[Leica] Contax/Kiev

[Mark Langer <"mlanger@ccs"@ccs.carleton.ca>]

Let me add to the answers about the Contax and Kiev a suggestion that
people seek out a nice Kiev 5.  This has many of the virtues of the
earlier Contaxes and Kievs (except for the neat focus wheel on the body)
and adds to them a wonderfully contrasty rangefinder with parallax-compensated
bright line finder, with bright lines for 50mm and 85mm.  Using the entire
finder gives you a good, but non-parallax compensated 35mm and the
rangefinder patch is an adequate 135mm.  The camera is nicely finished and
has a built-in meter and side-mounted rewind crank.  While the film
advance is not exactly M Leica smooth, it works well with both lever and
knob wind - this is the only camera that I can think of with this feature.

The downside is that the camera is somewhat bulkier than the earlier
Kiev/Contaxes, and not as well balanced in the hand with the 50mm lens
mounted.  However, it is better balanced with the 85mm f2 mounted.  And I
can say from experience that it is a joy to use.

The Kiev 5 indicates the direction that Zeiss might have gone in to
produce a camera more competitive with the M Leica.  Definitely one of the
great examples of an underrated camera.