Affordable wide angle for IIa?

[batterytypehah!]

Hi all,

I'm new here -- read more in the intro forum if you want.

I recently won a IIa body on e*ay for $129 - couldn't believe I was the only bidder. It turned out to be a winner. Nice clean user, just one and a half Zeiss bumps, all shutter speeds fine. Pretty stiff focus wheel, though. It's my first Contax but I think it's supposed to be smoother.

My only lens at the moment is a Helios 103.

Okay, so maybe I should have done my homework but I found out too late that the Jupiter 12 doesn't mount on postwar bodies. Meaning Contax and Nikon lenses are my remaining choices for wides (right?). The prices make me dizzy... I mean, a Nikon 35/3.5 went for over $200 a few days ago. Give me a break, for a 35? I'd rather carry a Minox 35 or Olympus XA along with the Contax. Faster lens, a quarter of the price, doubles as a meter, ready to shoot before I even have the Helios off & stashed.

Long winded intro, sorry. Question is this: The J-12 seems to come in various versions, some with the really long, interfering "tail," some, judging from auction photos, shorter. Do truly none of them fit a IIa/IIIa?

Other options? Needs to be shorter than 35 mm (see above) to have real life usefulness. Under $200 in user condition (let's say some cleaning marks, dings on barrel, etc.). Is this realistic?

Thanks!

 

[mhv]

No J-12 will fit your IIa, ever.

I got a used Cosina Voigtlander 21mm f/4 Color-Skopar SC with finder for around 200$... But I was lucky.

If you're willing to spend a bit more, Stephen Gandy has some SC lenses left you could use, 21mm, 25mm, or 28mm (no 35mm left!).
http://www.cameraquest.com/nrfVClens.htm

The SC lenses are sharp, contrasty, and very well made. If you prefer a more vintage look, your options are few.

You could hunt for a Zeiss-Opton Biogon 35mm, or for the same price get a wider lens from Stephen.

The Nikkor 35mm f/2.5 is no slouch on colour and B&W film, and beats the Jupiter, which is already a fine lens.

 

[Vics]

Be careful not to try focusing lenses other than 50mm using the wheel. I second mhv on the w-Nikkor 35/2.5. I love mine, but they're not cheap!
Vic

 

[micromontenegro]

Other options? Needs to be shorter than 35 mm (see above) to have real life usefulness. Under $200 in user condition (let's say some cleaning marks, dings on barrel, etc.). Is this realistic?

Sorry, but barring luck, no, at the moment it is not realistic.
But patience and time can pay off. I did get very lucky after some years of looking, and got a killer deal on both 21 and 35mm Biogons.