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Kiev60 - 645 Explained
What is it ? , What does it do ? , Where does it comes from ? How is
it made ? Do I need a 645 ?
These are often asked questions about this Kiev60 model camera and
surprisingly it comes with a lot of mystery and confusion.
What is it ?.
The 645 is simply a Kiev60 that produces images on the negative in the
size of 60mm by 45mm instead of the normal 60mm by 60mm.
What does it do ?.
Users that are familiar with 35mm cameras are familiar with the
portrait / landscape rectangle that they have been getting from these
cameras.
As medium format cameras are more traditional is some ways , support
for the square format has not been dropped.
Over the years many different types , sizes and styles of film formats
have come and gone , but the 6X6 remains proving its versatility
and popularity amongst the photographic community.
Once you get your mind in tune with the 6X6 view it becomes natural.
Now unlike 35mm cameras which have the widest dimension of the negative
in a horizontal plane in the Kiev 645 it is in the vertical plane
instead.
This is so the user can get 16 frames on the roll instead of the normal
12.
Sounds great so far doesn't it ? , In practice though to take a
picture in landscape view you will have to rotate the camera onto its
side.
Normal camera orientation will make an image in portrait dimensions.
For many users that take horizontal landscape pictures rotating the
camera on its side to achieve this with the 645 is an annoyance.
Where does it comes from ?
This is the biggest area of misconfudelation out there.
Some say that they are made this way , some say they are from the
factory engineers and still some others say they are after production
modifications by individuals.
The low down is this ---
1.The Kiev factory NEVER made the 60 model in 645 format !
2.It is unlikely that factory engineers (did engineers ever even work
at the Kiev factory?) supported by the Arsenal factory do this work in
company time , especially on a model camera that is no longer on the
production line.
What's in it for the company ??
So I don't believe this explanation at all.
3.The most likely truth is that they are after production modifications
by separate individuals and/or camera sellers or companies.
How is it made ?
Another area of mystery, but its not brain surgery here folks.
All that makes for a Kiev60 - 645 conversion is ;
1.A narrowed opening from the 60X60 square to the 60X45 rectangle in
the camera body so that image light can now only fall on the
negative in the 60X45 format.
See the pictures , its easier to explain it this way than with words.
2.Now that we can get 16 images per roll our film counter needs to read
up to 16 rather than the normal 12 before ending.
3.To get the 16 images on the roll an adjustment of the film transport
advance needs to be made.
Instead of pulling 60mm (+1 frame margin) of film with every stroke of
the film winding lever this adjustment will then allow only 45mm (+1
frame margin) of film to be transported with each stroke.
4.A partial masking of the focusing screen must be made for the new
format shape.
Like I said , no mystery or brain surgery.
A comparison between
the Kiev60 - 645 film gate and the standard Kiev60 gate.
In the picture above you can imagine how the the film advance system
now only needs to transport the film 3/4 of the distance that it used
to do with the square format.
This now gives and extra 4 shots per roll which sure is a great economy
boost , but at the sacrifice of having to hold the camera vertical when
taking landscape style pictures.
An alternative would be to have the film gate changed in the horizontal
plane , this would be MORE like a conventional 35mm camera to view
through and use but of course you would loose the gained 4 images as it
still would need to transport 60mm of film per exposure.
The screen is masked in the 645.
So as to get the correct view in the viewfinder a portion of the edges
must now be masked.
In this particular camera , the conversion guy used two strips of matt
black paper sandwiched between the plastic focus screen and the glass
plate below.
This is the least most critical part of this conversion and could be
done in a few different ways.
The counter dial must
be changed from 12 to 16.
In the frame counter window you SHOULD see the frame number , BUT ...
next page in this Kiev60 - 645 Explained article
