To get a Kiev 88... Yay or Nay?

VF-19 · 12-19-2009, 09:51 PM

Actually, Ratmagiclady, I used the other spool from the other film magazine, to be the "spool" of the "fresh" 120 mm film to check for film transport issues.

Panoguy, I wouldn't mind the lens, but could you PM me a couple of shots of the mount? I would like to check it against my 80mm that came with the camera before I make you an offer.

Wombat, I found the Kievaholic Klub, that helped explain many things that the manual glosses over. I'm sure the russian manual is more explanitory, but I can't read russian, sadly.

Ratmagiclady · 12-21-2009, 06:53 PM

Originally posted by VF-19

Actually, Ratmagiclady, I used the other spool from the other film magazine, to be the "spool" of the "fresh" 120 mm film to check for film transport issues.

Ok.

Well, it's good to have one in each camera or magazine, anyway. I can just drop one in an envelope if anyone's short.

Or if you process your own, you'll soon catch up, anyway.

k100d · 12-21-2009, 07:34 PM

depending how much of a clone of a hasselblad it is, you might want to check out
Hasselblad 503cx instruction manual, user manual, free PFD camera manuals
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQvr1b5upHE

VF-19 · 12-21-2009, 08:50 PM

K100d, the instructions were helpful for the magazine (mine is very similar), but the rest of the camera is totally different. Mine is a SLR, with a focal plane shutter. The hasselblad is a slr with a leaf shutter. Still it did make for some interesting reading.

panoguy · 12-22-2009, 07:50 AM

Originally posted by VF-19

Panoguy, I wouldn't mind the lens, but could you PM me a couple of shots of the mount? I would like to check it against my 80mm that came with the camera before I make you an offer.

I'll take some shots tomorrow. Busy shopping and stuff the past few days...

k100d · 12-22-2009, 08:17 AM

Originally posted by VF-19

K100d, the instructions were helpful for the magazine (mine is very similar), but the rest of the camera is totally different. Mine is a SLR, with a focal plane shutter. The hasselblad is a slr with a leaf shutter. Still it did make for some interesting reading.

in that case, check this out
Hasselblad 1000F instruction manual, user manual, free PFD camera manuals

VF-19 · 12-23-2009, 04:16 AM

Heh, that looks pretty darn similar to my Kiev. Gotta hand it to the CCCP, they do know how to copy stuff pretty well... Even if the copy may suck.

Ratmagiclady · 12-23-2009, 07:34 AM

Originally posted by VF-19

Heh, that looks pretty darn similar to my Kiev. Gotta hand it to the CCCP, they do know how to copy stuff pretty well... Even if the copy may suck.

Suck? Oh, no.

I'd taken some curiosity about how your copy is doing, and it sounded like you'd done pretty well. Have you run into functional problems?

(I hear the key with the Soviet and Russian made stuff is, was it made in the morning... Before people've had too much to drink.

)

VF-19 · 12-24-2009, 10:30 AM

The only thing that may be a problam is that when the mirror is in the up position, it protrudes down on one side into where the shutter plane is. I'm not sure, but it may show up in my images.

Sadly, I haven't been able to get any 120 film yet, as the holidays are in the way. That and I need to find out who in Ottawa will process 120 film. I don't mind sending it away if I have to, however.

kurki · 12-24-2009, 12:05 PM

Hi, VF-19! I am Russian. Once upon a time I did have Kiev 88 with three lenses -45,90 and 180 mm. The key with Russian stuff is - if it is assembled properly at the factory it works all right. Another key - the products made for export undergo much stricter control as compared to those intended for home sale. My camera never let me down, so will yours! From Russia with love!

VF-19 · 02-12-2010, 01:10 PM

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Just thought I'd send an update about my little adventure with ordering a Kiev. All is well! The first roll came out beautifully! No light leaks, the film spacing was OK and, everything worked! Heck, I shot the first part of the roll using a KX as a lightmeter, and then sunny-16ing my way around to vary the exposure.

Above was a picture taken with the 45 mm lens, courtesy of panoguy.

I know I've got a mis-calibrated TTL finder (it's an easy fix, however), but I'd rather use a lightmeter and the pop-up finder, as the TTL finder kills the looks of the camera.

Ratmagiclady · 02-13-2010, 11:27 PM

Hey, yay!

Glad it's working out.

panoguy · 02-14-2010, 06:27 PM

Congrats on the first roll! Glad the Mir-26 is working okay. Looks like a pretty wide angle-of-view with minimal distortion... gotta be cool looking through the waist-level finder at that!

**ChrisPlatt** · 02-14-2010, 06:51 PM

Am I correct to assume the TTL finder is uncoupled?

Chris

VF-19 · 02-14-2010, 08:09 PM

Yup it's uncoupled. The kiev is completely mechanical. The way the TTL finder works is:

1) replace the waist level finder with the TTL finder
2) if you haven't done so, cock the camera
3) Turn the silver ring to line up the widest aperature of the lens (ie 2.8) with the red arrow
4) Set your ISO by turning the innermost black disk so that the ISO of the film shows
5) Press the red button, and see if both red lights light up. If they don't turn the outermost ring until they do (or flicker)
6) read off the aperature and shutter speed, and the set it on the camera.

I just went and bought a lightmeter, as it's quicker to take a reflected or incident reading and then set the camera up for what the lightmeter calls for. Plus the TTL finder adds alot of weight, and kills the looks of the camera, at least to me.

EDIT:

Panoguy: Yes, the lens is pretty wide, but due to the square format of the Kiev, it's not readily obvious, at least until I swapped it out back and forth between the 80.

12-24-2009, 12:05 PM	#25
kurki Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Russia Posts: 70	From Russia with love! Hi, VF-19! I am Russian. Once upon a time I did have Kiev 88 with three lenses -45,90 and 180 mm. The key with Russian stuff is - if it is assembled properly at the factory it works all right. Another key - the products made for export undergo much stricter control as compared to those intended for home sale. My camera never let me down, so will yours! From Russia with love!

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12-19-2009, 09:51 PM	#16
VF-19 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Ottawa Posts: 364 Original Poster	Actually, Ratmagiclady, I used the other spool from the other film magazine, to be the "spool" of the "fresh" 120 mm film to check for film transport issues. Panoguy, I wouldn't mind the lens, but could you PM me a couple of shots of the mount? I would like to check it against my 80mm that came with the camera before I make you an offer. Wombat, I found the Kievaholic Klub, that helped explain many things that the manual glosses over. I'm sure the russian manual is more explanitory, but I can't read russian, sadly.

12-21-2009, 06:53 PM	#17
Ratmagiclady Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: GA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,563	Originally posted by VF-19 Actually, Ratmagiclady, I used the other spool from the other film magazine, to be the "spool" of the "fresh" 120 mm film to check for film transport issues. Ok. Well, it's good to have one in each camera or magazine, anyway. I can just drop one in an envelope if anyone's short. Or if you process your own, you'll soon catch up, anyway.

12-21-2009, 07:34 PM	#18
k100d Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Toronto Posts: 3,911	depending how much of a clone of a hasselblad it is, you might want to check out Hasselblad 503cx instruction manual, user manual, free PFD camera manuals http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQvr1b5upHE

12-21-2009, 08:50 PM	#19
VF-19 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Ottawa Posts: 364 Original Poster	K100d, the instructions were helpful for the magazine (mine is very similar), but the rest of the camera is totally different. Mine is a SLR, with a focal plane shutter. The hasselblad is a slr with a leaf shutter. Still it did make for some interesting reading.

12-22-2009, 07:50 AM	#20
panoguy Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Washington, D.C. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,327	Originally posted by VF-19 Panoguy, I wouldn't mind the lens, but could you PM me a couple of shots of the mount? I would like to check it against my 80mm that came with the camera before I make you an offer. I'll take some shots tomorrow. Busy shopping and stuff the past few days...

12-22-2009, 08:17 AM	#21
k100d Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Toronto Posts: 3,911	Originally posted by VF-19 K100d, the instructions were helpful for the magazine (mine is very similar), but the rest of the camera is totally different. Mine is a SLR, with a focal plane shutter. The hasselblad is a slr with a leaf shutter. Still it did make for some interesting reading. in that case, check this out Hasselblad 1000F instruction manual, user manual, free PFD camera manuals

12-23-2009, 04:16 AM	#22
VF-19 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Ottawa Posts: 364 Original Poster	Heh, that looks pretty darn similar to my Kiev. Gotta hand it to the CCCP, they do know how to copy stuff pretty well... Even if the copy may suck.

12-23-2009, 07:34 AM	#23
Ratmagiclady Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: GA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,563	Originally posted by VF-19 Heh, that looks pretty darn similar to my Kiev. Gotta hand it to the CCCP, they do know how to copy stuff pretty well... Even if the copy may suck. Suck? Oh, no. I'd taken some curiosity about how your copy is doing, and it sounded like you'd done pretty well. Have you run into functional problems? (I hear the key with the Soviet and Russian made stuff is, was it made in the morning... Before people've had too much to drink. )

12-24-2009, 10:30 AM	#24
VF-19 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Ottawa Posts: 364 Original Poster	The only thing that may be a problam is that when the mirror is in the up position, it protrudes down on one side into where the shutter plane is. I'm not sure, but it may show up in my images. Sadly, I haven't been able to get any 120 film yet, as the holidays are in the way. That and I need to find out who in Ottawa will process 120 film. I don't mind sending it away if I have to, however.

02-12-2010, 01:10 PM	#26
VF-19 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Ottawa Posts: 364 Original Poster	Just thought I'd send an update about my little adventure with ordering a Kiev. All is well! The first roll came out beautifully! No light leaks, the film spacing was OK and, everything worked! Heck, I shot the first part of the roll using a KX as a lightmeter, and then sunny-16ing my way around to vary the exposure. Above was a picture taken with the 45 mm lens, courtesy of panoguy. I know I've got a mis-calibrated TTL finder (it's an easy fix, however), but I'd rather use a lightmeter and the pop-up finder, as the TTL finder kills the looks of the camera.

02-13-2010, 11:27 PM	#27
Ratmagiclady Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: GA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,563	Hey, yay! Glad it's working out.

02-14-2010, 06:27 PM	#28
panoguy Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Washington, D.C. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,327	Congrats on the first roll! Glad the Mir-26 is working okay. Looks like a pretty wide angle-of-view with minimal distortion... gotta be cool looking through the waist-level finder at that!

02-14-2010, 06:51 PM	#29
ChrisPlatt Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Rockaway Beach NYC Posts: 7,692	Am I correct to assume the TTL finder is uncoupled? Chris

02-14-2010, 08:09 PM	#30
VF-19 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Ottawa Posts: 364 Original Poster	Yup it's uncoupled. The kiev is completely mechanical. The way the TTL finder works is: 1) replace the waist level finder with the TTL finder 2) if you haven't done so, cock the camera 3) Turn the silver ring to line up the widest aperature of the lens (ie 2.8) with the red arrow 4) Set your ISO by turning the innermost black disk so that the ISO of the film shows 5) Press the red button, and see if both red lights light up. If they don't turn the outermost ring until they do (or flicker) 6) read off the aperature and shutter speed, and the set it on the camera. I just went and bought a lightmeter, as it's quicker to take a reflected or incident reading and then set the camera up for what the lightmeter calls for. Plus the TTL finder adds alot of weight, and kills the looks of the camera, at least to me. EDIT: Panoguy: Yes, the lens is pretty wide, but due to the square format of the Kiev, it's not readily obvious, at least until I swapped it out back and forth between the 80.