Kiev 35 A
The KIEV 35A is a 1985 copy of the Minox 35 EL. It was made by Arsenal in Ukraine from 1985 to 1991.
Compared side to side with the EL, the KIEV looks like it is slightly larger than the EL but clearly a copy. I paid $10 for mine so it was not much of a risk to give it a try. The seller warned me that it had light leaks and suggested taping up the back to stop the leaks. I ignored the advice because I wanted to see if it leaked, it did.
The color of mine is a textured brown/green that does not seem very durable.
My Take:
There are lots of reports of light leaks and other quality issues. I would not buy one as a user unless you get it super cheap. As a novelty or part of a Minox 35 collection, fine. As a what the heck, cheap buy, fine. Expecting to use it as a reliable user, feels risky to me, get a Minox and improve your odds.
Lens: fixed Kiev-Korsar 35mm 2.8
Film: Kodak Gold 200
