bought a contax ii on ebay

[pauld111]

That seller has 100% positive feedback and is willing to cooperate with you. I think you have some leverage (refund, return, partial refund). Depends what you want to do, but if you start fixing the camera, then ethically you have to keep it.

Looks in good condition. I say that with an overall you'll have an excellent camera.

I accepted a partial refund from the seller (if you read my other posts you will note that I had in depth correspondence with the seller whereby I was offered either a full refund or partial refund. I think he handled the situation very well) and have sent it off to be fixed. I should have it back by the end of November.

 

[David Hughes]

Please keep us posted when it comes back.


Regards, David

 

[pauld111]

Hi,

I have got the camera back. It seems like a brand new camera. It was always a good specimen on the outside and now it feels right. I am trying to load my first film and having a little trouble. This is because:

1. The take up spool is the one with the wavy opening and the small central slit. I have purchased on Ebay a replacement spool with the more usual slots, but want to use this one in the meantime.

2. The instructions on how to load film are very complicated in the manual which I downloaded.

It seems like it is not talking about this type of film at all, but rather one which had a paper leader on it. You preset the shutter and load the film and then set the film counter to 27 and once the film is loaded push the shutter release and at the same time rotate anti clockwise 9 times. This was for loading with a Contax spool.

The second option it talks about is for 'working with further films types of film packaging available'. In this set up the counter is set to '37'. But it seems they are talking about other metalic cartridges.

Does one need to set the counter at a certain number and go through this process for modern film cassettes Basically, I am looking for a step by step process because I have just got the camera back and don't want to mess it up.

Thanks

 

[Bill Jones]

Hi,

I have got the camera back. It seems like a brand new camera. It was always a good specimen on the outside and now it feels right. I am trying to load my first film and having a little trouble. This is because:

1. The take up spool is the one with the wavy opening and the small central slit. I have purchased on Ebay a replacement spool with the more usual slots, but want to use this one in the meantime.

2. The instructions on how to load film are very complicated in the manual which I downloaded.

It seems like it is not talking about this type of film at all, but rather one which had a paper leader on it. You preset the shutter and load the film and then set the film counter to 27 and once the film is loaded push the shutter release and at the same time rotate anti clockwise 9 times. This was for loading with a Contax spool.

The second option it talks about is for 'working with further films types of film packaging available'. In this set up the counter is set to '37'. But it seems they are talking about other metalic cartridges.

Does one need to set the counter at a certain number and go through this process for modern film cassettes Basically, I am looking for a step by step process because I have just got the camera back and don't want to mess it up.

Thanks

Refer to the instruction book on the Butkus web site. The instructions you are looking for are on pages on pages 28 & 29 with the pictures on page 7. Actually the same as any camera where you have to set the frame counter manually.

Bill

 

[pauld111]

Refer to the instruction book on the Butkus web site. The instructions you are looking for are on pages on pages 28 & 29 with the pictures on page 7. Actually the same as any camera where you have to set the frame counter manually.

Bill

Hi Bill,

Thanks for helping me.

Cheers

Paul

 

[pauld111]

I am interested in getting an additional lens for my Contax. Will post war lenses fit on the Contax ii, for instance a Zeiss-Opton Sonnar 50mm 1.5 T ?

 

[Mr_Flibble]

Post-war lenses will work fine on the Contax II.

Only the post-war Contax IIa can be damaged with pre-war wide-angle lenses (or their post-war copies). But all should be fine on the Contax II.

 

[pauld111]

Post-war lenses will work fine on the Contax II.

Only the post-war Contax IIa can be damaged with pre-war wide-angle lenses (or their post-war copies). But all should be fine on the Contax II.

Thanks for letting me know.

 

[Bill Jones]

Paul,

Early Contax I 5cm Tessars (black faces usually) collapse deeper than later ones and can then hit shutter surround on all later Contaxs also.

Bill

 

[Mr_Flibble]

Thanks, Bil. I did not know that.

I should check my early Tessar against its chrome brother.

 

[Bill Jones]

Thanks, Bil. I did not know that.

I should check my early Tessar against its chrome brother.

Rick,

Kuc's books Auf den Spuren der Contax, Band 1 shows the distance from the back of the bayonet to the back of the lens tube when collapsed as 20,5 mm for the Contax I Tessars and shows a max safe working distance of 15,5 mm with the Contax II.

Also the Contax I Tessars are the only lenses that fit in the furthest in catch on the "Tripod Focusing Head" or the "Large Reproduction Apparartus" per their instruction booklets and my own experience.

Bill

 

[Mr_Flibble]

Strange that I've missed this. I have that book and read it over the summer. Albeit my grasp German is limited.....the beer probably didn't help either.

 

[pippy]

I sent the camera off to Ed Trzoska. I will update with further details. If anything this might be educational for future readers.

Thanks for that later update, pauld.
I might be referring to this post again quite soon as I have just bought a '38 Contax II from the 'bay last night.

I fear Ed Trzoska might be hearing from me in the very near future...

Pip.

 

[pauld111]

Thanks for that later update, pauld.
I might be referring to this post again quite soon as I have just bought a '38 Contax II from the 'bay last night.

I fear Ed Trzoska might be hearing from me in the very near future...

Pip.

Hi,

Ed is excellent, going from my experience. His workmanship is extremely thorough and his email feedback is very detailed, so you know exactly what is going on.

Cheers

Paul

 

[pippy]

Thanks for the added info, Paul
As it happens the thing appears to be in a much better mechanical state than I feared it might be. I've bought other stuff from the same seller several times and have not been disappointed but the shutter-ribbons on the Contax II have a bit of a reputation...
The lens (the ubiquitous collapsible sonnar from, like the body, 1938) was listed as having 'light haze' but I've had a good look and can't see anything amiss. In fact the Sonnar looks to be near-mint. It DOES look a bit 'milky' in some lights but on examination it's clear as crystal. I know some fungus is invisible to the naked eye so, obviously, I'll have to put a roll through it but, fingers crossed, all the signs are looking good.

Just for fun here's a quick snap of the new arrival. Pity about the wear on the face-plate caused by the case-nose...

Pip.