just bought a weird 1955 Kiev II :)

Just see :

http://cgi.ebay.fr/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=110320909003&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=001

The lens is a mix between a Jupiter 8 and an Industar 22 - go figure !
Nethertheless I bought the item mostly for the Kiev II body. "Kiev" name is executed using <i>engraving</i> on the front plate. I believe it's only around 1954-1955 that such camera where produced. Any comments ???

Best,
Jed

Congrats Jed! It's a nice homemade piece! Glad to see you get it! Sorry for driving your price up! [;)][:D][:D] Now I know who I was bidding against LOL.

Vlad

Hello Vlad !

[:)] Despite obviously never produced at Arsenal or Kmz the lens is valuable to me. I'll test it with film and show results.
I've got the camera at a very reasonable price considering the recent price increase. I was planning to spend 60 usd
That front plate is very uncommon.

Best,
Jed

Hi Jed,
What an interesting combination!
The lens doesn't seem to be straight on the picture, but it's probably a problem of parallax.
Very curious to see your results indeed.

Amitiés. Jacques.

Lens is probably collapsible and not straight. As far as the front plate goes It is held on by six screws. I will make any combination that you want to pay for!

Hello,

I've got the camera [:)]



Here's a close up picture of the front plate :

http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/Ré-exposition de PICT0729.JPG

http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/Ré-exposition de PICT0729.JPG

Now see an early Kiev 4a front plate :

http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/PICT0008.JPG

http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/PICT0008.JPG

Nathan is right, it's easy to remove the front plate but I believe that camera is genuine - ( forgot the lens and the flash synchro neither were an Arsenal manufacture [:D] ).

Please see the DVD technik database :
http://www.dvdtechcameras.com/collect/arsenal/arsenal.htm

He owns same model s/n 541866. Mine is 552219. It's only assumption but maybe Arsenal produced few cameras around 1954 or 1955 with that uncommon front plate.

The Jupiter-Industar lens is 'rigid'. To me the rear element is too far out from the film. I'll test it anyway [:)]

Best,

Jed

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="MS Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by nathandayton</i>
<br /> As far as the front plate goes It is held on by six screws.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

You're wrong, it's seven screws [:D]
The hidden one is sometime hard to remove [}:)]

Best,
Jed

Hello,

Here's what I've got with the lens :
(note the lens is hazy and there's numerous cleaning marks on both front and rear elements ; film is Polypan F, aperture is f4, shutter speed 1/25)

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

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

The print is better, really. The lens is average.
Anyway, focusing is ok. Hats off to an unknown repairman [8)]

Best,
Jean