very rewarding, isn't it?
You can also buy 40.5mm wide metal hood for jupiter 12, and 49mm tele metal hood for jupiter 9 on ebay.
pangkievrange
nickchew
07-06-2005, 06:18
I ordered my zorki4K and Jupiter 12 from Russcameras on ebay. The Zorki took 3 months, came not working. I sent it back. The J12 came after 6 months! It is now some 9 months since original purchase and I'm still waiting for a working Zorki replacement.
sigh
Nick
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