Kiev 60 is a medium formatSLR film system camera manufactured by Arsenal Factory, in Kiev, Ukraine, former USSR, and produced between 1984-99. Киев = Kiev is the capital of the Ukraine.
The Kiev 60 is inspired by the Pentacon Six, but contrary to wide-spread claims, it is not strictly accurate to call it a Soviet Union copy, it has been very substantially re-designed. So the Kiev 60 is a newer design than the Pentacon Six. They share the same principles and the lens bayonet but nothing else. So, you can use many of the Pentacon Six lenses.
If ever there is a camera which doesn't deserve its bad reputation, it's the Kiev 60.
It is one of the best deals for anyone wanting to do amateur medium format photography.
With the prism, it looks, feels and handles like an overgrown 35 mm SLR.
The company Arax has upgraded Kiev 60 cameras from the beginning of the 2000s decade.
There are 3 types and 4 subtypes of Kiev-60 TTL [1][2][3][4]
Lens: Arsenal Volna-3 MC (ВОЛНА), 80mm f/2.8, automatic diaphragm, interchangeable
Mount: Kiev Type C, breach-lock, (same with Pentacon Six),
Filter thread 62mm,
Aperture: f/2.8 - f/22,
Focus range: 0.6-10m +inf
Lens release: Via turning the ring on front of the lens mount
Focusing: Fresnel matte screen w/ central microprism collar around the split image rangefinder, ring on the lens
Focusing is possible only when shutter cocked, thus mirror goes down and diaphragm sets to full aperture
DOF lever: Two, on the lens and on the right of the lens mount (work when the shutter cocked),
Shutter: Curtain-type cloth focal plane shutter, setting: dial on the left of the top plate, horizontal travel, speeds: 2-1/1000 +B
Shutter release: On the right front side of the body, obliquely positioned, w/ cable release screw
Shutter cocking lever: Also winds the film, on the right of the top plate,
Frame counter: Auto-reset, additive type, minute window display beside the cocking lever, after auto-resetting the letter H (Cyrillic) instead of usual S letter appears in the display
Mirror: Not instant return, the shutter must be cocked for down position (Some variations offered withmirror lockup feature)
Viewfinder: Eye-level SLR pentaprism finder, interchangable with waist level finder
Releasing: Two symmetrical siver knobs on both side of the prism, left one locks
Exposure meter: Full aperture TTL CdS, cell in prism, metering zone is the oval shaped, central part of the viewfinder field, (full aperture metering depends on the shutter cocking)
ASA range: 9-1000, setting: on the complex calculator dials knob on the prism finder
Exposure meter on switch: Right side of the prism finder, auto turns-off after 15 seconds
Metering: Two red LED light in the viewfinder, for correct exposure they must be seen in the same time by turning the calculator dials, over exposure: only right hand one is on, left hand one under exposure
Exposure setting: Cock the shutter first, set the ASA number on the calculator dial, set the aperture ring of the dial to the actual lens aperture, then turn the outer speeds ring of dial till the two red LEDs appear simultaneously in the finder, then set camera's speed dial to the alligned speed with your aperture on the calculator
Others: Cold-shoe on the special arm screwed to the front of the body;PC sync socket, X- sync. 1/30; Film speed memory dial; Strap buttons; Tripod socket: old type 3/8inch, w/ an adaptor screw for modern 1/4'inch
Film loading: The beginning index arrow of the film paper must be alligned to the red index mark over the film way, close the cover and then make three blank shots so the counter shows 1
Engravings on the back of the top plate: Arsenal logo and serial no. the first two digits show the manufacturing year
Battery: 4.5v, (eg. 3x LR44/PX675/RM675), for metering only
Battery chamber: left backside of the prism
Body: Metal; Weight: 1.95 kg. w/ 80mm lens
Kiev-60 TTL (1991) Image by Süleyman Demir (Image rights)
↑ According to Alaxander Komarov in Fotoua. You can also find serial numbers for dating of the cameras in this site. There is another former USSR cameras classification and info by Aidas Pikiotas in SovietCams
↑ There are usefull books about cameras of former USSR and have classifications also.
Princelle, Jean Loup - Made In USSR - The Authentic Guide To Russian And Soviet Cameras, Le Reve Edition, 2004 (ISBN 2952252106 (ISBN13: 9782952252102) Paperback
In Russian
1200 Cameras from USSR by Suglob, Shaternik, Kochergin, 2009 , more info about book
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