Who shoots with a Kiev-60

[Sergey Ko]

It was good for exact place & time... I used it professionally in 80-th in USSR. I think you can buy now cameras from 90-th -early 2000 -they a not the same quality as from 70-80th.
As for me I have a collection of soviet photo technics & I am shooting with it from time to time
But for pure photography I not recommend it. There are a lot of used Zenza Bronica, Pentax 67 etc.

 

[Analogski]

So I'm playing with my beautiful beast, but there is something wrong with the lightmeter. Both red dots should be flickering together. But, when I tunt the wheel very slowly, the red dots go only from left to right.... every setting is correct and the battery is fine.

What could be the issue here?

According to chatgpt the voltage of the battery is too high (1.5v), but a specialist I talked to, says the voltage shouldn't be the problem here...

 

[film4Me]

So I'm playing with my beautiful beast, but there is something wrong with the lightmeter. Both red dots should be flickering together. But, when I tunt the wheel very slowly, the red dots go only from left to right.... every setting is correct and the battery is fine.

What could be the issue here?

According to chatgpt the voltage of the battery is too high (1.5v), but a specialist I talked to, says the voltage shouldn't be the problem here...

I can't be real sure, but when one light switches to the other, it's the correct exposure. There is a way to adjust the meter. After peeling back the leatherette, there's a cover you can remove, and inside are two adjusters you can turn.

 

[AERO]

Read up here:

| Kievaholic Klub - The place for Kiev lovers everywhere |

Home of the Kiev FAQ. Also a source of information on these temperamental but fun to use cameras, including how-to's and do-it-yourself fixes for common problems.

kievaholic.com

It's a FSU Camera (former Soviet Union). They are not for everyone. Perfectionists do not need to apply...

Quote from above website.....

The Kiev 88* is also a bit more aerodynamic than the Kiev 60, which is important should you need to use it as a projectile to save your life.)

*AKA (Zenith 80 so called Hasselbladski)

 

[Kino]

According to chatgpt

Seriously? Chatgpt has a documented ability to hallucinate data. I cannot believe anyone would trust that source for ANY information.

You can use a phone exposure meter app, "Sunny 16" or buy a cheap used light meter. Why sweat the camera meter?

 

[4season]

So I'm playing with my beautiful beast, but there is something wrong with the lightmeter. Both red dots should be flickering together. But, when I tunt the wheel very slowly, the red dots go only from left to right.... every setting is correct and the battery is fine.

What could be the issue here?

According to chatgpt the voltage of the battery is too high (1.5v), but a specialist I talked to, says the voltage shouldn't be the problem here...

It's been awhile since I've used it, but I think your meter is fine, and the point where it switches from one LED to the other is the correct exposure. Yes, it's possible to have both LEDs lit, but it may take a ridiculously light touch, and isn't necessary.

 

[ags2mikon]

I use my kiev meter to hold spare batteries for my other cameras.

 

[Analogski]

What a beast of a camera! I shot 1 roll and sent it for development.

I love shooting with this monster!

But I need a peace of advice.
I'm thinking of sending the camera to Arax in Kiev, but I can't find any decent reviews of their work on these cameras of the last 2 years. So I'm a little scared to sent it, because of the lack of reviews, but also a couple of real negative ones.

Anyone recent experience with sending those guys a camera?

 

[Marcelo Paniagua]

Not sure if you got your film roll back, and probably a bit of late advice, but with this camera, you often with to wind the advance level in one, firm movement. If you stop middle way and try to finish, it may trigger the camera shutter or create film overlapping. Kinda temperamental camera

Hope you get some great negatives.

Regards.

 

[alex2345]

The only alternative is the Pentax. But I'm still soft for the Kiev. The lenses are way cheaper and very nice.

I was also thinking about Hartblei. But I heard that this company is no longer operational. Anyone information on this?
Or bought recently a Hartblei Kiev 60?

hartbleilens.com is correct and still in business, the another one is fraudulent and belongs to the former Hartblei's sales manager.
Since 2005 Hartblei does not sell cameras, only adapters and tilt-shift lenses.

here is its newest Dual Shift adapter:

 

[Analogski]

Ok, just got my Arax 60 MLU with a new/mint ttl prismfinder.

Now my problem.... both outer and silver ring move when I move the outer ring for metering.... that's bad because I paid more for a "mint" version. Also the meter gives me a really weird reading and it's always the same... doe you kiev/arax users use the meter, or do you meter with a external meter? And should I make a problem because it doesn't do what it suppose to do?

I like the prism finder better than the waistlevel viewfinder because it's easier for me to focus.

 

[Analogski]

Maybe this one is better. The resolution of the picture is dropping down on the forum...

 

[Kino]

Maybe this one is better. The resolution of the picture is dropping down on the forum...

This really doesn't answer your question, but I don't know of a single person who relies on the Kiev 88's metered prism for correct exposure!

I just use a light meter and accept the meter adjusting rings as "bling" for the uninformed...

 

[film4Me]

The silver dial shouldn't move once you've set it for the lens you're using. If the silver dial is moving freely, it's missing the spring tensioner beneath it. Or it has lost so much of it's tension. it's not effective any longer. Slight bending of the tensioner should fix it. Apply a little grease when reassembling.

 

[Maris]

This really doesn't answer your question, but I don't know of a single person who relies on the Kiev 88's metered prism for correct exposure!

I just use a light meter and accept the meter adjusting rings as "bling" for the uninformed...

I use the Kiev 60 camera and its through the lens meter prism and get accurate exposures but it's not completely straightforward.

My meter prism is calibrated to match my Sekonic L758D meter by using a big neutral coloured wall that fills the Kiev viewfinder.
The calibration is done by tweaking the little film speed dial until the readings match.
Every lens and every filter needs a slightly different tweak on the Kiev prism film speed dial and I write these specific numbers down and keep them in the camera bag for reference.

The other trick is to remember that the Kiev prism uses a fat somewhat centre weighted pattern that covers nearly all of the view finder image. It's good not to let the meter see too much
sky to avoid under exposure. Here is an example:

Fallen Tree, Lake Cootharabah

Gelatin-silver photograph on Ilford Classic VC FB photographic paper, image size 16.3cm X 16.3cm,
from a Kodak Tmax 400 negative exposed in a Kiev 60 camera fitted with a Mir-26b 45mm f3.5 lens.

 

[halfaman]

I used the metered prism with my Arax-60 and it was accurate enough, the only complaint I had was it is uncoupled to the selected lens aperture which made it a bit uncomfortable to use.

 

[ags2mikon]

If I remember correctly (I had the manual at I time) it is an oval pattern that is horizontally oriented. It is about 75% of the screen width.

 

[Alexander6x6]

It was good for exact place & time... I used it professionally in 80-th in USSR. I think you can buy now cameras from 90-th -early 2000 -they a not the same quality as from 70-80th.
As for me I have a collection of soviet photo technics & I am shooting with it from time to time
But for pure photography I not recommend it. There are a lot of used Zenza Bronica, Pentax 67 etc.

My first Kiev-88 I bought in 1995. I was so fascinated by the results that one year later I sent it for Studio Master modification to Hartblei/Kalimex. The Acute Matte D was later added as well.

A couple of years ago, I bought a Hasselblad 201F which had been serviced and fitted with a new focal plane shutter.

Today, I have a broken Hasselblad 201F (although very seldom used with a digital back) and two fully functional modified Kiev-88 bodies.

 

[Jojje]

Ok, just got my Arax 60 MLU with a new/mint ttl prismfinder.

Now my problem.... both outer and silver ring move when I move the outer ring for metering.... that's bad because I paid more for a "mint" version. Also the meter gives me a really weird reading and it's always the same... doe you kiev/arax users use the meter, or do you meter with a external meter? And should I make a problem because it doesn't do what it suppose to do?

I like the prism finder better than the waistlevel viewfinder because it's easier for me to focus.

Back in the day (1990's - no internet) it took a while figuring out how this prism meter worked. Meter is adjusted by placing the red triangle to point the largest aperture of the lens in question. After this it gives reasonable readings. - I still have meter obnce attached to my Kiev-60 somewhere. I use it occasionally on my Mamiya TLR: I made an adapter out of a block of teak but that's another story...

 

[ericB&W]

Do you see the difference in the pictures taken by both Kievs?
I wonder if flocking is necessary, or only in specific conditions

I don't know as i flocked immediately the second Kiev too.
anyway most internal flares come from the little slot on the side of Volna 80mm where is that
sort of little leverage to close lens blades to control d.o.f.
I have put a black velvet to stop the light in .

 

[Alexander6x6]

I don't know as i flocked immediately the second Kiev too.
anyway most internal flares come from the little slot on the side of Volna 80mm where is that
sort of little leverage to close lens blades to control d.o.f.
I have put a black velvet to stop the light in .

The "issue," which is quite well-known, has been shown to have no relation to the true source of Volna's internal flare in close-up situations.
Although one can see the tiny gap allowing the light to pass inside, it does not affect the image at the normal exposure times.

The internal flare of the Volna lens is caused by reflections from the inner tube that is not properly covered by anti-reflective paint. I discovered this issue while testing the lens on a digital Fuji GFX camera.

 

[film4Me]

Perhaps a little late with this post, but the photos show the adjusters for the light meter. Devise a tool to get in there and rotate the adjusters slightly, one at a time, checking the meter reading each time, in bright light, and in low light conditions.

 

[ags2mikon]

Is one of the pots or low level and the other for high level?

 

[film4Me]

Is one of the pots or low level and the other for high level?

I'm not absolutely sure which is which, the photos were only to show the adjusters themselves and where they are situated in the meter unit. I also haven't adjusted any of these Kiev meters, I'll try that soon when I power this meter up and see if it works first. I have five of them, I can fiddle with all of them till I get a good one out of all five.

There was a camera that I did successfully adjust the meter on, and that was a Pentax KM. After removing the top cover, the two meter adjusters were staring me in the face at the rear of the prism. I knew nothing about adjusting those either, but had a go anyway.

To start, I turned each adjuster to establish what they did. One adjuster (the left one) moved the needle quite a lot, the other moved it just a little. I guessed then that the left one was for daylight possibly, and the right one was for dull light. Stepping out into the day light, I adjusted the left one until the needle matched my good hand-held meter. Then I stepped back into the house and saw the the meter reading was off according to the hand-held meter, so I turned the right adjuster till the reading was good for dull light. Each time, the top cover must be sat back on the camera, and light blocked from getting into the viewfinder by having your eye covering it.

After that, I went back out into the daylight and found that the meter reading was very close to being spot on, even after adjusting the right one for dull light. From memory, I only went through this procedure twice to finally get fairly accurate readings in both bright and dull light ... Pheww! that KM meter was out 2 stops before I started. Now it's all good again.

To adjust the Kiev meter, I will do much the same as I did with the Pentax KM, but it will be harder because the Kiev has red lights instead of a meter needle. So after turning one adjuster slight amounts, I'll be checking to see whether I can get the first red light to come on precisely according to the accurate reading of the hand-held meter. If I can achieve that, I'll then turn the other adjuster to see what happens with that. I'll try to get back with some results. The job will be tricky because there's not a lot of room to get in and turn the adjusters, but there are holes in the adjusters for a needle to turn them.