Kiev 88 and the like - not for pros, or just substandard?

[hs0zfe]

I read some articles on the Hartblei TS lens and was wondering about the Ukranian made Kiev Hasselblad copies.

I heard they are mechanically problematic, sometimes brute force is needed.

What about the lenses?

Some 20 years ago, I bought a Russian made "Lubitel" TLR for 6x6 which turned out to be both, plastic and junk. Those Kiev's sell in the standard configuration for about $ 100 / EUR 80 on eBay. What's your verdict? Have you tried more of their lenses than the standard 80 mm?

[eronald]

I read some articles on the Hartblei TS lens and was wondering about the Ukranian made Kiev Hasselblad copies.

I heard they are mechanically problematic, sometimes brute force is needed.

What about the lenses?

Some 20 years ago, I bought a Russian made "Lubitel" TLR for 6x6 which turned out to be both, plastic and junk. Those Kiev's sell in the standard configuration for about $ 100 / EUR 80 on eBay. What's your verdict? Have you tried more of their lenses than the standard 80 mm?

The shutter is s**t. Optics are ok. There was a company in Germany that put cloth shutter sin the Kievs. At that price, how can you go wrong ?
There are also some prism-finder ex-east german MF cameras around.

Edmund

[ixpressraf]

These camer'a are just different, from an other millennium, othet world. Lenses are sh*t, body is sh*t, east european lenses CJZ-lenses are soso usuable but never at mamiya or hasselblad level...... but they render the world in a very beutifull way. I simply love russian optics because of it's weaknesses that can be used for special effects. For that reason we had a Kiev adapted to fit a hasselblad diital back. looks strange but works fin.

[Thomas Krüger]

You can check Foto Wiese at Hamburg, they are specialized on russian equipment:
http://www.wiese-fototechnik.de/e/etop_1.htm

[A.K.]

Bodies are horrible, people spend more time forcing them to work then taking photos. Lenses are quite similar. But I know several people who are making rather good and moody shots with Kiev and CZJ optics. http://www.photosight.ru/users/18985/