Comrade Camera

New Camera

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I couldn't help myself, I had to buy another camera. But in my defense, the only rangefinder I had was a Zeiss Ikon Contina, and as much as I love it shooting with it isn't a quick process. So, I wanted something a little more modern, something with a single window for view and range, and something with a that adjusts the focus on the lens and viewfinder at the same time. Then I discovered that the same USSR factory that produced my beloved Kiev 88, also made a rangefinder called the Kiev 4. I had to have this camera!

So, after much online shopping, I finally found one at a great price point and made the purchase. A couple of weeks later it had completed it's journey all the way from Kiev, Ukraine to my humble midwest home. I was able to take it out and shoot it that same day, and developed the film later that night. I'm very happy with the way they turned out. The images below are crappy negative scans using my phone camera, but hopefully I can get some darkroom time in this week to make proper prints.

Okay, if you want some interesting history on the camera, read on. If not, feel free to jump to the pictures. After WWII, the USSR wanted war reparations from Germany. As part of that they appropriated the Contax camera factory and relocted it to Kiev, Ukrain. Now when I say appropriate, I mean that they took the schematics, parts, equipment, and the people back to Kiev. Then they started making the Contax cameras with the USSR branding. Their first rangefinder was a "clone" of the Contax II, therefore they called it the Kiev II. There never was a Kiev I. The factory where these were made used to a munitions factory, hence the name Arsenal sometimes appearing on their products. Soon came the Kiev III and Kiev 4, both moddled after their Contax counterparts. Not much changed between these models, mostly some minor manufacturing changes and the addition of the selenium light meter to the top of the camera.