Philip Whiteman
Well-known
Here it sits, smiling back at me from the kitchen table: my self-repaired 1939 Contax II, now sporting a 1.5 50 uncoated Sonnar that cost six times the amount.
I was shown the Contax when I took my 2017 Christmas present - an '82 Kiev 4M - to the local photo dealer. The manager was demonstrating how much smoother the 'real thing's film wind was when the Contax's shutter broke. Kindly, he loaned me its collapsible f2 50mm Sonnar to try on the Kiev.
The Sonnar worked very nicely - but the Kiev didn't (light leaks and a pepper-grinder film advance that would from time to time jump, overlapping frames). When I returned to the dealer he asked my if I wanted the German lens. Having seen prices of over £100 asked for them on eBay, I swallowed hard. He looked up a recent KEH sale and said "Shall we say £30?" "For the lens?" I asked. "No - you might as well have the whole thing, and it comes with a case." I looked at the grubby and battered Contax, which had a frozen focus mount as well as the broken shutter, and it's home-made looking case. Well, it was a bit of history and a nice ornament...
One I had got the thing home, the more I looked at it, the more of a shame it seemed to leave it in such a sorry state. Knowing the 'works' were much the same, I had already bought the Peter Tooke Contax repair manual as a lead for my assault on the Kiev. Now, having consulted the Rangefinder Forum I went back to the Bay to order a length of that Japanese shutter ribbon. What was the worst that could happen in attempting to strip down and repair a near worthless junker of a Contax?
Actually, going nearly mad in trying to retension the thing's shutter - but that's a long story that's been told elsewhere here. In the end I did it and, having checked the speeds by comparing its apparent action with another camera's electronically-controlled vertical shutter, I tried my first film in what I now knew was a '39 camera with a '37 lens...
And it worked like a dream from the get-go. Perfect exposures (so the speed guestimation was good enough), a silky-smooth wind-on, spot-on rangefinder (simply as found - all I did was clean the optics and regrease the exposed helix of focus mount, without daring to - or having to - strip that complex bit of precision engineering).
Discoveries since are that early Kiev accessory lenses - 1950s and 60s one - work beautifully on the Contax, the asking prices for most Zeiss originals being more than I'd wish to pay for a camera that I was using (quite extensively) for fun. I wan't going to fall into that gear acquisition trap... until I just had to try one of those legendary 1.5 Sonnars. (Report on this: it looked clean and pristine and produces lovely, sharp images that match the contrast of the coated Soviet lenses.)
The one problem I have not cracked is finding a colour stock processing house that will give me hi-res scans I can make my own digital prints from. Time to reactivate the B & W darkroom, I know - but meanwhile it's a happy return to colour transparencies and the slide projector. The Oxfam shop around the corner had a pristine Leitz Pradovit for all of £25. Could I afford it? What do you think!
I was shown the Contax when I took my 2017 Christmas present - an '82 Kiev 4M - to the local photo dealer. The manager was demonstrating how much smoother the 'real thing's film wind was when the Contax's shutter broke. Kindly, he loaned me its collapsible f2 50mm Sonnar to try on the Kiev.
The Sonnar worked very nicely - but the Kiev didn't (light leaks and a pepper-grinder film advance that would from time to time jump, overlapping frames). When I returned to the dealer he asked my if I wanted the German lens. Having seen prices of over £100 asked for them on eBay, I swallowed hard. He looked up a recent KEH sale and said "Shall we say £30?" "For the lens?" I asked. "No - you might as well have the whole thing, and it comes with a case." I looked at the grubby and battered Contax, which had a frozen focus mount as well as the broken shutter, and it's home-made looking case. Well, it was a bit of history and a nice ornament...
One I had got the thing home, the more I looked at it, the more of a shame it seemed to leave it in such a sorry state. Knowing the 'works' were much the same, I had already bought the Peter Tooke Contax repair manual as a lead for my assault on the Kiev. Now, having consulted the Rangefinder Forum I went back to the Bay to order a length of that Japanese shutter ribbon. What was the worst that could happen in attempting to strip down and repair a near worthless junker of a Contax?
Actually, going nearly mad in trying to retension the thing's shutter - but that's a long story that's been told elsewhere here. In the end I did it and, having checked the speeds by comparing its apparent action with another camera's electronically-controlled vertical shutter, I tried my first film in what I now knew was a '39 camera with a '37 lens...
And it worked like a dream from the get-go. Perfect exposures (so the speed guestimation was good enough), a silky-smooth wind-on, spot-on rangefinder (simply as found - all I did was clean the optics and regrease the exposed helix of focus mount, without daring to - or having to - strip that complex bit of precision engineering).
Discoveries since are that early Kiev accessory lenses - 1950s and 60s one - work beautifully on the Contax, the asking prices for most Zeiss originals being more than I'd wish to pay for a camera that I was using (quite extensively) for fun. I wan't going to fall into that gear acquisition trap... until I just had to try one of those legendary 1.5 Sonnars. (Report on this: it looked clean and pristine and produces lovely, sharp images that match the contrast of the coated Soviet lenses.)
The one problem I have not cracked is finding a colour stock processing house that will give me hi-res scans I can make my own digital prints from. Time to reactivate the B & W darkroom, I know - but meanwhile it's a happy return to colour transparencies and the slide projector. The Oxfam shop around the corner had a pristine Leitz Pradovit for all of £25. Could I afford it? What do you think!
Larry Cloetta
Veteran
Good for you! Nice to see stories like this.
Richard G
Veteran
Well done. You deserve the enjoyment. And what a great pick up that projector.
lundrog
Established
Keep us updated. Any pictures of the items?
Philip Whiteman
Well-known
I need to work out how to post 'em, but will do so - and maybe add some updates.
One thing I didn't mention that, having discovered M W Cameras here in London, two working Contax IIs followed my own restoration job. The lesson here is that for those who don't wish to fix these lovely, complex cameras themselves is that they can be found in good condition/working order for a half to a third of eBay asking prices.
One further alternative is a good Kiev 2. I lucked out with a boxed, almost as new 1953 one for £90 - and it is very nearly as well made and finished as the pre-war Contax (the satin chrome plating acutually looks superior).
One thing I didn't mention that, having discovered M W Cameras here in London, two working Contax IIs followed my own restoration job. The lesson here is that for those who don't wish to fix these lovely, complex cameras themselves is that they can be found in good condition/working order for a half to a third of eBay asking prices.
One further alternative is a good Kiev 2. I lucked out with a boxed, almost as new 1953 one for £90 - and it is very nearly as well made and finished as the pre-war Contax (the satin chrome plating acutually looks superior).
David Hughes
David Hughes
Hi,
Got to agree with you there; they make a good pair. And, of course, you get the advantage of coating with the Jupiter...
Regards, David
Hatchetman
Well-known
Well done!
Out to Lunch
Ventor
I'd like to see some photos!
Dez
Bodger Extraordinaire
I agree about the Kiev 2. I have one from 1949, with much better plating than the Contaxes. I see the same thing with prewar and wartime FEDs- the chrome finish is holding up better than contemporary Leicas. Heresy, maybe, but true.
Cheers,
Dez
Cheers,
Dez
Timmyjoe
Veteran
That's very cool. Congratulations.
Best,
-Tim
Best,
-Tim
Philip Whiteman
Well-known
I have some decent studio shots of the Contax... er, Contaxes (it's an addiction - I have three of the things now - soon, I promise.
Meanwhile, does anybody know why prewar Zeiss chrome plating was so poor? As Dez says, the Kiev looks far better - it has a silky plating, slightly yellow in tone (a bit like nickel), whereas the Contaxes have an inconsistent granular kind of plating that gives the camera a 'tin toy' look...
Meanwhile, does anybody know why prewar Zeiss chrome plating was so poor? As Dez says, the Kiev looks far better - it has a silky plating, slightly yellow in tone (a bit like nickel), whereas the Contaxes have an inconsistent granular kind of plating that gives the camera a 'tin toy' look...
BLKRCAT
75% Film
I hope that you can find a way to get some nice images online. It would really be nice to have some images to follow your story!
Dez
Bodger Extraordinaire
I am told that Zeiss skipped the nickel layer in plating Contaxes. I have never verified or disproved that theory.
Cheers,
Dez
Arbitrarium
Well-known
£30! I paid that for my Kiev 4a, but that's fully working already, including the pepper grinder =P
I love the feel and the layout of the Kiev, and the wide rangefinder. I'll definitely be on the look out for a Contax.
I love the feel and the layout of the Kiev, and the wide rangefinder. I'll definitely be on the look out for a Contax.
steveyork
Well-known
I've always appreciated the large, contrasty rangefinder patches of these old Contax/Kiev. Better then what came afterwards from all those other guys.
Philip Whiteman
Well-known
I wish I could work out how to upload my pictures of the Contax and Kiev to the gallery! All I want to do is select suitably sized jpegs from my desktop (I don't have a website or online image storage account) but can I do it...
Any advice/instructions would be appreciated
Any advice/instructions would be appreciated
Philip Whiteman
Well-known
Philip Whiteman
Well-known
And here's the Kiev alongside the Contax
johank
Established
Peter Henning made a CLA on my stiff Contax II. A joy to use.
Ko.Fe.
Lenses 35/21 Gears 46/20
Looking good!
Gallery upload is simple by itself. Hit one button and navigate on computer were image is.
The main problem for newbies is in the file size limit. You need to find application you are keen with to get files size reduced.
BTW, was it one year with Contax II to fix it or one year plan to use it after it?
Gallery upload is simple by itself. Hit one button and navigate on computer were image is.
The main problem for newbies is in the file size limit. You need to find application you are keen with to get files size reduced.
BTW, was it one year with Contax II to fix it or one year plan to use it after it?