Ihagee returns with a new 35mm camera.

[PFMcFarland]

Is it a Kiev or a Zenit?

Here are some photos from the Kickstarter campaign page:elbaflex_03.jpgelbaflex_04.jpg

Kiev. The 19 came with Nikon F mount. Some Zenits came with K mount.

PF

[PFMcFarland]

I would like to amend my thoughts on the lens mount. After reading the specs on the Kickstarter page, it's fairly obvious there is no meter system, and that the mount is just that, with no linkage to the aperture ring of the lens except maybe an auto-diaphragm pusher for DOF preview.

"Nikon mount: the Nikon mount was introduced in 1959. All MF lenses and all AF lenses can be used of course fully manual without transmission of any data. "

PF

[melek]

Here's the Kickstarter video:

[Captain Slack]

If nothing else, I learned how to pronounce Ihagee from that!

[melek]

If nothing else, I learned how to pronounce Ihagee from that!

I was going to mention that, too.

If you look at the shutter, it's really different. The company is calling it a "vertical slot closure." Not sure what that means.

[titrisol]

See the comments from the creator:

Frank Gosebruch about 17 hours ago
Well, as one of your big supporters I just wanted to tell you that I am a little disappointed, now.
You are the new Ihagee people, but it seems that you even don't know how to spell the name of the most famous Ihagee camera, the Exakta, correctly:
http://www.picfront.org/d/9EBR
And even not on your own website?
Just a few days ago I purchased a used Kiev 19M (an "advanced" Elbaflex) at Ebay for $10.- in almost "mint" condition.
Hmmm... synch speed 1/60, shortest shutter time 1/500, but at least a built-in light meter.
Yes, you're right, I missed this little piece of dark German oak wood on the left side of the camera. Is that small part really worth 500 bucks?

[Quote] Ihagee
Dear Frank, thank you for detecting our typo. It has been corrected of course. Congratulations for finding a Kiev 19M in mint condition. But let me tell you what is different in our camera. We are using the Kiev tools to produce a new camera. Nobody could afford new tooling for the smaller quantities of the analog camera market. But we improve the inside mechanism quite a bit by the choice of materials which improves the quality of the shutter mechanism substantually. The mirror by the way catches onto a high quality foam that we insert. We furthermore produce a new body which we then enhance by a leather coating and a wodden grip. Given these changes and the construction of a new body I think we are offering a fair price for a new camera to our backers. Best regards The Ihagee team
{/Quote]

[LarryD]

Looks and sounds like an updated Zenit built by Kiev.

[melek]

Regarding Frank Gosebruch, some people are just never happy about anything.

I'm happy to see that anyone is producing a new film camera these days. I suspect that this product will be similar to what Zeiss did with the Zeiss Ikon rangefinder. Took a Cosina Voigtlander and improved it.

I think the price point is too high, and I probably wouldn't want to pay more than $300. However, this company is attempting to reopen a factory and restart a production line that's been shut down for about nine years. That's not cheap. On top of that, they need materials, pay labor, utilities, insurance, etc. Plus, they would like to make a profit.

This is a small volume product, compared with the tens of thousands of digital cameras that roll off assembly lines in China.

On the other hand, it's full frame, and the cheapest full-frame digital camera without a lens is about $1,900 (Pentax K-1).

What we're willing to pay depends on the product. Final word: iPhone X. Plenty of people are lining up to pay $1,000+ for a mobile phone.

[LarryD]

My thought on this is that the last cameras that rolled off of the Arsenal plant were MF. ARAX bought up all of the last production. Would it maybe not be better to produce a nice upgraded Kiev 88 or 60 with better German QC?

[titrisol]

I agree with Mike... considering you can get a Nikon N90 for less than $100
BUT, just like the Bessaflex a few years ago, this will be a good thing for everyone

-snip-
I think the price point is too high, and I probably wouldn't want to pay more than $300. However, this company is attempting to reopen a factory and restart a production line that's been shut down for about nine years. That's not cheap. On top of that, they need materials, pay labor, utilities, insurance, etc. Plus, they would like to make a profit.

While that would be awesome, I think the market is more for 35mm as manual focus lenses are plentiful

My thought on this is that the last cameras that rolled off of the Arsenal plant were MF. ARAX bought up all of the last production. Would it maybe not be better to produce a nice upgraded Kiev 88 or 60 with better German QC?