We know more or less the lineage between the Contax II and the very early Kiev: the Dresden parts sent to Kiev, machine tools made at Jena, the first Jena Contax, then Jena Kiev. Then, all that to Kiev.

The things are more confused for the Kiev III. Probably 2 or 3 only were made in 1947, some very rare in 1948, perhaps some tens in 1949. For an unknown reason, it seems the Kievs III were made at Jena till 1950, before a real production from 1952 in Kiev.

This camera has some external features of wartime Contax III. The lightmeter is a 9-33 10° DIN (changed during the war on the Contax III M series). It reacts faintly to light. The feather of the rewind button is a typical Dresden production.

Some details are Jena's: the "3" with a round top (counter and distance scale). And the back/bottom is exactly the same as on the Jena Contaxes (and Kiev 1950).

Serial numbers: 490106, lens ZK 4903695 (Jacques M. collection).