Russian Passion: The Kiev B.i.G.-six

On Thursday there was my lucky day: I found a Kiev BIG-six camera on the website of the local photo store Foto Mayrhofer — for a smashing price.

So the first thing I did the next day was to take Lisa for a ride, visit the ATM and drove to downtown Salzburg where Foto Mayrhofer is located, a stone’s throw away from my favorite café in Salzburg, the Café Fingerlos.

We went in and asked for the Kiev — it was already sold to Germany. I was crushed but then I was told that there was a second Kiev BiG-six with the same equipment — and the same price. I was happy again and while thoroughly examining the dusty camera I realized that it was in very good shape. While chatting with the shop-owner I was surprised how competent he was — he even knew about the Kiev 800′s flaw of being equipped with brass parts inside the body, resulting in bad reflections on the film.

He told me that the camera’s previous owner was an old man who loved to photograph but mustn’t carry heavy things, such as the Kiev, which weighs with equipment nearly 4kg.

I was so happy about the price of mere 290 € that I bought a bunch of Ilford Delta 100 films with it and went with Lisa straight to the Café Fingerlos where I wanted to load a film in one of the magazines. But there already was a film loaded! Some kind of Fujicolor 100 ASA film, probably the last slide film of the old man. Quickly I put it back and exposed it completely and took it out. Maybe I will have it developed and give the photos by the old man back to him as a gift. In the other magazine there still is another film, 400 ASA. Color too, I suppose.

Back home I cleaned the camera and it’s parts for two hours — now it looks brand new.

Unbelievable how much I got for my money. This type of Kiev with all the equipment costs about 850 € at Brenner. The equipment shown on the picture includes:

• 1 x Kiev B.i.G.-six camera body
• 1 x 80/2.8 lens
• 2 x type 120 magazine (6×6)
• 1 x UV filter
• 1 x yellow filter
• 1 x rubber lens screen
• 1 x winding crank
• 1 x TTL viewfinder with exposure meter
• 1 x viewfinder + lens

• 2 x Exposed films
• 2 x Ilford Delta 400

What is not shown on the picture but was also included:

• 1 x carrying strap
• 1 x bag
• 1 x German manual
• 1 x viewfinder + lens (not working properly)

I can’t wait for the first developed films but on the other hand I don’t want to just point and shoot at anything just to have the film exposed.

I still have to getting used to this type of medium format camera which feels more like a Mamiya RB67 than a Kowa Six MM which I also like for its easy handling. With the BiG-six every once in a while I forget setting the correct f-stop on the lens resulting in an incorrect exposure. Although I think of me being quite skilled when it comes to loading film I had some major struggles at first and it took me about an hour and I dumped one film until it worked properly. The first film is exposed until frame 4. Totally exposed. And from then on it is completely dark. Luckily I bought four films on Friday for the weekend.
Despite all my struggles working with the BiG-six really is fun and a lot of Russian passion flows from the camera back to me. Big time!

On Thursday there was my lucky day: I found a Kiev BIG-six camera on the website of the local photo store Foto Mayrhofer -- for a smashing price. So the first thing I did the next day was to take Lisa for a ride, visit the ATM and drove to downtown Salzburg where Foto Mayrhofer ...

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