Soviet "spy" camera

For the good of the Party, Comrades! <p>

 

Okay, it's not really a spy camera (as far as I know). But I just got this really cool miniature Soviet camera

on eBay. It seems to be really well made, everything on it is metal. It came with the original box, a case, and

even the original instructions! (In Russian, of course). I haven't even taken any pictures with it yet, and I

already love this little camera! It's awesome! <p>

 

<img src="http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f86/gatewaycityca/kiev30sovietcamerasmall.jpg"> <p>

 

What really attracted me to it is that it has manual exposure control. It's completely manual - you set the

shutter speed, the aperture, and even the focus. The seller had said it's a 110 camera, and I had never seen a

110 camera with manual exposure control before. So I REALLY wanted it then. The only little problem is that

it's actually not a 110 camera. It uses 16mm film, which would be okay since 16mm is the same size as 110. But

it uses a really weird cartridge, with unpeforated film. <p>

 

<img src="http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f86/gatewaycityca/Kiev30SovietCameraBsmall.jpg"><p>

 

I think I found where I can get film slit into 16mm and loaded into cassettes. I found a website that

specializes in miniature film. But my other problem is where to get the film developed. I called Dwayne's

Photo, and I thought that they could develop it since they develop 110 film. But when I explained what I wanted

to do, and that I was using re-loaded cartridges, the lady I talked to said that they really don't like

developing film from re-loaded cartridges because they've had problems with the film not being cut straight and

having film damaged.<p>

 

So I have a couple of questions that I was hoping you guys could help me with. I can develop black and white

film myself, and I have a darkroom for develop B&W prints. I was thinking that for now maybe I can just order

black and white film, and then I could develop it myself. But I don't think my developing reel will work with

small film like 16mm. Could I just tape the end of it to a little bit of scrap 35mm film and load it onto the

reel that way? Has anyone ever done that before? <p>

 

The other question I have is where I could get color 16mm film developed? Dwayne's Photo would normally do it

(since they even develop 16mm movie film) but they just don't want to develop custom-slit film like this. Does

anyone know a lab who would do it? Or, where can I get C-41 color film in 16mm? I'll load the cartridge myself

if I have to. I just can't find any C-41 16mm film. All the 16mm I've found so far is movie film that uses E-6.

I want color prints.<p>

 

By the way, this is the website where I'm planning to get the film from:<p>

 

http://www.subclub.org/sponsors/goathil2.htm <p>

 

The website is old, from 2004. But apparently, he's still in business because I saw a post on Flickr from just a

few weeks ago by someone who just bought 110 film from him.

<p>Nikor Products made <a href="http://www.submin.com/general/collection/accessories/nikor_16mm.htm">16mm reels</a>. They show up fairly regularly on eBay, but of course not as common as the 135 and 120 reels! Best solution for B&W film. Item <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320657663735">320657663735</a> on eBay is one that sold recently for $17.50.<br /> There's a non-Nikor one on eBay right now, item <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260739700592">260739700592</a>, buy-it-now at $19.91. Probably will work fine.<br /> As for color, any dip and dunk pro lab should be perfectly happy to handle them, so long as they trust you not to turn in B&W film for processing in their color lines. (Makes an awful mess when the emulsion melts, ruins other customers' film!) Dip and dunk doesn't care about the width of the film.<br /> Also, an intelligently staffed leader card processing machine (like the Fuji one) should be able to process 16mm film just like they do 120 film. So that would handle C-41. Just slit down Portra 160 or 400.</p>

<p>You might try Blue Moon Camera in Portland, Oregon. They specialize in subminiture processing and will be sure to return your empty cartridge. A film slitter is not too hard to build and you could try to locate an old Yankee brand developing tank with a reel that will adjust down to 16mm. Then you can develop B&W film yourself and send off any C-41 you shoot.</p>

<p>Chris,<br>

I am pretty much positive that old Soviet reels for that cameras are available. Those cameras were pretty common I seen a lots of them on shelves.</p>

<p>In any event, cool!</p>

Minox film format?<br><br>P.S.<br>To answer that myself: no.

<p>Chris, I just happen to have a Yankee daylight tank that will do 16mm. Send me an email with your address and I'll send it to you.<br>

Also, I have dealt with Goat Hill before and they can probably get you some film. They sent me some single perforated 16mm Tmax 400 once that was and end of a roll. If the camera you bought doesn't expose the entire surface of the film, perforated may work fine in it.</p>

<p>Goat hill is MinMan ( minolta specialist) in Colorado.<br>

His name is JOE P MCGLOIN. I spoke to him last august.<br>

he sells slitters. and film you can find his ad in "the sub club"<br>

If the only problem with Dwaynes, can you find c-41 movie film.<br>

Kodak makes e-6 iso 100 film and fuji makes iso 50 e-6 film<br>

since it is commercial maybe Dwayes would be willing to process it<br>

The old FR special plastic film developing tank<br>

( the darling of adult photo courses) had a 16mm reel attachment.<br>

the main difference was the center part was not as long.<br>

Possibly a standard adjustable reel could be modifies to take 16mm.<br>

With this tank the center post is D shaped and the reel flanges slide off.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Regarding processing, <strong>John Shriver</strong>'s right about leader card film processing. For all formats other than 35mm, the film is stripped from the cassette or backing paper in a darkbox, and loaded into a generic cassette with the leader protruding. This is then taped to a plastic leader sheet and fed into the roller-processor. 16mm film's not a problem to process, but commercial printing would be hard to find! Fascinating little camera, BTW!</p>

<p>Gud luk, Comrade!</p>

<p>This is what is great about this forum. Chris finds an interesting camera and in short order finds some very helpful answers to his questions.</p>

<p>this might be of interest to you, just came across it while looking for ways to waste money I don't have:)<br>

http://cgi.ebay.ca/4-film-cassetes-camera-kiev-30-303-30m-/190516954338?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c5bb204e2</p>

<p>One more endorsment for Goat Hill. I bought a film slitter from him (in person!). Great guy!. I've been slitting my own bw film (16mm) and I have been developing in an old yankee tank. The first couple of times I did it loose in my other tank and it still worked well! Have fun!</p>

<p>I have both the FSU version and the Minolta 16 camera. Just for your information, the cassettes do not interchange. The device in the camera called the driver(not to be confused with digital speak) is not the same size in each case, thus the cassette from one camera will not fit or operate in the other camera. Have fun with this new venture. There are lots of information on the 'net for splitting 35mm film. My independent camera shop (yes there are a few) is willing to soup any size C 41 film (even 8mm Minox or 16mm Minolta) but is unable to print or make a CD. Scanning may be available on a DIY basis with a homemade negative carrier.</p>

<p>To expand slighly on what Paul pointed out about the cassettes I think the Minolta cassette will work in the Kiev but the Kiev cassette will not fit the Minolta cameras. It is handy to have a few extra cassettes and I have over the years obtained 10 Minolta cassettes for my 16II. </p>

<p>Although scanning the negs can be a problem a few people have had success using a DSLR with a bellows macro setup to photograph them. The Kiev neg is about 12mm X 17mm so an APS crop sensor DSLR would have to go to a ratio of approx 1.3 X 1 to fill the frame. I am setting up now to photograph my 1/2 frame negs with a Olympus E410 and an adapted 55mm f2.8 Vivitar Macro in m42 mount. The setup seems to work well and I can print up to 8 X 10 on a ink jet printer with good results. I've just started with this and have only printed a couple of negs so there is still a lot of work to do.</p>

Hi guys,

 

Thanks so much for all the replies! I'm so anxious to try out this little camera! The only problem right now is the film. I went on the Goat Hill website, and I tried to email Joe but I haven't gotten a reply from him yet. I really would like to order from him, but I'm not even sure if I had the right email address. The only email address I could find is one for PayPal, and I just took a guess and sent the email there. The message didn't bounce, so apparently it is still a valid address. I just have no way of knowing if he's still using it. He really needs to update his website and make it easier for people to contact him online if they have questions.

 

If anyone is still in contact with Joe, please ask him to get in touch with me. I'm REALLY anxious to try out this little camera. If he can slit some 16mm B&W film (with no perforations), I'd gladly order it right now.

 

OR, if anyone happens to have some B&W 16mm film and could send me some, I'd pay you for it. I really just need the film itself. I have a couple of cartridges for the camera, and I could load them myself if I have to. Just send it in a 35mm container or something else light proof. If so, please email me.

<p>"But my other problem is where to get the film developed."<br />=====================================<br />Benn there done that. Why don't you develop the film yourself. Jobo sells 16mm reels to go with their tanks, although I'm not sure if they are still available, but you can find other manufacturers that sell 16mm reels on eBay. I went as far as making prints from my Minolta MG16 "spy camera". Had to buy a 28mm lens for my enlarger. ebay use to sell refrigirated Kodak B&W film reels that you had to cut with a film-slitter to get it into a 16mm cartridge. It was a real PITA. I also bought tons of bulbs to use with the flash. When digital came around I gave all that up.</p>

Harry,

 

I can develop B&W film and prints myself. That's not a problem. I've been doing that for a while now. But I just don't know how to develop color film.

<p>I have one of these cameras, too. Julia brought it home from Russia, along with several rolls of Svema film. The first roll is still in the camera, but my hopes are not high for its quality, based on the same film in other formats I have shot and processed. Not that Svema is a bad film, just that mine is very outdated. </p>

<p>You might look into getting some 16mm Kodak Imagelink HQ microfilm. It's unperf'd, and comes in long bulk rolls. I have a few rolls of the stuff in 35mm and get quite nice results from it. It's slow, at EI 25-50, but extremely sharp and absolutely grain-less. Here's an example:</p>

<p><a href="

<p> </p>

Jay, I have never heard of that kind of film before. So is that what they use for microfilm machines? Like when newspaper articles are put on microfilm? I never would have thought of using something like that! That's an interesting idea!

Ok Chris.. I see the Russian problem.. Good luck overcoming the film problem!

Well, Chuck it looks like I solved the film problem too! I finally got in touch with Joe McGloin at Goat Hill Photo by email. I just sent a money order to him for 3 cartridges. So hopefully soon, I'll be ready to start shooting some pictures with this very cool little camera!