Kiev Kiev-C
The Kiev-C is a Soviet-era camera produced under the Kiev brand by the Arsenal plant in Ukraine. As a niche model with limited surviving documentation in the data provided, it sits within the broader family of Kiev rangefinder and medium-format cameras associated with the marque.
Sales evidence for the Kiev-C is extremely thin: a single UK auction hammer record from 2013 shows a result of £10,000, which is a wholesale saleroom figure rather than a retail price. With only one data point, no reliable median or range can be drawn for what a Kiev-C is worth today in 2026, and the price an example sells for will depend heavily on condition, completeness and buyer interest on the day.
Sales History
Prices shown are realised prices — auction results and completed eBay sales, never asking prices. Most saleroom figures are hammer prices, before commission; some houses publish a premium-inclusive figure, and we do not adjust for condition. Dealer and retail asking prices are typically higher. How this figure is calculated.
Prices updated: November 2013
| Date | Price | Value GBP | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 2013 | EUR 10,000 | £8,378 | 🇦🇹 Leitz Auction | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 24 (Lot AI_24_27245) Title: Arsenal Kiev-C Space Camera
Description:
Single lens reflex camera no.7100003 for perforated 70-mm-film in detachable special film magazine no.7100003A. Negative format 50x50mm, magazine capacity 100 images (or 180 images when using a special thin-base film). Lenses: Standard lens Arsenal Vega – 12 – C 4/90mm no.70007 (in fact a limited 2.8 lens, double Gauss type, focussing to 0.7m, caps), wide angle lens Mir - 3 - C 3.5/65mm no.70003 (focusing to 0.5m, hood, caps) and tele lens Arsenal Tair – 33 - C 5.6/300mm no.70010 (straight Tair design by Prof. Volossov, lens is fixed at infinity position, caps, hood), all interchangeable in a special breech-lock bayonet. TTL reflex finder. Focal plane shutter ½ - 1/1000 and B. The camera documents the technical data of each image on the film, using four small windows adjacent to the corners of the image window: 1. Time (clock) and colour filter in use (in a round window of 5mm in diameter) 2. f-number 3. exposure time 4. focal length of the lens in use (2. to 4. appear in three square little windows 5x5mm; the analogue watch, f-number and exposure time are keyed-in automatically, while the used type of lens and the filter type have to be set manually by turning small wheels on the body). This data system is achieved by four small objectives behind the windows that focus on electrically lit scales (f-stop, exposure time etc.) and a small battery-driven electric analogue watch (in the size of a wristwatch, with black dial and white hands) that sits in the camera bottom (this missing). Included are three empty envelopes signed by the astronauts (these contained their mission and the astronauts had to sign the delivery), a copy of the instruction book, three extension tubes with Pentacon Six mount and a adapter for Pentacon Six lenses to 34mm screw mount. Estimate: EUR 20,000 - EUR 25,000 |
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Frequently asked questions
What is a Kiev-C worth at UK auction?
The only sales record available shows a hammer price of £10,000 in 2013, but with just one data point this should be treated as an isolated result rather than a reliable guide to current value.
How much does a Kiev-C sell for today?
There is insufficient recent auction evidence to state a current price with confidence; the figure an individual example sells for will depend on condition, originality and buyer demand on the day.
Is the Kiev-C a rare camera?
Auction appearances in the supplied data are very limited, which suggests it does not trade frequently in the UK saleroom market, though scarcity alone does not determine value.