Kiev-4: incredibly beautiful and complicated

[F16SUNSHINE]

[Orio]

ok thanks
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ХОРИОС-61 ( ώρεος ) : Lens sana in corpore sano

Main Tools:
LENSES: Carl Zeiss, Leitz, Soviet, old Nikkors, others.
DSLR: Canon EOS 5D, 50D. SLR: Contax AX, RX, 167MT; Voigtländer Bessaflex TM; Praktica FX2; Nikon FM2, F70.
RANGEFINDERS: Contax G2, Kiev-4, Voigtlaender Bessa-T, Canonette QL17. MEDIUM FORMAT: Pentacon 6, Zeiss Super Ikonta, Agfa Record II.
Read Full List HERE
www.timelessphotography.eu
www.oriofoto.net

"Freedom is the right to tell people what they do not want to hear. " (George Orwell)
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[Jieffe]

I may be late but have you seen this ? : Click here to see on Ebay
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The gear I use : Samsung GX1s, a few Tamron, Pentax, East German and Russian lenses (Modded Canon G2 for IR).
Gimp & Ufraw on Linux Zenwalk

[Orio]

Thanks JF, looks nice but it's a whole tank, I wonder if you can take out of it just the spool...
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ХОРИОС-61 ( ώρεος ) : Lens sana in corpore sano

Main Tools:
LENSES: Carl Zeiss, Leitz, Soviet, old Nikkors, others.
DSLR: Canon EOS 5D, 50D. SLR: Contax AX, RX, 167MT; Voigtländer Bessaflex TM; Praktica FX2; Nikon FM2, F70.
RANGEFINDERS: Contax G2, Kiev-4, Voigtlaender Bessa-T, Canonette QL17. MEDIUM FORMAT: Pentacon 6, Zeiss Super Ikonta, Agfa Record II.
Read Full List HERE
www.timelessphotography.eu
www.oriofoto.net

"Freedom is the right to tell people what they do not want to hear. " (George Orwell)
_

[rick_oleson]

You can make a very good takeup spool for the Kiev out of a used film cassette and some epoxy cement. Here's how it looks (this works as well as the factory spool):



Second, on the issue of setting shutter speeds before or after cocking: The Kiev has NOTHING in common with the FED or Zorkis beyond the language of the instruction manual; it is based on the Contax, not the Leica, and there is not one screw in common between these two designs. Having used and repaired the Contax and Kiev for over 20 years now, I cannot think of any reason why it would make a difference whether you set the speed before or after cocking the shutter if the camera is in good working order. In some cases in a worn camera it will be better to set the speed BEFORE cocking the shutter, at least if you're changing from a slower to a faster speed setting. This is because the curtains move as you change speeds, and if the safety catch on the top curtain is worn or bent that curtain could begin to travel as you move the dial from a slower to a faster speed setting. The concerns about the sequence in the FED and Zorki relate to the rotating shutter speed dial and the slow speed escapement assembly in those cameras... which do not exist in the Kiev.

And third, as you have already noticed, the controls of the Kiev are different from other cameras such as Leicas or Zorkis: the wide-spaced RF windows, the focusing wheel and the location of the shutter release button require a very different way of holding the camera. This is clearly described in the Contax II owner's manual and in publications such as the Contax Way, and I'll be happy to send you a scan of some of that stuff if you like. In short, you leave your left hand on the camera body rather than the lens barrel (at least when using a 50mm lens); place your right index finger flat across the wind knob and your middle finger tip rests on the focusing wheel and infinity lock button; grip the right end of the camera body with your remaining 2 fingers. What you will discover is that your finger never blocks the rangefinder, you can focus rapidly with the focusing wheel using your middle finger, you get a very steady release of the shutter by pressing down on the button, not with the tip of your finger but with the bottom of the first knuckle, and you can freely switch from horizontal to vertical composition without changing your grip.

A great deal of criticism of the Contax/Kiev's handling comes from people who do not understand its design and are not using it properly.
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I don't know what I want to be when I grow up

[Orio]

Thanks Rick. I think I have figured out everything now. It's not difficult, as you say.
At the present moment the camera handling is still slowing me down, but like all things it's a matter of getting used to. After all, it's not much different from the way I hold Praktica reflex cameras (shooting with middle finger). Here it's only a bit more extreme as it requires the stretching of the middle finger towards the focusing wheel (is this the part that I am not used to yet).

About the take up spool, I am a disaster at hand works, and I don't have this X-acto saw (actually I don't even know what it is, as I don't know what is epoxy cement).
_________________
_
ХОРИОС-61 ( ώρεος ) : Lens sana in corpore sano

Main Tools:
LENSES: Carl Zeiss, Leitz, Soviet, old Nikkors, others.
DSLR: Canon EOS 5D, 50D. SLR: Contax AX, RX, 167MT; Voigtländer Bessaflex TM; Praktica FX2; Nikon FM2, F70.
RANGEFINDERS: Contax G2, Kiev-4, Voigtlaender Bessa-T, Canonette QL17. MEDIUM FORMAT: Pentacon 6, Zeiss Super Ikonta, Agfa Record II.
Read Full List HERE
www.timelessphotography.eu
www.oriofoto.net

"Freedom is the right to tell people what they do not want to hear. " (George Orwell)
_

[Orio]

Andy for some reason I did not see your photo yesterday. Thanks for setting it up! How come that the tape does not stick to itself if you place it at home before going out?

One thing I am not understanding: a take up spool for leica/zorki will work equally well for Contax, or it needs to be different?
_________________
_
ХОРИОС-61 ( ώρεος ) : Lens sana in corpore sano

Main Tools:
LENSES: Carl Zeiss, Leitz, Soviet, old Nikkors, others.
DSLR: Canon EOS 5D, 50D. SLR: Contax AX, RX, 167MT; Voigtländer Bessaflex TM; Praktica FX2; Nikon FM2, F70.
RANGEFINDERS: Contax G2, Kiev-4, Voigtlaender Bessa-T, Canonette QL17. MEDIUM FORMAT: Pentacon 6, Zeiss Super Ikonta, Agfa Record II.
Read Full List HERE
www.timelessphotography.eu
www.oriofoto.net

"Freedom is the right to tell people what they do not want to hear. " (George Orwell)
_

[rick_oleson]

Hi Orio:

Email me with your mailing address and I'll send you a spool.

The FED/Zorki spool will not work in the Kiev. It was designed to allow you to fit film canisters in both ends so that you could wind from one canister into the other and take the film out without rewinding it.

The spool that you have in your camera is a spool out of a used film canister. You can use it as it is, if you tape the end of the film to the spool with adhesive tape. It is a bit more convenient, though, if you have a slot in the spool to hold the film.

My email address is rick_oleson@yahoo.com
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I don't know what I want to be when I grow up

[Orio]

[F16SUNSHINE]

[Orio]

[Katastrofo]

Just received mine today and Rick's info about the take-up spool is going
to come in right handy! Camera arrives in beautiful shape, at least
cosmetically. Nice compact, lightweight point and shoot!

Bill

[LucisPictor]

Rick and Andy, that's why we love you to be here! Excellent help!

Orio, have fun! The old Russian rangefinders are just great!

BTW, the old Leicas also needed a correctly cut film leader.
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There are two kinds of people in the world: those who divide the world into two kinds of people, and those who don’t.
"Schnäppchenjäger" | "KAPCTEH" | "Karusutenu" | "Carsten" | T-shirt?
Cams in use: EOS 40D, EOS 350D, EOS500, Spotmatic SPII, Yashica-24, EXA I & 1c, Zenit EM; Oly 35RC,Minolta Hi-Matic E & F, Ricoh 500RF, Yashica Electro 35 GS, FED-3b and some others...
Lenses in use: Asahi Pentax: 2.8/28;3.5/35;1.4/50;1.7/50;2.8/105;28-80 | Canon (AF):1.8/50;17-85;75-300 | Former GDR: Pentacon 3.5/30; Pentaflex 1.8/50; CZJ 2.8/50; CZJ 4/135; Pentacon 4/200 | Fujinon: 43-75 | Hanimex: 3.5/23; 4/100;80-200 | Hoya: 25-42;80-205 | Kiron: 2/28;70-210 | Leica: Elmarit-R 2.8/35 | Mamiya: 1.8/55 | Minolta: 1.7/50 | Nikkor: 2.8/24;2/35;2/50;1.2/55;1.8/85;3.5/135 | West German: Ludwig 2.9/50; Meyer 2.8/100; Will 4.5/105; Schneider 3.5/135;Enna 3.5/135; Zeiss 4/135;Isco 4/135; Enna 4.5/240 | Olympus: 3.5/28;1.4/50;3.5/135 | Rikenon: 1.7/50;35-70 | Rollei/Voigtländer: 1.4/55;1.8/50 | Russian: Peleng3.5/8; Zenitar2.8/16; MIR2.8/37; Volna2.8/50; Industar3.5/50; Industar3.5/5cm; Helios2/50; Helios2/58; Volna2.8/80; Jupiter2/85; Kaleinar2.8/100;Tair2.8/135; Jupiter3.5/135; Jupiter4/135; Telear3.5/200; Jupiter4/200; Tair4.5/300;RF: Jupiter2.8/35;Industar2.8/53 | Sigma: 28-85;28-105(AF);17-70(AF) | Soligor: 28-105;35-200;70-220 | Tamron: 2.5/24;2.5/135;2.8/135;60-300;70-210 | Tokina: 28-105;80-200;12-24(AF);70-210(AF) | Vivitar: 3.5/17;2/24;2/28;2.5/28;2.8/28 | Yashica: 1.7/50;2/5cm | Other Japanese: Cosina3.8/20; Petri2.8/28; Albinar2.8/28; Porst1.8/35; 2.8/135; Weltblick3.5/135; Beroflex 8/500; Spiratone28-200; Maginon70-210
Green are the lenses I shoot the most.
More? http://forum.mflenses.com/viewtopic.php?t=65

[rick_oleson]

Orio, have you received the spool yet? Should be pretty soon I would think.
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I don't know what I want to be when I grow up

[Orio]