Nikon Rangefinder lens on Kiev (contax copy) body?

[binglebugbob]

I bought a clean black & chrome Nikon 135mm telephoto lens. I've looked for info on using Nikkor lenses on Contax bodies, etc. but I don't see anything about using Nikon bayonet rangefinder lenses on Kiev bodies.

Is there a back focus problem in this combination, and if so, how bad is it?
bob.

 

[agfarapid]

To the best of my knowledge, Contax (Kiev) and Nikon lenses are interchangeable up to 50mm. After that, longer focal lengths will not focus accurately via rangefinder. Probably would be best to use longer lenses on their native bodies

 

[Donald Qualls]

That agrees with what I'd read. Further, I'd expect any caveats that apply to Contax (especially pre-War II and III models) to be applicable to Kiev 2, 3, and 4 cameras, including accuracy of focusing on the external bayonet.

 

[jimjm]

Nikon actually made Contax-mount versions of their longer RF lenses. The 85, 105 and (I believe) 135mm lenses were made to properly focus on Contax bodies, and were marked on the underside of the barrel with a "C". Otherwise, they are optically and cosmetically the same as the standard S mount lenses.

 

[binglebugbob]

I expect it probably won't give acceptable results, at least at large apertures. I know that Nikon and Contax used a slightly different back focus from each other (I'm aware of the C marking on the Nikon rangefinder lenses intended for Contax, but I believe the Kiev back focus may be different from both of those. Guess I'll have to take a few test shots to see. I have a clean copy of the Kiev 135mm lens. It may outperform the Nikkor on a Kiev body.... If it does, a very pretty black & chrome Nikkor may become surplus.

I had Oleg Khalyavin (Moscow) rebuild two fairly early Kievs for me, and bought a few lenses from him He's been very good to deal with. Later Kievs may not be equal to the early Contax, but when he gets done with them, at least the earlier ones, they feel and work like a quality camera. I think most of the Kievs we see probably have not had an easy life.

I know bits and pieces about early Kiev history, but I'd like to find an "in depth" article about it. To me it's an interesting spinoff of WWII history and mostly why I started "accumulating" them.