The Kiev 16U and 16UE series cine cameras are Soviet cameras made by Kiev that were made at the Automation Plant, named after G.I. Petrovsky. In some instances, the manufacturer was designated as the “Tochpribor factory”. From the mid-1950s to the 1980s, the plant produced these 16mm film cameras mainly for professional use. The filming apparatus “Kiev-16U” was designed for filming a variety of subjects and in diverse conditions.
Manufacture and Usage
Constructed to work with 16mm film with either one-sided or two-sided perforation wound on a reel, the camera's reel capacity was designed to handle 30m or 100ft of film. The camera is equipped with a three-lens rotary turret which allowed for quick and easy switching between lenses to meet the filming requirements of a given scene.
Technical Specifications
There were two main variants of the camera produced - the Kiev 16U and the Kiev 16UE. The main difference between these models was their power source: the 16U was a spring-wound camera with a detachable motor, while the 16UE was a battery-powered version with the same type of detachable motor. Both models feature a reflex viewfinder, allowing the operator to see the exact image that the film would capture.
The lenses provided with the camera included the Vega-7 (2/20mm), the Mir-11 (2 / 12.5mm), and the Tair-41 (2/50mm). The camera had a M32x0.5 thread for lens attachment. Shooting speeds could be varied between 12, 16, 24, 32, 48, and 64 frames per second, and the camera also had a frame-by-frame filming capability. The camera was equipped with tripod screws and could also take a pistol grip for handheld shooting.
Popularity and Legacy
Though the Kiev 16mm cine cameras have not been widely used outside of Russia and Eastern Europe, their standard lenses have been highly sought after since the early 2000s. The lenses are renowned for their unique optical characteristics that are attractive to both still photographers and filmmakers. In particular, they are known for their sharpness, colour rendition, and unique bokeh. The Kiev 16mm cine camera is a very capable movie camera, and with its lenses and regular servicing. The camera can produce high-quality films even by modern standards.
Handy Links
Kiev 16U user manual -English translation
Kiev 16UE user manual -Russian language
An interesting site regarding a film shooters experience with the Kiev 16U
A detailed website from a renowned Russian cine camera technician detailing the Kiev 16U A good website with many links and information regarding Russian 16mm cine cameras A website detailing a Kiev 16U spring wind dismantle and light service A website detailing a Kiev 16UE battery powered dismantle and light service A Russian based website detailing more history of the camera An interesting video of a disassembled Kiev 16U
References
Retro devices, "multimedia" in the USSR. Sound recording “Music on the Ribs”, movie camera and TV, sudonull.com Kiev Arsenal: Kiev 16U (16У/16Y), collectiblend.com Lenses for Kiev16U Camera: Mir11m, Vega7-1, Tair41m, etsy.com