OwenOven
Newbie
I recently was recently handed down a Contax IIIa with a slow shutter and broken meter and a zeiss 50mm f/2 with T coating. Might as well use the lens, What's the best camera to use those lenses on?
Best Contax Rangefinder mount rangefinder.
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jgran
Member
film:
Leica M3, M6 .85 with Amedeo M adapter
Canon P, L1 with Amedeo LTM adapter
digital:
Leica M9, M8, MM with same M adapter
or
m4/3 with contax-m4/3 adapter.
all work and work well with the adapter. Lots of choices - it all depends on what flavor you prefer.
have fun, great lens.
Leica M3, M6 .85 with Amedeo M adapter
Canon P, L1 with Amedeo LTM adapter
digital:
Leica M9, M8, MM with same M adapter
or
m4/3 with contax-m4/3 adapter.
all work and work well with the adapter. Lots of choices - it all depends on what flavor you prefer.
have fun, great lens.
msbarnes
Well-known
I'm not sure if you can adapt it to LTM but you can basically adapt it to any M mount camera or you can stay with contax.
The cheapest solution is to get another Contax or a Kiev.
The more reliable solution is to get a Bessa R2c or just any M mount camera (Leica, Bessa, Zeiss Ikon, Hexar RF) but the M mount adapter is around $250 and most M bodies are not that cheap. The cheapest being the Bessa R2/R3 and Leica CL/CLE.
If you just want to use the lens, then I'd just get another contax instead of sinking $500-$1000 on a reliable body just to use that lens.
The cheapest solution is to get another Contax or a Kiev.
The more reliable solution is to get a Bessa R2c or just any M mount camera (Leica, Bessa, Zeiss Ikon, Hexar RF) but the M mount adapter is around $250 and most M bodies are not that cheap. The cheapest being the Bessa R2/R3 and Leica CL/CLE.
If you just want to use the lens, then I'd just get another contax instead of sinking $500-$1000 on a reliable body just to use that lens.
Vics
Veteran
I shoot my Sonnar 50/1.5 with my Contax IIIa and, via Amadeo adapter. on my Leica M3. I like it best on the Contax, but it's fully functional on the M3, too. The adapter is a work of art, and worth every penny. I can also shoot my W-Nikkor 35/2.5 using the adapter and it focuses just like it does on the Contax.
Vics
Veteran
Yes, Amadeo DOES make a rf-coupled for that lens to LTM.
msbarnes
Well-known
skahde
V for Victory!
Keep it simple an get yourself a Kiev 4am. It is not the absolute best in cameras but will cost a fraction of an adapter let alone the leica you probably don't have by now but they are are pretty decent cameras and the few examples I held in hands were all working well. So why risk the money just to find out how you like the lens?
sevo
Fokutorendaburando
Well, you have a camera - a smoother one than a Kiev or pre-war Contax, too!
Get the IIIa cleaned and forget the meter - it can probably be revived for a price in the same range as a Contax/LTM adapter or the amount you have to spend to get a good Kiev (which usually takes three attempts).
That is, a mere cleaning will generally address Contax shutter slowness. Only the fastest speed may still be unreliable or lost - if the widespread 1/1250s capping issues don't magically heal themselves in the CLA (or after some time of intensive use), they can only be repaired by taking the entire shutter drum apart, a risky repair effort (the part is press fit and was supposed to be replaced as a whole) probably above the camera's worth.
Get the IIIa cleaned and forget the meter - it can probably be revived for a price in the same range as a Contax/LTM adapter or the amount you have to spend to get a good Kiev (which usually takes three attempts).
That is, a mere cleaning will generally address Contax shutter slowness. Only the fastest speed may still be unreliable or lost - if the widespread 1/1250s capping issues don't magically heal themselves in the CLA (or after some time of intensive use), they can only be repaired by taking the entire shutter drum apart, a risky repair effort (the part is press fit and was supposed to be replaced as a whole) probably above the camera's worth.
