Nice contasty finder. Inexpensive "disposable" medium format SLR. I did get some nice images from it while it was working, especially with the Zeiss 50mm Flektagon lens I had.

Yikes, where do I start. Kiev USA had to send ma a couple of their "reworked " cameras in order to get one the worked (sort of). The meter is a joke, the shutter and winding mechanisms are poorly designed. I had light streak problems, flare, overlapped frames, sticky apertures, a few very poor lenses that were replaced with some medoicre ones. Its heavy, has a 1/30 sec. flash sync. Finally gave up as it was obvious Kiev USA didn't know how to fix the problems which are inherent to the design.

I don't recommend the camera. With all due respect to those who have gotten many trouble free rolls out of their Kievs, I could not get a camera that worked right (even after several attempts) and would stay working right for longer than a few rolls. An exercise in frustration.

Customer Service

Kiev USA tried, but I got tired of sending things back and forth constantly.

Similar Products Used:

Pentax 645, Exakta 66, Pentacon 6

robust, very friendly user, sharp lens

abberant light meter, good knowledge in technical reparation need

good for student or boy scout, but too "fizzy friend" for real professionnal usage, but lens are wondeful with very cute image!

Customer Service

/?§??§§§??? i beg your pardon?

Similar Products Used:

Kiev 88, Mamiya 645, Exacta 66

* Cheap to start with
* Bright viewfinder
* Carl Zeiss Jena lens compatability

* Unreliable
* Inaccurate shutter
* Inaccurate meter
* Poor workmanship
* Poor overall quality

I do NOT recommend the Kiev 60. If you're looking for a low-budget entry into medium format, go for a Yashica or Rolleicord TLR. If you need interchangable lenses, go with a Mamiya C series TLR. My new, reworked Kiev 60 from Kiev Camera worked for one year, then promptly fell apart. Light leaks, bad flash syncs, inaccurate shutter speeds, a reflective film chamber that promotes in-camera flare are all commonplace with Kievs. The camera is heavy, yet poorly constructed from questionable materials. The Kiev will teach you that simpler is not necessarily better.

Customer Service

None available from factory
Excellent from Kiev Camera

Similar Products Used:

Bronica ETRSi
Mamiya 645
Yashica 124G
Mamiya C220
Pentacon Six TL
Rolleicord IV

Inexpensive, solidly built, bright prism viewfinder.

Raw and clunky mechanics, unwieldy and slow.

Although this is an inexpensive camera, I find it hard to like. It's simply too primitive, heavy and slow to work with. Maybe you could justify spending the money if you can get it very cheap. I'd rather buy an old Rolleiflex or Rolleicord or one of the japanese twin-lens reflex cameras (yashica, mamiya, etc.). I haven't used any of those, but they couldn't possibly be anything but better.

If you want to save money, you should also consider that you could wind up using more film working with the Kiev than withh a better camera.

Similar Products Used:

Hasselblad SWC, Rollei 6001

1) Bright viewfinder, 35mm SLR style handling;
2) Cheap lenses, those from Zeiss Jena are very good;
3) Commie aroma;
4) Great for tinkerer, fixing it is half the fun.

1) Temperamental and unreliable; it might built built like a tank, but in reality it's very fragile;
2) Useless meter;
3) Overlapping frames even after numerous adjustments;
4) Flash sync works less than 50% of the time.

Cheapness has its price. The cost of ruined pictures quickly surpassed the purchase price of this beast.

Customer Service

Consider this a do-it-yourself project.

Similar Products Used:

Rolleiflex and Minolta TLRs, Kiev 88s, Salyuts, Contax, Yashica and Nikon

Sharp lenses.
All Mechanical
Built like a tank
Accurate meter and shutter

Big and heavy
I got a good one, can be variable

Buy from a good dealer, check it out carefully and enjoy. No it isn't a Hassy or Bronica but then if it was I coudn't afford one. I have a reliable camera which takes good sharp pictures so I am happy!, just keep in mind that it isn't the latest in hi tech from a top name camera co. One star off the overall rating is simply due to its weight.

Customer Service

No problem at all with Kievcamera

Similar Products Used:

No other MF, Canon A1 and Zenit EM 35mm

Simple
Easy to Use
Like a large K1000
Outstanding Lenses
Easy to do closeups
A great MF introduction

Rough-like most Russian stuff
Film transport not updated for newer films (framespacing)
Meter is not really useful
Needs to have interior flocked

This is a basic camera - not a state of the art product. It is a K1000 in a world of EOS's. I think that too many expect too much - this is a great intorduction into medium format - not a professional tool. I adjusted my film transport as per instructions and it works fine. While the meter is pretty useless - it is a nice prism.
As the price for Yashicamats and Rollei's continue to climb to rediculous levels, this camera is a bargain

Customer Service

No problems
Bad lens replaced with new one

Similar Products Used:

Pentax 6x7
Bronica S2
Mamiya C220
Rolleiflex

Certainly affordable and an ideal back-up camera. While bulky and heavy, it's not as ponderous as some of the "lunch box" cameras. Zeiss lenses, in a wide variety if options, are also reasonably priced, and the 120mm is particularly sharp. Another advantage: Kiev 60 comes in 6x6 or 6x4.5 format.

Meter problems. Now using hand-held, but still saddled with the weight of a useless prism meter. Otherwise, no problems thus far. While the camera appears "rugged," other users claim the film advance lever is fragile - but so is the one on my Bronica. Repairs to the Bronica gears cost more than the Kiev 60 with lens. The number of accessories, comparied to other medium format camera, is somewhat limited.

For the price, the Kiev 60 camera and Zeiss lenses are affordable and serviceable. The lenses, when used at optimum aperture, i.e., f/8, are surprisingly crisp. Try to purchase from reputable dealer, such as Mike Fourman at Kiev Camera.

Customer Service

None requested so far. Decided not to deal with prism meter - using hand-held meter.

Similar Products Used:

Bronica, Mamiya, Rolleiflex, Nikon.

Excellent Optics
Wide Variety of inexpensive lens available
Very bright prism finder
Inexpensive MF system

External finish level
No mirror lock-up

After reading some of these reviews, I must be very lucky. Mine works flawlessly. Frame spacing is correct, and nothing comes close to over-lapping. The meter is accurate. Nothing mis-fires. The wind mechanism has been working well for over four years. And, supposedly, mine was not "re-worked", whatever that means. I simply bought mine from the cheapest place. I own the 45,65, 80, 150 and 250 lenses, plus the 2X extender, and they all perform very well. I agree that the chrome finish could be better, and that the camera or lenses are not text book examples of precision in the finish department, but all of mine are very sharp optically, and function quite well. All told I have about $1500.00 invested in a very versatile medium format system. I know of no other interchangable lens MF SLR system that would even get me into the body and the lens for that kind of money.

Customer Service

Never needed personally. However, a friend had his 60 repaired, and found Kiev USA to offer excellent service and competent repairs.

Similar Products Used:

Yashica MAT-124G
Mamiya C330

The price was the main attraction, but the quality of the camera although not up to japanese standards, is still quite good. Picture quality is good to excellent with high contrast in the f8-f22 range with 80mm lens. Russian lens quality is fairly high and cheap, but you also have the option to use Carl Zeiss Jena lenses that are shared by Pentacon and Exakta, but are considerably more expensive.

lenses tend to have dust particles in them due to poor quality control during construction and practically no inspection, but they can be easily cleaned if you have some experience doing that. Some flare problems can occur due to shiney surfaces in the mirror box, but can be remedied by some touch-up with flat black paint. The camera is a big mechanical SLR whose mirror and shutter slap hard and take some getting used to. It's best to use a tripod or monopod with this large heavy camera. Film should be advanced with one solid stroke of the wind lever, avoid ratcheting the lever. Film loading must be tight to avoid spacing problems, but once learned , is easy to do.

The Kiev 60 is rumored to be out of production, so their availability may change in the future as stocks deplete, and the price may go up. At the moment, it is one of the best entry level medium format cameras available, but the equipment is not overly rugid and must be handled with some care. The end results will surprise you, the pictures come out very sharp and contrasty, and good enlargements are easy to make. Zeiss lenses would even make the camera better.

Customer Service

Since the camera is made in the Ukraine, service from there is non existant, but several places in America service the cameras, also in Germany and Holland. Service is expensive and may cost more than the purchase price of the camera.

Similar Products Used:

I also own a Kiev 88, Yashica-Mat LM and EM, Minolta autocord and Ricoh Diacord G. The Kiev 60 handles better than all o