Kiev 60

The Kiev 60 (TTL) is a medium format camera and the successor of the Kiev 6C. The Arsenal company built it in 1984 in the Soviet Union, today’s Ukraine. At the beginning of the 2000s, a revised version of the 120 camera was presented by Arax.

The lenses of the Kiev 60 are interchangeable. For this purpose a Praktisix bayonet / Pentacon Six bayonet / P6 bayonet was used. The medium format camera is often used with the Volna-3 MC 80 mm f/2.8 camera and the Kiev 60 has no autofocus. Therefore, you have to focus by hand. The subject is targeted by a prism viewfinder. If desired, it can be replaced by a light shaft viewfinder attachment.

The Kiev 60 has an exposure meter for photographing. This is located in the viewfinder attachment and is designed for an ISO range from 9 to 1000. Exposure is determined by SLR when measured by the lens (TTL). The aperture and exposure time are freely adjustable.

The medium format camera comes with a Bulb setting option. With the Bulb setting, it stays open as long as the photographer holds the shutter release button down. An external flash unit can be used via the PC flash socket.

Films for the Kiev 60

The Kiev 60 takes pictures on 120 film. These types of films are still produced by some manufacturers around the world. For black-and-white medium format shots, the Kodak T-Max 400* a good choice. For color images you can use the Fujifilm PRO 400H*.

The Kiev 60 is a camera that exposes images in 6×6 format. With this picture format, there is already a film change after twelve shots necessary. The Kiev 60 can also be used with 220 films. A 220-film contains twice as many photos of a 120-roll film. The use of this type of film makes little sense, because they are expensive and hard to get. For the next frame, the photographer has manually wind the camera.

The medium format camera has a connection for a cable release. There is also a thread for a tripod. Important, it is a 3/8″ thread, so not the “normal” tripod thread. With a suitable adapter, you can also screw the camera onto normal tripods.

The weight of the camera is given as 1559 grams.

The Kiev with the Volna-3 80mm f/2.8

Kiev 60 with the Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 80 mm f/2.8

Sample photos

Taken with the Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 80 mm f/2.8 at f/2.8

Taken with the Volna-3 80 mm f/2.8 at f/2.8

These two images were taken with the Kiev 60 on Fomapan 100. The film was developed with the Ars-Imago MB Monobath. The temperature was 19 degrees and the film was in the developer for 8 minutes.

Kiev 60, Fomapan 100, Adox Atomal 49

Kiev 60, Fomapan 400, Adox Atomal 49

Kiev 60, Tessar 80mm f/2.8, Fomapan 100, Adox Atomal 49, Stock, 7 min

Kiev 60, Tessar 80mm f/2.8, Fomapan 100, Adox Atomal 49, Stock, 7 min

Ilford HP5

Ilford HP5

Ilford HP5

Video