Contax / Kiev and Russian camera repair now available!!!

It is a real pleasure to let you know that Oleg Khalyavin ("OK Vintage Cameras") has emigrated from Russia to Slovakia and has settled in and reopened his camera repair business in Slovakia! (Oleg moved from Moscow with his family upon the invasion of Ukraine.)


Oleg has overhauled 2 Kiev Contax copies and a Minolta II (Leica copy) for me. He repairs a variety of Russian cameras as well as Japanese cameras. The Kievs work like new cameras: clean optics, new shutter curtains, and a CLA. They are probably better than when new! Most of us have never seen a Kiev that didn't have 60 years of use or abuse on it. He can also replace dead meters on the Kiev and Contax rangefinder cameras for a very fair price--at least if done along with a CLA. I have bought a few Russian lenses from him and I couldn't have picked out nicer ones. He repairs a variety of Russian cameras as well as Japanese cameras.

Khalyavin is the only person I know who can repair Contax II and III cameras in a reasonable time frame (weeks, not years) and for a very fair price. In my book, Oleg gets a 110%. Nice guy and a "straight shooter".
bob

Thanks for the heads up! I have a Kiev 4 that could benefit from a CLA.

I just sent him a Contax II and a III. Both need shutter curtains.

Great info. I’m about to buy a Contax iia so this is very timely.
Thanks
Karen

The IIa is postwar and west German. It is a different camera from the II and III prewar cameras. If it needs repair, best to ask if he has parts for the IIa.

I was told by a repairman here in the states that parts for the postwar West German cameras are getting scarce in the USA.

If you're buying a non working IIa or IIIa (West German) camera and want it to work, Best to check on repair before buying.

binglebugbob said:

The IIa is postwar and west German. It is a different camera from the II and III prewar cameras. If it needs repair, best to ask if he has parts for the IIa.

I was told by a repairman here in the states that parts for the postwar West German cameras are getting scarce in the USA.

If you're buying a non working IIa or IIIa (West German) camera and want it to work, Best to check on repair before buying.

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Great info. He has it listed on his website so maybe there’s hope . Armed with this info I’ll shoot for the best camera I can find. Thanks

Hi I have a Contax II that needs a CLA and shutter repair . Any idea if Oleg works on the original Zeiss shutters or are they swapped out for Kiev copies ?

Early Kievs were made using leftover Contax II parts.
The curtain ribbons (which is usually the problem) are probably current material and quite likely better than original.

That is very good news and I am very glad to hear this. I have a metered Kiev 4 something that I have used for a very long time and love. Unfortunately the shutter speeds have now become very unreliable. The shutter will still cock and fire occasionally but it is always a guess which time it will happen and which speed it will select next. Since I live in the middle of desert country I am pretty sure it needs a good cleaning after 12 years of no attention at all.

I sent him a note today. I know it will take a while to get it fixed and back here but it worked so well for me for so long I figure it is worth waiting a bit for Oleg.

This morning I just got my 1936 Contax II back from Oleg after he did a CLA.
Before that, the shutter speeds faster than 1/25 sec. didn't work any more.

It seems to me that Oleg has done a good job . All shutter speeds work, and the mechanics run more smooth than before.
I'm looking forward to my first Velvia 50 in this camera.

Great news