Test of "New" Lenses for Kiev 4a

[radiophoto]

When I bought Kirk's Kiev 4a a few months back, I was having trouble with the Jupiter-8M lens (the standard 50mm), and figured that it needed to be collimated.  I have neither the time, skill nor inclination to tackle such a project (unlike my buddy Scott), so I went seeking another one.  I ended up trading one of my cameras for both a Jupiter-8M and a Helios-103 (which is 53mm) from a guy in Israel.  They arrived yesterday and I tested them both with a short strip of Ultrafine + 100 film, then developed it in HC-110 dil. H for 10.5 minutes.   The results are here, and it looks like my higher speeds might not be accurate (see pic of tree branches, shot at 1/500).

Two other lenses are mentioned at the site, and those test pics will be posted soon.

[jake]

Lens testing is contagious! Sorry, I should have covered my mouth when I did mine. You probably caught what I have now.

Lens looks pretty good though. I'd agree with you on the shutter. Looks like a curtain is lagging a bit.

[jamesmck]

Looking good, Pete.  A while back I got a Kiev 4M, a Helios 103, and a Jupiter 12, and fell in love with this little "system."  So much so that when I came upon a Contax IIa with 1.5/50 Sonnar and 2.8/35 Biogon lenses, I couldn't resist.  I've hardly done more than test rolls with all this gear :mad: and need to remedy this.  So, I am very impressed that you used your lenses the day after they arrived.  I take it that you're happy with the Kiev 4a itself.  After handling and using my Kiev and the Contax it copied, I must say that I am impressed with the Ukrainian workmanship.  I'm not much of a lens tester, but I would like to compare the Jupiter 12 with the Biogon (of which it is a copy).

James

[Julio1fer]

Helios-103 is IMHO one of the best normal FSU lenses. Pity that shutter looks like trouble. Those Kiev lenses are quite excellent.

[jamesmck]

Pete - Which photo(s) indicate a shutter problem?

James

[radiophoto]

James, the one most obvious to me is the one of the tree branches -- I shot that one at 1/500, which is not the camera's fastest speed but it was the highest and one of only two I shot at that speed in this test.

I have now posted pics from the Zeiss Triotar (85 mm).

Thanks to all of you for your kind comments.  I was out today shooting a roll of color thru the Helios to see what rendition I get from that glass.

Truly, the only thing I'm unhappy about is the broken film counter.  It just spins freely.  Something I can live without, I guess.  Also, as far as the higher speeds go, I rarely use anything above 1/250 or 1/300 depending on the camera.  I'm capable of controlling the exposure with a lower speed and a tighter aperture.

[jamesmck]

Pete - Do you mean this one: http://www.f6point3studio.com/kiev_4a/thumbnails/400x300/helios-001.JPG?  I don't see shutter speeds indicated anywhere (maybe I'm missing them).  I know that my Contax IIa was not used for a long time before I got it, and I had some shutter sluggishness on some frames of the first roll.  You might want to try giving it some exercise (which, by now, you have already done).

James

[radiophoto]

No, it's this one, shot with the Jupiter-8M:



On my site, clicking on the thumbnail to bring the pic into the viewing area will also show captions and further descriptive comments.  For example...

Exercise is always a good idea.  I'll make my Kiev take the steps from now on, same as me.    Just so you know, the image above had a little contrast correction done before I posted it.  It was even worse than this in the initial scan.

[jamesmck]

Pete - I see what you mean.  It also looks like there's something scratch-like going across the frame at the border of the dark band.  FWIW, this (without the "scratch") resembles what I saw on some frames with my Contax.  I attributed this to sluggishness of the (vertical) shutter curtain.  Have you watched it with the back off?  Try 'dry-firing' the shutter 10 or so times at each of the speeds.  Maybe Brian Sweeney might have some thoughts.

James

[radiophoto]

James, thanks!  I'll do it.  I don't know where the scratch came from, it's on quite a few of the images.

[Dennis Gallus]

Hiya, Pete,

I'm just catching up on my NF reading after devoting a week of spare time to my IRS submission.  Reading NF is the better of the two activities. 

I caught the Kiev madness four years ago, and within a year had four Kiev-4's of different types and vintage.  All of them needed tweaking.  With the help of the Kiev Survival sight, and fortified by my buddy Jack Daniels, I eventually took two of them completely apart, immersed the shutter mechanisms in Ronsonal, tweaked the rangefinders, etc.  I got all the cameras back together and operating properly, so it can't be that tough.   I also sent a Kiev-4 to Fedka for a shutter ribbon replacement, and that was less of a success.  Yuri did try to make it good though, he seems like an honest gent.  Next time, I'll do the work myself.  In case you haven't found the Kiev Survival site,  http://www3.telus.net/public/rpnchbck/

I like the Jupiter-8 a lot, but my Helios-103 is sharper.  For smoothness of the out-of-focus areas, the Jupiter-8 wins hands down.  The Jupiter-12 is fantastically sharp, and can be had from the FSU for $45.  I've ordered three and have not gotten a lemon yet.

As usual, an interesting post from you.  Keep up the good work.

Dennis

[LarryD]

Pete to let you know Betty is on the way to Rose.. and you also have something coming your way but not a Kiev.. well not the one you thought as i got a buyer for it and not even wanting to... Seems they saw it on Flickr and offered a stupid amount... So stupid I took it....

[radiophoto]

Dennis, thanks for the site, I have now bookmarked it and will probably spend quite a bit of time there.  You are braver than I, digging into the guts of a camera.  I could probably do it, but not at the present time, while we're trying to get our house on the market.

I did a color film test of the Helios and wow!  That's a niiiiice lens.  Samples soon!

Thanks for your kind words, Dennis.

Larry, that's great!  Both that you finally got off your a$$ and got to the post office (what do you DO in your copious spare time, that's what I wanna know), and that you sold the Kiev. 

[LarryD]

LOL My spare time is 2 hours a day Monday to Friday and most Sundays it is zero. on Saturday I work at night and catch up in the morning.

[radiophoto]

I've now posted a few color pics using the Helios and Rite-Aid 200 film.  See page 3 of above link.  It was a very harshly sunny, cloudless afternoon (but nippy), and Keane was brave enough to get up at a great height to please his Pop.  There's some lens flare evident in two of these, so I'll have to look for a hood someplace.  What's the diameter of these lenses, anybody know?