Topic: Arax cameras?

[Kayos]

My mission to buy a medium format that wasn't one of the box systems (Hasselblad, Bronica, Mamiya etc) lead me to a Kiev 60

In theory ideal for what i want, as its all in one, so no danger of leaving a back or something, however the one i purchased was less than perfect, and despite what the seller told me it clearly had been apart before, my current issues are it doesnt fire properly at all speeds, an the film advance is random at best.

While searching for answers i came across http://araxfoto.com/cameras/arax-60mlu-body/ Basically a brand new Kiev 60 thats been upgraded and sorted out for $249

As i have a lens, prism and WLF it seems a decent price, but will it just turn into another shelf ornament within weeks?

[Urban Hafner]

How about my recently CLAd Pentacon Six instead?

https://flic.kr/p/sg7ePc

[Ezzie]

Handled both the 60 and the Six, and the latter is much more refined, and svelte. The 60 however does have a bigger and more bright TTL prism. There are adapters for fitting Kiev prisms on an a Six if one should be so inclined.

[Kayos]

How about my recently CLAd Pentacon Six instead?

https://flic.kr/p/sg7ePc

How much? PM if you like

Did the EOS turn up yet? think it was posted Wednesday on a standard service

Handled both the 60 and the Six, and the latter is much more refined, and svelte. The 60 however does have a bigger and more bright TTL prism. There are adapters for fitting Kiev prisms on an a Six if one should be so inclined.

The 60 is about the only Russian camera i can stand to use, so if the Six is better then im interested

[Francois]

Well, it is comparing Russian and German quality...

[Urban Hafner]

I'll get back to you tomorrow. If not then please PM me.

And no the EOS hasn't turned up, yet. I noticed that packages from the UK take surprisingly long to arrive.

[Terry]

I had one of Gevorg Vartanyan's (Arax) rebuilt Kiev 60s and I liked it a lot--he sorted out all the usual Soviet-camera quirks except the noise factor.  Whenever I fired the shutter it made a very loud clunking sound--probably due to the size of the body (it makes a very effective resonating chamber).  I would reckon that the best reason to go with the Pentacon would be the CZJ lenses--the Biometar 120 is a beautiful thing.

[zapsnaps]

I have an Arax prism finder on my Blad and it's well made for the price - no complaints at all.

[Urban Hafner]

I had one of Gevorg Vartanyan's (Arax) rebuilt Kiev 60s and I liked it a lot--he sorted out all the usual Soviet-camera quirks except the noise factor.  Whenever I fired the shutter it made a very loud clunking sound--probably due to the size of the body (it makes a very effective resonating chamber).  I would reckon that the best reason to go with the Pentacon would be the CZJ lenses--the Biometar 120 is a beautiful thing.

Actually the Kiev 60 (and the 88) has the same mount as the Pentacon Six so you can mix and match those bodies and lenses.

[Ezzie]

Not the 88, but the 88CM, the 60 and Six (and later Exakta 66) share the same mount. The 88 has the old mount.

[Francois]

Personally, I always had a weak spot for the look of the Exakta 66

[Terry]

Right you are, Urban.  I just tried a Kaleinar 3B on a P6 body and it fits perfectly.  The aperture interlock even works!  Anybody want a Kaleinar 3B? 

[scapevision]

Might as well go for a Pentax 67

[Urban Hafner]

Did the EOS turn up yet? think it was posted Wednesday on a standard service

And yesterday the EOS 500N arrived.