Kiev-30, subminiature scale-focus camera
with stationary Industar-M lens, 3.5/23, #8103786, 16 mm
"Arsenal" plant, Kiev, USSR
with case

Perfect condition. Shutter and frame-counter work properly. Body has small signs of use and age. Red dot on the shutter curtain is not original. Film cassette is included. Case is original.

History of the camera
Here I offer extremely interesting camera  - "Kiev-30" which is the representative of Soviet family of subminiature cameras made by "Arsenal" plant.

First of all, I must destroy the myth that these cameras are spy, designed for KGB (USSR secret police), etc. For special purposes KGB used "Ajax" cameras. Of course, these "Kiev" submini cameras could be used for spying, but it were absolutely civil cameras which were sold in usual stores.

The idea of submini cameras was to give a man an extremely small and light-weight camera that is always with you. You can put it in your bag or pocket and forget about it (so small and light it is), but when necessary camera is ready to take a photo. Of course, the images will be worse than if taken at usual 35mm, but sometimes a photo must be taken by all means. It was written in the manual that the biggest photo with acceptable quality (which can be printed with film shoot by "Kiev-30") is 9x12 cm only.

Totally 5 cameras were produced by "Arsenal": 

- "Kiev-Vega" was a copy of Minolta-16 and was produced in 1960-61;

- "Kiev-Vega-2" could be focused with distance scale ("Kiev-Vega" had fixed focus) and was produced in 1961-64;

- "Kiev-30" has increased film size (13*17mm instead of 10*14mm) and was produced in 1975-87; 

- "Kiev-30m" is the same as "Kiev-30" but does not have a synchrocontact; 

- "Kiev-303" is the same as "Kiev-30m", but has new design, extended shutter speed range and plastic outer body, was produced since 1990.

 Camera "Kiev-30" is extremely small. Its size is 84*46*26 mm, weight is 177 g only.

Lens is stationary "Industar-M", 3.5/23. It is not wide-angle (because film size is cropped comparing with 35mm) and has angle of view about 48 degrees. Its focal distance is in fact about 50 mm (if calculated to 35 mm equivalent).

Lens has one-layered anti-reflection coating.

Aperture has 2 blades and form a square hole. You can set the following aperture: f/3.5, f/4, f/5.6, f/8, f/11. Three shutter speeds available: 1/30, 1/60, 1/200 sec. Flash is synchronized with any shutter speed.

Lens is focused with barrel near release button: you choose the desired distance (so the camera is scale-focused). Distances availble: 0.5, 1, 2,5 meters and ininity. Note: red dot on the barrel means 5 meters.

Camers uses 16mm non-perforated film. Film cassette can contain 45 cm or 65 cm of filmes, thus 17 or 25 frames can be taken at one film.

Film cassette is bound, both spools are firmly connected. No backwind is possible.

It was difficult to buy 16mm film in USSR so there were special knifes (factory- or hand-made) which cut 35mm film into 16mm.

Camera does not have any shoe, tripod socket or self-timer.

To take a picture with loaded film you set the frame-counter on "0" position. Then you pull the inner body from outer. It will go as telescope, the length of the camera will increase. The shutter will be cocked, red dot will appear on the shutter door. You set the desired shutter speed, f/meaning and focus distance, watch in the hole at the outer body as in viewfinder and push the release button. Shutter will fire, red dot will disappear. To reload the camera you close and open it once again - shutter will be cocked, film will be moved, frame counter will be rotated for one position.

Its price in 1983 was 30 Soviet Roubles (with average salary 120 Soviet Roubles per month).

Characteristics:
S/number - #8103786
Lens - Industar-M, 3.5/23
Angle of view - 48o
Lens s/number - none
Frame size - 13x17 mm.
Aperture scale from f/3.5 to f/11
Shutter speeds is from 1/30s to 1/200s 
Type of filter mount - filter setting is impossible
Minimal distance of focusing - 0.5 meter
Dimensions (mm): 84*46*26
Weight - 177 g (215 g with case)
One-layered antireflection coating