Kiev-17 was produced at the Kiev plant Arsenal from 1977 to 1984. The production volumes are unknown to me, but they were not large. The price of the device was high, and the reliability was insufficient for professionals from organizations. Ordinary users also did not complain about the device for its low reliability.

Lens mount - H mount. Working distance - 46.5 mm. Blinking aperture supported. There is a tutor.

The standard lens is Helios-81M 2/50 or Volna-4 1.4/53.

Wave-4 is a very rare lens. I do not have that.

Helios-81M, although it has the letter “M” at the end of the name, does not mean that the lens is threaded. In general, this lens also has a feature when installed on the H mount of later Kiev devices (and modern digital ones too). I will definitely tell you about it in the future.

The shutter is mechanical, lamella with vertical movement of two pairs of metal lamellae. Beats shutter speeds: 1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/15, 1/30, 1/60, 1/125, 1/250, 1/500, 1/1000, V.

What to say? From and to…

Flash sync at 1/60. Not fantastic, but good.

The camera is equipped with hot and wired sync contacts, it also has a self-timer.

Viewfinder image field size - 23 × 35 mm

The type of focusing screen is a Fresnel lens with a frosted ring, a microraster and Doden wedges.

The weight of my copy without a lens is 714 grams.

Controls:

The design of the new Arsenal camera came out successful. The device is nice and recognizable. The color is classic - black and white, apparently on purpose to differ from the new Zeniths. The ribs of the case are nicely rolled.

The designers have managed to make a very compact camera. Compare with previous flagships. The economy is also doing well. There is one feature associated with the shutter speed selector - more on that later.

In front, to the left of the mirror shaft, there is a bayonet latch pedal (on the shaft itself) and a shutter speed selector (on the body).

The unusual location of the shutter speed selector is one of the most noticeable visual differences of the new series of Arsenal DSLRs.

How convenient is this location? There are several opinions, I voice mine. I’ll warn you right away, I never use a diaphragm tutor.

Is this the most convenient option out there?

No, I personally prefer the classic location of the selector from the top right (for example, Zenit-12sd and Zenit-19). If you need to change the shutter speed very actively, then I turn the selector with my thumb and forefinger, and press the shutter button with my thumb.

At the same time, the right hand holds the device slightly above, but it is not necessary to intercept the body. But the left hand supports the camera from below. Its function is focus and aperture. Interception is also not required, nothing distracts the hand from its tasks.

In second place is the upper left location of the selector (Zenit-apk). The left hand has to move a lot, but the camera, one way or another, it holds in both positions.

Selector Kiev-17 is only in 3rd place. If it does not dangle, then it is quite tight. Only the thumb of the left hand does not casually turn it. You have to turn the selector with your thumb and forefinger. To do this, you need to intercept the body in a rather unreliable grip. And you need to do this often, because. you also need to focus.

Is this option terribly inconvenient?

Of course not. A perfectly acceptable selector location. You get used to it quickly, but changing shutter speeds so intensively that inconvenience is seriously manifested is not necessary in 99% of cases.

To the right of the lens, at the bottom of the mirror shaft, there is a diaphragm repeater pedal. By location, it is convenient to get it with the middle finger of the left hand that supports the lens, but the pedal is tight.

The right one is more convenient.

A little higher is the cocking lever and the self-timer release button.

At the back there is a rectangular frame of the viewfinder eyepiece and a pocket for a film type memo on the door.

The Kiev-17 has an excellent viewfinder. Just great.

It displays 93% of the frame and gives a very large and very bright picture. My D800 visually has a smaller picture in the viewfinder.

The viewfinder is equipped with Doden wedges. It is a pleasure to use them.

At the bottom of the device there is a shutter release button for rewinding the film and a 1/4 inch tripod socket strictly along the axis of the lens.

Top panel. From left to right it has:

- rewind head with tape measure;

- wired sync contact socket on the left side of the pentaprism housing;

- bracket for flashes with hot sync contact;

- trigger button;

- a small arched frame counter window;

- foot of the trigger for transporting the frame and cocking the shutter.

- re-exposure button in the center of the trigger head.

The shutter button has an unusually soft and short travel. It doesn't require any effort. The jump diaphragm mechanism is designed so that it is actuated by the shutter release spring, and not by a finger when the button is pressed.

The trigger has two positions - "transport" and "combat".

Platoon shutter and its descent to Kiev-17 - a very comfortable operation.

To open the machine door,