richardhkirkando
Well-known
Does anybody, anywhere in the world still service these? I may be buying one that has a questionable shutter, but I won't bother if my only option is 5 years on Henry Scherer's waiting list.
Contax I service?
- Thread starter richardhkirkando
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Vickko
Veteran
You might want to ask:
1. Essex Camera.
2. Radu Lesaru at http://3rcamera.com/
3. Ken Ruth at http://www.baldmtn.com/AINFOSHT2.htm
I've had work done by Radu and strongly recommend him. I've heard great things about Ken Ruth and he has advised me on my own repairs.
Good luck
Vick
1. Essex Camera.
2. Radu Lesaru at http://3rcamera.com/
3. Ken Ruth at http://www.baldmtn.com/AINFOSHT2.htm
I've had work done by Radu and strongly recommend him. I've heard great things about Ken Ruth and he has advised me on my own repairs.
Good luck
Vick
richardhkirkando
Well-known
Thanks! Just picked up the camera this morning. As it turns out, the supposed shutter issues were in fact user error, and it works quite well after all.
I'll definitely keep the recommendations in mind though, I always seem to have some piece of equipment that needs work.
I'll definitely keep the recommendations in mind though, I always seem to have some piece of equipment that needs work.
Joe Vitessa
Well-known
Frank Marshman aka Camera Wiz works on these, as well as just about any mechanical camera for that matter.
bowieknife
Established
be careful when you set the shutter speeds of a Contax I, there have been several models, and the correct manual may be difficult to find !
-try Henry Scherer, CA
-or Uwe Kersten, klassik-kameras.de
-try Henry Scherer, CA
-or Uwe Kersten, klassik-kameras.de
Dralowid
Michael
There are people out there happy to service a Contax I...and they can be made to be reliable.
The bigger question is whether it is really worth it. I have had two serviced and both work well, but to be quite honest, the novelty wears off and you soon realise that your beautiful black Contax I is a pig to use, particularly in comparison with the Contax II and the products of a certain company in Wetzlar.
A reasonable looking Contax I would cost around £200 - £300. A proper service and new tapes by someone well recommended could set you back rather more than that.
The old girl is now getting mighty expensive.... so if you want the real Tessar/Sonnar experience by an adaptor and use an ltm Leica!!!
Michael
The bigger question is whether it is really worth it. I have had two serviced and both work well, but to be quite honest, the novelty wears off and you soon realise that your beautiful black Contax I is a pig to use, particularly in comparison with the Contax II and the products of a certain company in Wetzlar.
A reasonable looking Contax I would cost around £200 - £300. A proper service and new tapes by someone well recommended could set you back rather more than that.
The old girl is now getting mighty expensive.... so if you want the real Tessar/Sonnar experience by an adaptor and use an ltm Leica!!!
Michael
Highway 61
Revisited
I second that. I used to own a Contax I but quickly got rid of it.
The Contax II can be easily seen as a technical marvel and a design jewel (what it is 100%), but this is not the case with the I, which was rather more a kind of crude prototype sold by Zeiss Ikon to the 1930's beta-testers, than an achieved camera...
Dralowid
Michael
Yes, yes, yes, but that little voice inside your head keeps telling you that Ansel Adams used a Contax I, they were fantastically expensive and wouldn't you be a martyr for your art if you used one!
Michael
Michael
bowieknife
Established
I own two of them, must be totally nuts.....
S.H.
Picture taker
I do not think it is that much worse than a screwmount Leica, except that the rewind knob is a bit hard to grasp.
furcafe
Veteran
Ansel also used the III, IIRC, so there are easier-to-use models to pick from & still stay true to the cult! 😉
bowieknife
Established
the worst feature of the Contax I is the 4-group shutter dial, while the shutter releases in any position, especially under bad lighting conditions you can't be positively sure of the shutter speed you'll really get !
film loading is much quicker than with any Leica III, the rangefinder is easy to use, and the lenses were the very best on the world market then
film loading is much quicker than with any Leica III, the rangefinder is easy to use, and the lenses were the very best on the world market then
Highway 61
Revisited
Try to repair a defective Contax I shutter yourself and you will change your mind 😀
You know I actually love the Contax II - but the I... 🙄
Dralowid
Michael
Erik van Straten
Veteran
Just for the family resemblance ...
The Special Press All-Black Nikon. (S2)
Erik.
The Special Press All-Black Nikon. (S2)
Erik.
Vickko
Veteran
Dez
Bodger Extraordinaire
Oh my. Four of them! You are indeed a glutton for punishment.
Very nice cameras, though.
Cheers,
Dez
Dralowid
Michael
Hi Erik,
Didn't know that you also had an interest in the dark side.....I think the Contax in the bottom right of my scan may be a conversion...
Tell me, is there a way of fooling your scanner into having more depth of field? I have always been impressed by your scans of Leica bodies.
Best
Michael
Didn't know that you also had an interest in the dark side.....I think the Contax in the bottom right of my scan may be a conversion...
Tell me, is there a way of fooling your scanner into having more depth of field? I have always been impressed by your scans of Leica bodies.
Best
Michael
Erik van Straten
Veteran
Hi Michael,
I used to have a cheap scanner, a HP of about EUR 60 that made great scans of cameras. Now I have a more expensive one, the Epson V600, great in every way exept for scanning cameras. Maybe I have to experiment a bit, the scanner has a lot of options.
You cannot increase the dept of field with scanners as there is no lens and no diaphragm!
Erik.
I used to have a cheap scanner, a HP of about EUR 60 that made great scans of cameras. Now I have a more expensive one, the Epson V600, great in every way exept for scanning cameras. Maybe I have to experiment a bit, the scanner has a lot of options.
You cannot increase the dept of field with scanners as there is no lens and no diaphragm!
Erik.
Dralowid
Michael
Hi Erik,
That's what I thought...maybe cheaper scanners have poorer resolution and wider tolerances...I just don't know. I'm using a V500 now...maybe I'll try an ancient one from the office.
Michael
That's what I thought...maybe cheaper scanners have poorer resolution and wider tolerances...I just don't know. I'm using a V500 now...maybe I'll try an ancient one from the office.
Michael