Kiev

Kiev-Arsenal has got its name from its location, Kiev, Ukraine. The company manufactures medium format and 35mm cameras, which are labelled with the word "KIEV". The brand is extremely popular for two of its 6x6 medium format cameras: Kiev 88 and Kiev 60. Kiev 88 is inspired by Hasselblad 1600F and1000F. However, the self-timer mechanism and the film advance knob set it apart. Some other differences included the screw type lens mount and different gear mechanism. Besides, the viewfinder was compatible with the Hasselblad models. Even with such a lot of similarities, this camera is often regarded as an archetype of its category. Later, the camera was enhanced with automatic aperture technology and for flashes, a hot shoe. This is when the original name, "Salyut C" changed to what it is now known as Kiev 88.

The Kiev 60 model replicated the looks of an enlarged 35mm SLR and the technology was somewhat similar to that of Pentacon 6; both used breech-lock lens mount. The original model of Kiev 60 was known as Kiev 6C, which was compatible with 120 and 220 films. The shutter button located on the left of the camera, made it distinct from the other conventional cameras. After the company changed its name to Kiev 60, it made the model more user-friendly for the right-handed users. However, these were only compatible with 120 film. This camera is integrated with waist level and metered prism finders. Besides the two popular medium format cameras, the company also released the Kiev 35A, which is a 35mm camera with semi-automatic operations, allowing the user to just point and shoot.