Posted by willskith These are toys. Fun, but not a serious camera like Keith seems to be looking for. If the Kiev has been converted for a different format I'd say don't bother with it. No point in getting a heavyweight that shoots 6x4.5, you'd be better off with a Mamiya 645 or Bronica ETRS. They're way better cameras anyway.

I actually have a full Bronica ETRS setup I got for $120 at a camera show, and I honestly can't stand the thing, it needs a battery to run, the battery constantly dies and costs too much to replace. $15 for a battery smaller than my thumb?

Posted by urbexkeith I actually have a full Bronica ETRS setup I got for $120 at a camera show, and I honestly can't stand the thing, it needs a battery to run, the battery constantly dies and costs too much to replace. $15 for a battery smaller than my thumb?

Everyone I've known who has used the ETRS setup has loved it, having to replace the battery is a given on any camera with electronic functions. It wouldn't be necessary with the Kiev since everything down to the shutter is fully mechanical, but these shutters are also known to become less precise over time so there is a trade-off.

How constantly are you having to replace the battery? I'm pretty sure it uses standard 6v batteries and those are easy to find for way cheaper than you mentioned, I got one for $5 last night at the grocery store...

If you really don't want your ETRS I'd be more than happy to take it off your hands ;)

I use a Bronica SQ-Am, and I love the beast. Now, just need a wider angle lens for it.

Posted by willskith Everyone I've known who has used the ETRS setup has loved it, having to replace the battery is a given on any camera with electronic functions. It wouldn't be necessary with the Kiev since everything down to the shutter is fully mechanical, but these shutters are also known to become less precise over time so there is a trade-off. How constantly are you having to replace the battery? I'm pretty sure it uses standard 6v batteries and those are easy to find for way cheaper than you mentioned, I got one for $5 last night at the grocery store...

The battery has died on me 4 times after about say a day of shooting in a building or drain (and this isn't continuously shooting either), each time I have replaced the battery and it dies again after the next time I shoot with it. I suppose for some reason it costs more here than it does where you are. The grocery stores around here don't even sell those kind of batteries, so you either have to go to a battery store or a camera shop, that also could be why.

If it's dying that quickly there has to be something wrong with the circuitry in your camera, that's not normal at all.

edit, these are worth reading:
http://photo.net/m...raphy-forum/001Jz9
http://www.apug.or...-battery-life.html

Hey there guys, so I figured out the Bronica and I am gonna use that as my Primary 120 camera now, And instead for Christmas I found a Nikon F3HP with 4 Nikkor lenses for $175, gonna get that instead. Any thoughts on the F3HP?

Posted by urbexkeith Hey there guys, so I figured out the Bronica and I am gonna use that as my Primary 120 camera now, And instead for Christmas I found a Nikon F3HP with 4 Nikkor lenses for $175, gonna get that instead. Any thoughts on the F3HP?

workhorse of a camera, I use one myself.

Ended up getting it, Nikon F3-HP four lenses. 24mm 2.8, 35mm 2.8, 105mm 2.5, and a 35-70mm 3.5, all with legit Nikon Filters, A Nikon Flash made to mount on the F3 (Nikon sb-16 or something like that) Manuals and hoods, ended up costing me $200 altogether for everything.

If you are serious about taking very good pictures and willing to spend a few $$$ more, I would go for a pentax 6x7, a lot more to do with that system.

http://www.photoet...AsahiPentax67.html

Posted by urbexkeith But they are so Russian, and cool. Plus it is a cheap way to get into medium format, and from what I have seen the lenses produce pretty nice sharp images. And if I want to get more lenses I won't be spending too much.

If you want a cheap medium format get an old Yashica TLR, they usually can be had in great condition for under $100 and will hold up much better than the Kiev.

I think it's better to buy an Arax camera than an old Kiev, those beasts can suffer from abuse or bad quality control (or both). Arax rebuilds them and they do a good job, I got one a little over a year ago and shooting with it ever since without any problem. Sure, the finish is not like a Hassleblad and when you cock the shutter it sounds like you loading a Kalashnikov trough but it does the job and there are several great lenses made in this mount. Arax is pretty cheap for western standards, I paid just 420euro for a complete camera with 80mm lens, a small bag and some accessories. Maybe it's not the most ergonomic camera or even the best looking one but you know the old Soviet doctrine, "it doesn't have to look nice, it just has to work". I think you can even ask them to put a Kiev label on the front of the camera.

Posted by Uncle Goose I think it's better to buy an Arax camera than an old Kiev, those beasts can suffer from abuse or bad quality control (or both). Arax rebuilds them and they do a good job, I got one a little over a year ago and shooting with it ever since without any problem. Sure, the finish is not like a Hassleblad and when you cock the shutter it sounds like you loading a Kalashnikov trough but it does the job and there are several great lenses made in this mount. Arax is pretty cheap for western standards, I paid just 420euro for a complete camera with 80mm lens, a small bag and some accessories. Maybe it's not the most ergonomic camera or even the best looking one but you know the old Soviet doctrine, "it doesn't have to look nice, it just has to work". I think you can even ask them to put a Kiev label on the front of the camera.

420 Euros sounds like quite a bit (to me) by Western standards. From my local camera place, I can get a Hasselblad 500C/M with 80/2.8 for around $600 USD E or E+ condition. I'd gladly spend the extra $50-70 USD for 'blad over Arax.

Posted by EatsTooMuchJam 420 Euros sounds like quite a bit (to me) by Western standards. From my local camera place, I can get a Hasselblad 500C/M with 80/2.8 for around $600 USD E or E+ condition. I'd gladly spend the extra $50-70 USD for 'blad over Arax.

I think you misunderstood the whole thing, I'm not speaking about a second hand camera here but a completely new hand build camera with 2 years of warranty on it and the option to choose your own leatherette, it also comes with a prism that has a light-meter on board. Your Hasselblad might be a tad more expensive but it's nowhere new nor does it in most cases has 2 years of warranty. The other downside on the Blad is that the lenses are freakingly expensive, I've seen some rather normal lenses going up to the 1000$ range while those Pentacon 6 lenses go for much less than that, sometimes even a 1/10th of those of a Blad. Don't get me wrong, Hassleblad makes fine stuff and if I could afford it I would also buy one but I would never get rid of my Arax/Kiev, it just has a charm you don't find on other camera's.

Posted by Uncle Goose I think you misunderstood the whole thing, I'm not speaking about a second hand camera here but a completely new hand build camera with 2 years of warranty on it and the option to choose your own leatherette, it also comes with a prism that has a light-meter on board. Your Hasselblad might be a tad more expensive but it's nowhere new nor does it in most cases has 2 years of warranty. The other downside on the Blad is that the lenses are freakingly expensive, I've seen some rather normal lenses going up to the 1000$ range while those Pentacon 6 lenses go for much less than that, sometimes even a 1/10th of those of a Blad. Don't get me wrong, Hassleblad makes fine stuff and if I could afford it I would also buy one but I would never get rid of my Arax/Kiev, it just has a charm you don't find on other camera's.

Ah, I was under the impression that Arax were only upgrading older Kiev stuff. A new MF body for that is pretty cheap! I'd probably still go 'blad personally, but more power to you with your Arax!