introduction | 30 | 303 | 30m | John Player Special | Speccam Detective Camera | Vega a | Vega b | Vega 2 a | Vega 2 b
Release in 1962 (possibly earlier) the Vega 2 also has a 23mm, :3.5 Industar M lens with graduated stops at f3.5, 4, 5.6, 8, 11 and shutter speeds of 1/30, 1/60,1/200.
Minolta released the Minolta 16II with a higher top speed and a wider aperture range. In true Soviet engineering tradition, the Soviets improved on the Vega model 1 by adding a focusing dial right next to the shutter release allowing focusing from infinity to 50cm (20 inches). This was the first focusing lens on a camera using the Minolta cassette.
An exposure calculator was added to the top of the camera with concentric dials for shutter and aperture settings. They retained a corrugated finish to the camera instead of the plain slippery metal of the Minolta but with finer lines than the Vega 1 and they make the camera less slippery to hold.
Kiev also improved the original film cassette. The Vega 2 camera was designed to allow for 30 pictures on a roll instead of the original 20. To accommodate the extra film, the take up spool has a smaller diameter. This cassette will not work in the original Vega camera or any Konan or Minolta cameras. The tops of the cassettes now snap on and the take up spool has a metal clip to grip the film so no tape is needed.
| Model | Kiev Vega 2a |
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| Auction Price | Ebay 2005/03/26 9.50GBP, 2005/04/01 7.99GBP, 2005/04/03 12.01GBP |
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Kit consists of : vinyl case, wrist strap, instruction manual in Russian, filters: yellow, orange and UV, film cassette in coffin-case, half of a developing reel which fits a 35mm Russian developing reel, enlarger mask to fit a 35mm film enlarger carrier. |
1. Some Vega 1 cassettes also have the clip on the take up spool. These also fit the Minolta 16 cameras.
Last Updated on 1st April 2005