just want to show you one of my nicest camera, a Kiev II from 1951. It is in very fine condition and works as smooth as my Contax II from 1936, easy winding and a really quiet shutter release sound *bzzzzz* :-) I have mounted a post-war Sonnar 1,5/50 to it.
This Sonnar costs me several hours... the aperture blades have gone out of there position, but I've had the time and a steady hand to put them back in place. They are so thin and light weighted, a little breath blows them away and you have to start again ;-)
I have a Kiev III with an "A" as part of the serial number. It is from 1953 and has some Contax parts! All other Kievs I own have the cyrillic letter like a "B" in the name. Does anybody know what the "A" means?
interesting thread. Btw, my Kiev III is from 1952, not from 1953. Here are two pictures, on the first one you can see the "F" below the rewind knob (so it's a Contax part, I don't know if there are more Contac parts on the camera), the secons shows the "A" in the accessorie shoe: