ARAX 60 MLU (c. 2002–?)
It clicks like a tank hatch sealing - heavy and deliberate.
Overview
The body alone weighs 1085 grams. With the TTL pentaprism finder mounted it weighs 1505 grams. This is a fully mechanical 6x6 medium format SLR, hand-built in Kyiv by ARAX (AraxFoto). Somebody looked at the Kiev-60 and decided the platform deserved better than the factory was giving it. The company has been producing upgraded versions of older Ukrainian cameras since around 2002, and the 60 MLU is one of the results: a rebuild of the old Kiev-60 platform around the widely supported Pentacon Six (P6) lens mount.
The mount is the whole argument. The P6 ecosystem gives shooters access to a deep catalog of lenses without the usual Eastern Bloc gamble, and ARAX built the 60 MLU for photographers who wanted that glass "without the gamble of buying a used Kiev." The camera is all metal, entirely mechanical, and needs no batteries in the body. Owners describe it as "huge and a bit cumbersome," and the shutter's "hefty and satisfying clunk" is loud enough that it is not the camera to bring to a quiet ceremony.
Buyers get a real mirror lock-up, a reworked shutter, a flocked interior, and a brighter focusing screen than the original Kiev ever had. The consensus among people who've shot it leans positive, though one reviewer put it this way: "I really like this one but it do still have some problems."
Key Features
Mirror Lock-Up on a Dedicated Button
The "MLU" in the name is the reason most people seek this body out. Mirror slap on any medium format SLR is substantial, and the Kiev lineage was never known for taming it. ARAX installs a new upgraded MLU system on models ordered with the feature, operated by a dedicated button on the right side of the body. With the mirror locked up, slower shutter speeds become usable. For macro work or long-lens shooting where vibration ruins the frame, this is what separates the 60 MLU from a stock Kiev-60. There is a trade-off: no auto-return mirror. The mirror stays up until you cock the shutter, which slows the rhythm of shooting and forces a deliberate sequence every time.
Changeable Viewfinders and a Brighter Screen
The viewfinder system is modular, with three options: a Waist Level Finder, a TTL Pentaprism Prism Finder, and a non-TTL Pentaprism Prism Finder. The focusing screen is brighter and cleaner than the original Kiev's, with interchangeable inserts that include a split-image rangefinder and microprism collar. That helps when you're focusing manually at f/2.8 on a ground glass. The waist-level finder keeps the body down to 1195 grams. Adding the TTL prism pushes it to 1505 grams, which you will notice on a neck strap all day.
TTL Prism Meter: Functional, Not Friendly
There is no meter in the body. Metering lives in the optional TTL Pentaprism Prism Finder, and it's an uncoupled design. The user manually inputs ISO and aperture via three separate knobs, then reads the exposure value off the prism. It turns on momentarily, then shuts off, which is efficient in principle and slightly maddening in practice. One reviewer called it "a bit cumbersome," and that's a fair verdict. Treat it as a light meter you consult, not a system that thinks for you.
Flocked Interior and Rebuilt Shutter
ARAX did more than repaint these cameras. The interior is flocked with light-absorbing fabric on the top and bottom to reduce internal reflections and flaring, the film advance and shutter mechanisms are upgraded, and the shutter is rebuilt to improve reliability and lifespan. Any known deficiencies in the basic Kiev design are addressed through reinforcement or replacement. It's not a clean-sheet design. It's a thorough going-over of a platform with known weak points. Owners do report some residual internal reflection despite the flocking, so the fix is an improvement rather than a cure.
The SE Version
ARAX also offered a made-to-order SE kit: black metal finish, crocodile leather covering, custom engraving, and a choice of focusing screen. It's the same camera underneath, and the mechanical spec doesn't change.
Historical Context
The 60 MLU was created as a more reliable alternative to the Pentacon Six, a camera long plagued by film winding and frame overlap issues. It also contrasts with its direct predecessor, the Kiev-60, which was rugged but notoriously inconsistent in build quality and prone to mechanical failures. ARAX carved out a niche for photographers who wanted the P6 mount's lens ecosystem without the gamble of buying a used Kiev. Before 2003, Arax was selling its production only in the ex-USSR. Sources compare the camera to the Exakta 66 or even the Bronica, but the 60 MLU refines the formula more than it reinvents it, addressing known weaknesses and adding modernized features like mirror lock-up and an improved screen.
Collectibility & Value
As of 2014, the ARAX 60 MLU was priced at $285 for the body only, with a full kit - waist-level finder, TTL prism, and ARAX 80mm f/2.8 lens - at $449. The value comparison that circulated at the time was blunt: a new ARAX 60 MLU with lens, both finders, bag, and a full year's warranty cost about the same as a used 1970s Bronica EC with a 75mm f/2.8 lens, but without the Bronica's prism.
The flaws are real. The most commonly reported issue, inherited from the Kiev-60, is inconsistency at the fastest shutter speeds. One reviewer confirmed uneven exposures or inaccurate speeds at 1/500 and 1/1000, and reported having the problem on their own camera. The black paint is said to chip "somewhat easily," a small but visible annoyance for collectors. The thumbs-up list is long - solid build, mirror lock-up, changeable viewfinders, exceptional value - and the downsides are the ones already named: no auto-return mirror, some residual internal reflection despite the flocking, and loud, clunky operation. Current post-2014 market prices aren't documented here; the 2014 figures are the most recent confirmed numbers. An owner's manual is available at archive.org for anyone planning to service the body.
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