Everybody knows that good medium format cameras are frightfully expensive. Of course. But like so many things that everybody knows, this common bit of photographic wisdom is simply wrong. As I reported some time ago, I have been using my Kiev 6x6 medium format SLR cameras and have been getting excellent photos from them. These cameras come in two flavors, the Kiev 88, which is shaped like a Hasselblad, and the Kiev 60, which is shaped like an oversized 35mm SLR. I have settled on using the Kiev 60 the most since it is a simpler design and I have a feeling that it is probably a bit more reliable. However, I should stress that this is a feeling and is not supported by any experience since I have no trouble with either of my Kiev cameras. Another reason I tend to prefer the Kiev 60 is that it accepts lenses with with the same mount as the old Pentacon Six/Praktica 66/Praktisix cameras, which is also the same mount as the current Exakta 66 camera. This means that there are many used lenses available to fit the camera, and in the past few years I have found 50mm, 120mm, and 300mm Carl Zeiss lenses and a 500mm Prakticar (made by Meyer in Germany) at very reasonable prices.
The only problem with the Kiev 60 is that I do not prefer a square film format. On the Kiev 88 this is not a problem since the film backs are interchangeable, and Kiev offers a 645 film back for this camera. Now this problem has been fixed with the introduction of the Kiev 645 from Kiev U.S.A. The Kiev 645 is exactly the same camera as the Kiev 60 but with the film aperture masked down to 645. and with a modified film advance to move the film the correct distance for the vertical 645 frame. The focusing screen has two scribed black lines to show the area covered by the 645 image.
Now, regular readers of my articles will know that one of my beefs with Japanese 645 cameras is that they all give 15 exposures on 120 film when the film is intended for 16 exposures in this format. I have never gotten a logical explanation for the peculiarity since there is plenty of room on the film, and can only surmise that it has something to do with wanting to keep things metric. Anyway, both the Kiev 88 with its 645 back and the new Kiev 645 give the full number of intended frames on the roll --- 16.
I noted earlier that the Kiev 645 produces its 645 frames in the vertical orientation. For me this is perfect, since at least 90 percent of my images are shot as verticals and my other cameras capable of shooting 645 require the arms of a contortionist to shoot verticals. I find myself less tired from a studio shoot with the Kiev 645 camera as a result.
In terms of features the Kiev 645 will not set the world on fire, but it has everything needed for excellent images. The shutter is a fabric roll blind type which has proved its durability over many years in many different cameras. Shutter speeds are from 1/2-1/1000 sec, and B for time exposures. Flash sync is a rather slow 1/30 sec which is perfectly fine for studio work but limiting for use outdoors with fill flash. The reflex mirror is not the "instant return" type, which means the viewfinder blackens after each exposure and you can only see through it again when you advance the film to the next frame. The camera is supplied with a 90º prism which makes its handling just like a 35mm SLR but with the nice feature that the prism can be removed for those times when you want a "waist level" view. The view throught the prism is very bright and contrasty, making focusing very easy. The focusing screen has both a split image and microprism focusing aids. Those who wear eyeglasses will not be able to see the entirety of the focusing screen and will need to move their eyes to check both top and bottom. The prism has a built-in light meter which works by adjusting the dial on top of the prism to set the shutter speed and lens aperture and then transferring the information to the camera's shutter speed dial and the aperture ring on the lens. The meter has an ISO range of 6–3200, certainly broad enough for any film you are likely to encounter, and even though the camera's slowest shutter speed is 1/2 sec. the meter reads all the way to 8 secs which can be manually timed on the B setting. The latest version of the meter works quite well, particularly when working with extension tubes, bellows, tele converters, or lens attachments that reduce the light.
There's not much more to say about the camera body. The shutter release is on the front of the camera and it protrudes at an angle, and a convenient stop down lever sits next to it on the side of the lens mount protrusion. A button on the bottom that you slide in a slot and then press in opens the back. Two spool retainers on the bottom of the camera pull out and lock with a partial turn to load the film. Once the film is loaded you advance the it with the back open to line up the arrows on the backing paper with two red dots inside the camera. Close the back and operate the film advance lever and shutter release button until you have the number 1 in the film counter window, and you are ready to go. After the 16th frame, the film advance lever switches to free wheeling so you can wind off the backing paper without having to trip the shutter.
So, the camera is pretty basic in operation operation is quickly learned. Now on to the glass.
Kiev offers a broad range of lenses for the Kiev 69 and 645 cameras, ranging from fisheye to relatively long telephotos. In evaluating the Kiev 645, I borrowed most of them and shot test rolls. My favorite for studio use is the 150mm f/2.8 Caleinar-3B (82mm filter size). Because of the fast aperture this lens is a heft hunk of metal and glass but I found it well-balanced for handheld shooting. And I was really very impressed with the quality of images it produced. They are very sharp, with exceptionally good color saturation and contrast. As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, I have a 120mm Carl Zeiss (Jena) f/2.8 which I have had for a while and which I have always considered a super optic. I shout comparison photos with these two lenses with everything else in the studio identical, and the comparison of the photos shows that the Kiev lens is as good as the Zeiss, and perhaps even a hair better. That is fine performance indeed.
Comparison with the 250mm f/3.5 Jupiter 36b lens (82mm filter size) with a Zeiss 300mm f/4 showed images that were identical in quality as far as my eye could determine. I should mention that all of the Zeiss lenses I own are late models in black finish and are multicoated. In other words, some really fine lenses, and these lenses from Kiev are at least as good.
I also tested the 45mm f/3.5 MIR-26b (82mm filter size) and the 65mm f/3.5 MIR38b wide angle lenses and found them to be of exceptionally good quality as well.
So, to answer the question I am asked all the time, yes, you can get photos of truly professional quality from the Kiev cameras and lenses. The lenses, in fact, appear to be the optical equal of lenses that cost much more money. At the prices currently offered, the Kiev cameras and lenses make an excellent entry systems for anyone on a budget who wants to get into the world of medium format photography.
The only problem with the Kiev 60 is that I do not prefer a square film format. On the Kiev 88 this is not a problem since the film backs are interchangeable, and Kiev offers a 645 film back for this camera. Now this problem has been fixed with the introduction of the Kiev 645 from Kiev U.S.A. The Kiev 645 is exactly the same camera as the Kiev 60 but with the film aperture masked down to 645. and with a modified film advance to move the film the correct distance for the vertical 645 frame. The focusing screen has two scribed black lines to show the area covered by the 645 image.
Now, regular readers of my articles will know that one of my beefs with Japanese 645 cameras is that they all give 15 exposures on 120 film when the film is intended for 16 exposures in this format. I have never gotten a logical explanation for the peculiarity since there is plenty of room on the film, and can only surmise that it has something to do with wanting to keep things metric. Anyway, both the Kiev 88 with its 645 back and the new Kiev 645 give the full number of intended frames on the roll --- 16.
I noted earlier that the Kiev 645 produces its 645 frames in the vertical orientation. For me this is perfect, since at least 90 percent of my images are shot as verticals and my other cameras capable of shooting 645 require the arms of a contortionist to shoot verticals. I find myself less tired from a studio shoot with the Kiev 645 camera as a result.
In terms of features the Kiev 645 will not set the world on fire, but it has everything needed for excellent images. The shutter is a fabric roll blind type which has proved its durability over many years in many different cameras. Shutter speeds are from 1/2-1/1000 sec, and B for time exposures. Flash sync is a rather slow 1/30 sec which is perfectly fine for studio work but limiting for use outdoors with fill flash. The reflex mirror is not the "instant return" type, which means the viewfinder blackens after each exposure and you can only see through it again when you advance the film to the next frame. The camera is supplied with a 90º prism which makes its handling just like a 35mm SLR but with the nice feature that the prism can be removed for those times when you want a "waist level" view. The view throught the prism is very bright and contrasty, making focusing very easy. The focusing screen has both a split image and microprism focusing aids. Those who wear eyeglasses will not be able to see the entirety of the focusing screen and will need to move their eyes to check both top and bottom. The prism has a built-in light meter which works by adjusting the dial on top of the prism to set the shutter speed and lens aperture and then transferring the information to the camera's shutter speed dial and the aperture ring on the lens. The meter has an ISO range of 6–3200, certainly broad enough for any film you are likely to encounter, and even though the camera's slowest shutter speed is 1/2 sec. the meter reads all the way to 8 secs which can be manually timed on the B setting. The latest version of the meter works quite well, particularly when working with extension tubes, bellows, tele converters, or lens attachments that reduce the light.
There's not much more to say about the camera body. The shutter release is on the front of the camera and it protrudes at an angle, and a convenient stop down lever sits next to it on the side of the lens mount protrusion. A button on the bottom that you slide in a slot and then press in opens the back. Two spool retainers on the bottom of the camera pull out and lock with a partial turn to load the film. Once the film is loaded you advance the it with the back open to line up the arrows on the backing paper with two red dots inside the camera. Close the back and operate the film advance lever and shutter release button until you have the number 1 in the film counter window, and you are ready to go. After the 16th frame, the film advance lever switches to free wheeling so you can wind off the backing paper without having to trip the shutter.
So, the camera is pretty basic in operation operation is quickly learned. Now on to the glass.
Kiev offers a broad range of lenses for the Kiev 69 and 645 cameras, ranging from fisheye to relatively long telephotos. In evaluating the Kiev 645, I borrowed most of them and shot test rolls. My favorite for studio use is the 150mm f/2.8 Caleinar-3B (82mm filter size). Because of the fast aperture this lens is a heft hunk of metal and glass but I found it well-balanced for handheld shooting. And I was really very impressed with the quality of images it produced. They are very sharp, with exceptionally good color saturation and contrast. As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, I have a 120mm Carl Zeiss (Jena) f/2.8 which I have had for a while and which I have always considered a super optic. I shout comparison photos with these two lenses with everything else in the studio identical, and the comparison of the photos shows that the Kiev lens is as good as the Zeiss, and perhaps even a hair better. That is fine performance indeed.
Comparison with the 250mm f/3.5 Jupiter 36b lens (82mm filter size) with a Zeiss 300mm f/4 showed images that were identical in quality as far as my eye could determine. I should mention that all of the Zeiss lenses I own are late models in black finish and are multicoated. In other words, some really fine lenses, and these lenses from Kiev are at least as good.
I also tested the 45mm f/3.5 MIR-26b (82mm filter size) and the 65mm f/3.5 MIR38b wide angle lenses and found them to be of exceptionally good quality as well.
So, to answer the question I am asked all the time, yes, you can get photos of truly professional quality from the Kiev cameras and lenses. The lenses, in fact, appear to be the optical equal of lenses that cost much more money. At the prices currently offered, the Kiev cameras and lenses make an excellent entry systems for anyone on a budget who wants to get into the world of medium format photography.
This article ©1997 Shutterbug Magazine (January 1997). Reproduced and used by permission.
