The Kiev-88 family
This text is copyrighted © 2001 by David Haardt. No reproduction allowed. All rights reserved. Any violation will be prosecuted. e-mail
Introduction | The facts | The even more mysterious Kiev-90 | The small brother Kiev-60 | The Choice | Build quality | The trade-off | Charlatans | Checking your camera | Curing minor problems | Enlarging your system
I guess everybody who ever wanted to achieve a substantial quality shift by changing to medium format has at least once thought of a Kiev-88, this legendary, mysterious Ukrainian 6x6 camera. Some tell that none of these work, some tell that they equal Hasselblad quality - so most of us prefer the safe way and forget about them as fast as they came into their minds. Nevertheless I believe that these Kiev cameras deserve much more, they deserve a sophisticated judgement based upon collective knowledge Kiev users have collected, not just prejudices and xenophobia.
What is a Kiev-88? It is a medium format camera with interchangeable film backs and lenses. It looks very similar to a Hasselblad, but is of course much cheaper. There are many excellent lenses available for it. It uses a focal plane shutter. The largest possible format is 6x6cm (2 1/4 x 2 1/4 inches), polaroid pack film can also be used with an appropriate back. It is being produced by the production community Arsenal Factory (Zavod Arsenal) in Kiev, the capital of the Ukraine, which once was the Ukrainian Socialist Soviet Republic. The Arsenal Factory has so far produced six members of the Kiev-88 family. They can be divided into three categories, sorted by years of manufacture, and their lens mount.
The ancient ones
Salyut
Zenit-80
The common ones
Salyut-S ("C" in cyrillic letters)
Kiev-80
Kiev-88
The unknown new one
Kiev-88CM (read my Kiev-88CM review)
The Salyut was a copy of the Hasselblad 1600F. Its lens mount was unique, and without diaphragm coupling. Apart from the standard lens, only two change lenses are believed to were produced. Thus, this is not a very compatible camera. Zenit-80 was the name under which several Salyut cameras were exported.
The Salyut-S has a new lens mount known as "B" mount. It features diaphragm coupling. This is the first camera being totally compatible to a modern Kiev-88. The Kiev-80 and the Kiev-88 only have marginal changes compared to the Salyut-S, such as the hot shoe. Many people don't know that.
The Kiev-88CM is a very new camera, and the factory's answer to the many third-party Kiev-88 modifications being sold. It has the Pentacon Six lens mount ("C" mount) which it shares with the Kiev-60. It also has a black cloth shutter and new film backs which are easier to load. It is still much cheaper than the modifications.
As mentioned before, in addition there are hundreds of Kiev-88 modifications around. They are made in the Czech Republic, in Germany, in the U.S.A., or somewhere else, and promise to be more reliable, but they are not always. Most of them also have the Pentacon Six mount for even more compatibility, and a cloth shutter. But not all, of course, so be careful what you buy. Well-known modifications are the Hartblei from the Czech Republic (also sold under the name Pentasix 636 by German Foto Wiese), the Brenner B.I.G.-six from Germany, and the many different models by Kiev USA.
Just that you know a bit more than most of the other people:
1) No Kiev-88 family member with a mirror-lock up is factory original.
2) Any Kiev-88 family member other than the Kiev-88CM which has a cloth shutter is modified.
3) Any Kiev-88 family member other than the Kiev-88CM which has a Pentacon Six mount is modified.
4) Any Kiev-88 family member other than the Kiev-88CM which has interior flocking (to avoid reflections) is modified.
The even more mysterious Kiev-90
You should also know that there is a Kiev-90 too. This is a semiautomatic 6x4.5 camera of which only about 2000 units were produced. It uses an enhanced Pentacon Six mount with electronic couplings, but only very few of these are known to work. So this is something only for the collector too, especially if you consider that electronics cannot be repaired, or only much more difficultly, than the full mechanical traditional Kiev cameras.
And you should also know that the other famous Kiev family is the Kiev-60 one. These cameras look like oversized 35mm cameras, and thus don't have interchangeable film backs. They were built to be a competitor to the Pentacon Six within the East Bloc (they use the Pentacon Six lens mount), but mechanically they are totally different although many people claim that. There are modifications with 6x4.5 sized pictures instead of 6x6. They and are sold much cheaper than the Kiev-88 type ones. Mirror-lock up is much more useful with them than with a Kiev-88 type camera. Make sure that they don't have operlapping frames or light leaks.
So the first choice you need to make is whether you want a camera with the "B" mount (Salyut-S, Kiev-80, Kiev-88) or one with the Pentacon Six mount (Kiev-88CM, or many modifications). I have not mentioned the original Salyut here, because its system is so small that it is probably being bought only for its - quite amazing - looks. The Pentacon Six mount offers a bigger spectrum of manufacturers, and thus more different lenses from the Ukraine, East Germany, and West Germany. The "B" mount only offers the (still many) Ukrainian lenses. In addition, "B" lenses can be used on Six cameras with an adapter (no diaphragm coupling), but not vice versa. And there are many adapters for Six lenses on Mamiya 645 cameras or on many 35mm camera systems (no diaphragm coupling). So the Pentacon Six mount is more future-safe, and more versatile. Nevertheless many people prefer the original Ukrainian bayonet mount of the Kiev-88. It is also a matter of taste, and maybe of past purchases.
As far as build quality, one can say that the Salyut and the Salyut-S are better built than a Kiev-88. The modern Kiev-88CM is also rather well built. So I would say that if you decide to get a "B" mount camera, a Salyut-S is far better (and cheaper) than a Kiev-88. But not many people know about these older cameras. If you decide to get a Pentacon Six mount camera, my personal recommendation is the Kiev-88CM. It is far cheaper than the modifications, and in average at least as reliable. But many people won't agree with me on that one.
One thing I believe which is important when buying a modification: Look that the price remains on the ground. There are many used Western medium format cameras around in good condition at good prices, so it might be that you pay more for such a modification than for a better used camera. Kiev cameras are much cheaper than Western medium format cameras, but they have several problems. This is a simple trade-off. A new Kiev-88 set should sell for 300 dollars, a used Salyut or Salyut-S or Kiev-80 set in good condition for about 100 dollars, a new Kiev-88CM set for 400-500 dollars (all prices as of spring 2001 common at ebay.com).
Just care that you don't get a victim of a charlatan. Check whether the prices reflect the camera's features, build quality, and post-purchase service. Inform yourself upfront whether the seller is well-known or whether this is the first camera he ever sells. Inform yourself whether his descriptions are correct, or whether he is exaggerating. Inform yourself whether he allows returns easily, or whether people get problems when they are not satisfied. Inform yourself how long it takes until your camera gets shipped, and how long shipping will take. Make sure that you get a shipping insurance. Don't forget to take customs duties and shipping/handling into your calculation.
Probably the most important things when you buy a Kiev-88 type camera, whether new or used, it to thorougly check it. Make sure you can return the camera in case it doesn't work, or get a warranty which of course is even better. Check all shutter times for consistency and even exposure. Check the shutter curtain for light leaks. Check the film backs for light leaks. Check the film backs whether they transport the film correctly, or whether there are frame overlaps. Check whether all your lenses can be mounted onto the camera without problems. Check whether the lens's focusing and diaphragm ring can be freely moved, and whether they actually work. Check whether the lens and the prism(s) are clear, or whether they have scratches, fungus, dust within the glasses, or foggings. Check whether the dark slides for the film backs are included, and whether they fit without problems. Check whether the flash synchronisation works. Simply check everything this camera offers, and make sure it works. Shoot a roll with all the film backs you get, at all shutter times, at different diaphragms, with different lenses.
Minor problems can be cured by oneself. If your film back has light leaks (which you can check using a flash flashing into the back from the other side than from you are looking), you can use silicone spray. If your cloth shutter has pinholes, use black fabric colour. If you have reflections inside the camera body, flock it with some black non-reflecting material. If you have a Kiev-88CM and some lenses won't mount, you can rebuild the mount if you are used to working with metal, or you can have it rebuilt.
Once you have found a well working Kiev-88, you will probably soon want to buy additional items to enlarge your system. If you consider that the Kiev-88CM opened the door to Pentacon Six mount lenses, the Kiev-88 system is the largest medium format system in the world.
The Arsenal Factory produces the following lenses: 3.5/30 fish-eye, 3.5/45, PCS 4.5/55 Shift, 3.5/65, 2.8/80 standard lens, 2.8/150, 5,6/250, and 3.5/250. In addition, there are the older 2.8/90 and 4.5/300 lenses, and the new, mysterious APO 5.6/500 and 8/600 lenses. All these lenses should be available for both the "B" mount and the Pentacon Six mount, except for the 2.8/90 being only available for Six, and the 4.5/300 being only available for "B". Additional Six mount lenses were/are made by Carl Zeiss Jena (East Germany) and Schneider-Kreuznach (West Germany; made for Exakta-66 camera; even two zoom lenses). Lenses for the Salyut are 3.5/65, 2.8/90 standard lens, and 2.8/110.
To quote some common ebay.com prices as of spring 2001, the 3.5/30 sells for about 170 dollars (used in good condition), the 3.5/45 for about 100 dollars (used in good condition), the PCS 4.5/55 Shift for about 350 dollars (new), the 3.5/65 for about 100 dollars (used in good condition), the 2.8/150 for about 150 dollars (used in good condition), the 5.6/250 for about 100 dollars (used in good condition), the 3.5/250 for about 150 dollars (used in good condition).
If you are somewhat afraid of buying a Kiev camera but nevertheless want to take advantage of the excellent and cheap Kiev lenses, you can also buy a Mamiya 645 (used bodies in nice condition sell from 300-400 dollars!) and an adapter costing 40-50 dollars, so you can use all Kiev lenses for Pentacon Six mount on your Mamiya 645 body. The only two problems of this solution are the loss of diaphragm coupling and the limitation to 6x4.5 format.
There are film backs for 6x6 sized pictures and for 6x4.5 sized ones. In addition, there are the new ones of each size, and the old ones. The new ones are easier to load and incorporate two security interlocks to avoid mistakes. In addition, there's the Polaroid back available with which you can make proofs onto medium format pack film. A used Kiev Polaroid back in good condition should sell for about 100 dollars.
There are four kinds of viewfinders: The waist-level finder, the non-metered prism, the TTL prism, and the spot TTL prism.
Other accessories include extension tubes (macro rings) and a reversing ring.