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KNeB IV and Contax IV

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[quote]Here are the Contax  IV and KNeB IV hybrids. They work quietly and, as requested, the meters are acceptably accurate as new cells were sourced...however, as they are from late 7os, they may have a limited life!
Both have the meter covers directly copied from the post war Contax, before they introduced the stamped ridges because the thin metal was vulnerable.
Indeed, one of the donors is dinted.
i love that they have the original style bodies.

All the donors were pretty rough, The genuine Contax III donor body left over from the Arsenal rebuild of another camera using it's shutter and meter parts.

Having been captivated by Kiev,I discovered that rough Contax III cameras were being offered for parts only at about £40 because repair costs were around £150 in UK,and similar,in USA.
One pair of   1958 Kiev 4 and 1956 Kiev 3 donors, now joined together, cost £65, bust, boy were they rough !!!
The 1957 Kiev 4 top plate and meter donors  was equally and  non working.
The spares KNeB fascia which Mike found for me  was a scratched ,so I  had little compunction using it.

With the donors, total cost was £150 each, which is daft considering that , at the time, I could have a Kiev II rebuilt for just £65+£30 shipping but Kiev 4 is my favourite.
My mind stumbles over Cyrillic script, but KNeB and Contax are OK.

No attempt was made to prettify the pair, they display the scars of both bodies and the top plates, as evinced by well used and generally abandoned cameras considered not worth saving.This resonates with my own experience of being less than 'real' people because I have memory and other problems and am confusingly inconsistent.
Maybe the finish on top plates and bodies don't quite match up, but the wear minimised this so that I just don't notice it.

I love the thought of saving two Contax II, one Contax III, another Contax III body, a rough Kiev 3a and a pair of dead Kiev 4 back to life.
All achieved with the dedication of the ex-Arsenal guys and Mike in Ukraine.

My genuine 1957 Kiev 4 is in itself, pretty worn,  although it is very quiet in operation, shutter speeds sound OK, and the rangefinder is clean and seems accurate.
I wonder if this well used camera has been CLA at some time.
This contrasts with my 1959 and 1963 Kiev 4 which are near mint.

Unfortunately, I can no longer justify the cost of film and developing, so my Kievs are now simply a comfort zone in the confusion of ASD. The KNeB IV arrived too late, but it was great to create the triptych with my 1957 Kiev 4.

dee

[img]http://www.ussrphoto.com/resize/resize_image.aspx?ImgWd=800&IptFl=/UserContent/1742014_1957 Kontax 4 .jpg[/img]
http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/1742014_1957 Kontax 4 .jpg

[img]http://www.ussrphoto.com/resize/resize_image.aspx?ImgWd=800&IptFl=/UserContent/1742014_1957 Kiev 4 top plates.jpg[/img]
http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/1742014_1957 Kiev 4 top plates.jpg
[/quote]

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