Contax I Repair Options

[Erik van Straten]

Hmmm. I suspected it was the lip on the side of the take-up spool. This is where the film is pulled inward as it winds up, emulsion side out.
Otherwise it might be due to the film chafing on itself as it is wound up onto the take-up spool.

The heads of the screws that mount the lip on the take-up reel side could have caused the scratches if they were not in the emulsion layer but on the back of the film, but they are.

Significant scratches also occur along the length of the film between the image and the perforations. These scratches could have been caused by the film rails. I have now smoothed the start and end points of these rails with a tiny file.

Erik.

 

[armadsen]

Just a note to say that I got my Contax I back from Oleg in Slovakia today, and it seems to be working well now. He cleaned up the lens quite nicely as well.

 

[Erik van Straten]

gelatin silver print (s skopar 50mm f2.5) contax 1

Amsterdam, 2016

Erik.

 

[armadsen]

Realized that I never followed up with what happened. I ended up sending my Contax I to Oleg Khaliavin in Slovakia. He charged around $350 to repair and CLA the camera, as well as CLA the lens. It was back on my doorstep about 2 weeks after I sent it to him, and in fine shape. Still haven't had a chance to put a roll of film through it, but the shutter is firing fine now, rangefinder looks good, the lens is crystal clear, and I'm excited to try it out.

Incidentally, I've heard from someone else since getting mine back that Radu Lesaru here in the US is once again responding to email, and is still taking Contax Is for repair.