Kiev II
The Kiev II is a Soviet-made 35mm rangefinder camera produced at the Arsenal plant in Kiev, built on tooling and designs taken from Zeiss Ikon's Contax II after the Second World War. It was positioned as a full-frame coupled-rangefinder camera for general 35mm photography.
At recent UK auction, hammer prices for the Kiev II have spanned a wide range, with two recorded results at £216 and £700 producing a median around £460. With so few data points, today's value for any given example is highly condition-dependent, and the higher result likely reflects a cleaner body or a desirable early variant; most working users would expect a Kiev II to sell for a figure closer to the lower end of that range at saleroom level.
Sales History
Prices shown are UK auction hammer results — the wholesale level achieved in the saleroom. Neither buyer’s nor seller’s commission is included. Dealer and retail asking prices are typically higher.
Prices updated: September 2024
| Date | Price | Source | |
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| Sep 2024 | £56 | Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Auction (Lot 41) Title: A Kiev II 35mm Rangefinder Camera
Description:
silver, serial number 550769, body G, shutter works but curtains are slow, rangefinder partly visible, self timer not working, with a Jupiter-8 f/2 |
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| Jun 2022 | EUR 12,000 | Leitz Auction | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 40 (Lot AI_40_40430) Title: Kiev II 1947 GOI Test Camera with Tair 11 2.8/13.5cm
Description:
an early Kiev from the first production year, the camera was delivered to GOI factory for test purposes and development of lenses for the Kiev system. It is in very good original condition, with matching 1947 GOI Tair-11 2.8/13.5cm no.47104420. Only a handful of these lenses were made between 1947-48 for testing and evaluation, before the serial production commenced in the KMZ factory. GOI lenses in Kiev mount were never officially available to the public. Estimate: EUR 16,000 - EUR 20,000 |
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| Nov 2021 | EUR 6,000 | Leitz Auction | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 39 (Lot AI_39_39787) Title: Kiev II 1947
Description:
An extremely rare, very early Kiev from the first production year. Only a few dozen of these cameras have been assembled using original Zeiss parts after Arsenal received material and tooling originally owned by Zeiss Ikon and Carl Zeiss Jena. The camera is in excellent original condition and comes with a matching ZK (Sonnar Krasnogorsk) 2/5cm no.000119 Estimate: EUR 3,200 - EUR 3,600 |
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| Nov 2019 | EUR 700 | Leitz Auction | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 35 (Lot AI_35_38002) Title: Kiev II 1948
Description:
very early Kiev in beautiful, near mint condition, with matching ZK 2/5cm no.001386 (engraved with '1948') Estimate: EUR 800 - EUR 1,000 |
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| Oct 2019 | £216 | Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Fine Photographica & Instruments of Science & Medicine (Lot 282) Title: A KIEV Arsenall Kiev II Rangefindera Camera
Description:
1952, chrome, serial no. 519124, with 3k f/2 50mm lens, marked '1951', chrome, serial no. 011615, body, G-VG, shutter working, lens, VG-E, in maker's |
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Frequently asked questions
What is a Kiev II worth today?
Based on UK auction hammer results, a Kiev II is typically worth somewhere between £220 and £700, with the price heavily dependent on cosmetic condition and whether the shutter and rangefinder are functional.
How much does a Kiev II sell for at UK auction?
Recorded UK hammer prices for the Kiev II sit at £216 and £700, giving a median around £460; clean, fully working examples tend to sell for more than rough user bodies.
Is the Kiev II the same as a Contax II?
The Kiev II was built from Zeiss Ikon Contax tooling relocated to the Soviet Union after 1945, so it shares the same basic mechanical design and lens mount, but Soviet build quality and finishing vary and this affects its price on the used market.