"A" prefix s/n KIEV III

http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/IMGP1253 - copie 1.JPG

http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/IMGP1253 - copie 1.JPG

Hi Michel,

well it's not only the "A" the font for numbers is completely different in both cases as well.. I would just guess they've replaced their engraving equipment in these 3 years of manufacturing these cameras... it just seems logical.

Look at number "7" in my 2 examples:

http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/IMG_1235.JPG

http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/IMG_1235.JPG

http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/IMG_1236.JPG

http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/IMG_1236.JPG

Vlad

Hello,

My 1954 Kiev III has the same s/n engraving-type like Michel's 1951 camera. So maybe they added another equipment around 1954.
Thanks for posting this.

Best,
Jed

Hi Michel,

I owned a 1952 Kiev III without A.
That one had a normal Gost lightmeter...
I don't know if that will give you some water for your mill! [:D]

Amitiés. Jacques.

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="MS Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Michel</i>
<br />Hi all,

Can we imagine that the change of lightmeter type (from DIN to GOST) occured within the year 1954, between s/n 54 0033 and 54 7659 and that this change, due to a lack of Zeiss lightmeters, was the occasion to change the s/n prefix from sharp "A" to square "A" ?

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

IMHO GOST meters should be seen as the meters supplied right from the early 50's. DIN meters are the exception, they are uncommon. Obviously 1954 is a key year. You can hardly find DIN meter onto a 1955 Kiev III. Maybe the Soviets produced some DIN meters. If not this means they still owned some Zeiss parts around 1954, very weird. I can't vouch for that, it's only assumption again.

To follow Michel, it would be interesting to know if the "A" has something to do with the GOST or DIN lightmeter...
Why is there an "A" rather than nothing? And why during several years?

Jacques.

Michel,

interesting, maybe it seems to be so.

My Kiev III are as following:
"Sharp" A: serial 523403, with meter in DIN and maybe other Contax-Parts.
"Square" A: serial 550170, 551468, GOST meter
"russian" B: serial 544086 and GOST meter.

All with "KNEB" block engaving. There is also one III from 1955 with both latin and cyrillic engraving that has the russian B in the shoe.

Ulrich

http://fotos.cconin.de

I want to add some numbers of the A prefix Kiev III for this thread.
For some reason only our European friends show interest in the subject:-)

Kiev III A524327 sharp A DIN meter
Kiev III A531409 sharp A GOST meter
Kiev III A535253 sharp A DIN meter
Kiev III A548855 square A GOST meter
Kiev III A549780 square A GOST meter

Also,

Kiev III B541139 Russian "B" GOST meter

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="MS Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Michel</i>
<br />About the prefix s/n letters on KIEV III, I had a doubt about those "flat" and "sharp" A.
So, looking again to Princelle, I found the cyrilic alphabet...
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Don't use the Princelle's book as a reference book to the cyrilic alphabet! This is well known, but the crazy font... I don't know it origin, may be from Apple...

The "square A" is the russian "A", not "D".

I agree with Zoom that it looks like just a different style of "A" not a "D". Also, I doubt that the "A" and "B" designation have anything to do with the actual type of light meters (GOST or DIN ... Zeiss or KIEV)). Usually serial numbers are more a reference for the factory, during production, for the records, and in case a camera is returned for repair or some other reason. Which light meter is being used in a camera would be easily clear from looking at the meter itself ... no need to see a letter to identify it.
I was thinking that these letters may have more to do with identification for a production line or facility and actually tells which production line the camera was made on .... or, possibly the production line or facility that the meter was made on.


Just another theory!



Regards, Bill

Michel,

The "D" (&#1044;) has to have a wider bottom base than the top half of the letter, that's the rule.. if it's blended together it's an "A".

Vlad

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="MS Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Michel</i>
<br />So, <i>"The "square A" is the russian "A", not "D""</i>
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Ä is Ä, À is À.

There is À:

http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/IMGP1252%20-%20copie%201.JPG

This is Ä (of course, this is not a proper shape of this letter, I made it from the previous picture with a minimum amendment, but it is definitely readable):

http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/kiev-possible-d-letter.jpg