Contax I service?

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richardhkirkando

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Does anybody, anywhere in the world still service these? I may be buying one that has a questionable shutter, but I won't bother if my only option is 5 years on Henry Scherer's waiting list.
 
Thanks! Just picked up the camera this morning. As it turns out, the supposed shutter issues were in fact user error, and it works quite well after all.

I'll definitely keep the recommendations in mind though, I always seem to have some piece of equipment that needs work.
 
be careful when you set the shutter speeds of a Contax I, there have been several models, and the correct manual may be difficult to find !
-try Henry Scherer, CA
-or Uwe Kersten, klassik-kameras.de
 
There are people out there happy to service a Contax I...and they can be made to be reliable.

The bigger question is whether it is really worth it. I have had two serviced and both work well, but to be quite honest, the novelty wears off and you soon realise that your beautiful black Contax I is a pig to use, particularly in comparison with the Contax II and the products of a certain company in Wetzlar.

A reasonable looking Contax I would cost around £200 - £300. A proper service and new tapes by someone well recommended could set you back rather more than that.

The old girl is now getting mighty expensive.... so if you want the real Tessar/Sonnar experience by an adaptor and use an ltm Leica!!!

Michael
 
Dralowid said:
The bigger question is whether it is really worth it. I have had two serviced and both work well, but to be quite honest, the novelty wears off and you soon realise that your beautiful black Contax I is a pig to use(...)
Click to expand...

I second that. I used to own a Contax I but quickly got rid of it.

The Contax II can be easily seen as a technical marvel and a design jewel (what it is 100%), but this is not the case with the I, which was rather more a kind of crude prototype sold by Zeiss Ikon to the 1930's beta-testers, than an achieved camera...
 
Yes, yes, yes, but that little voice inside your head keeps telling you that Ansel Adams used a Contax I, they were fantastically expensive and wouldn't you be a martyr for your art if you used one!

Michael
 
I do not think it is that much worse than a screwmount Leica, except that the rewind knob is a bit hard to grasp.
 
Ansel also used the III, IIRC, so there are easier-to-use models to pick from & still stay true to the cult! ;)

Dralowid said:
Yes, yes, yes, but that little voice inside your head keeps telling you that Ansel Adams used a Contax I, they were fantastically expensive and wouldn't you be a martyr for your art if you used one!

Michael
Click to expand...
 
the worst feature of the Contax I is the 4-group shutter dial, while the shutter releases in any position, especially under bad lighting conditions you can't be positively sure of the shutter speed you'll really get !
film loading is much quicker than with any Leica III, the rangefinder is easy to use, and the lenses were the very best on the world market then
 
S.H. said:
I do not think it is that much worse than a screwmount Leica, except that the rewind knob is a bit hard to grasp.
Click to expand...

Try to repair a defective Contax I shutter yourself and you will change your mind :D

You know I actually love the Contax II - but the I... :rolleyes:
 
Don't ever suggest I don't practice what I preach (?!?), I have sold one this month already!


img020 by dralowid, on Flickr

At least the older two on the left work!

Michael

(apologies for scan!)
 
Just for the family resemblance ...

The Special Press All-Black Nikon. (S2)

Erik.

7029037711_db0cdc4068_c.jpg
 
Dralowid said:
Don't ever suggest I don't practice what I preach (?!?), I have sold one this month already!


img020 by dralowid, on Flickr

At least the older two on the left work!

Michael

(apologies for scan!)
Click to expand...

Oh my. Four of them! You are indeed a glutton for punishment.
Very nice cameras, though.

Cheers,
Dez
 
Hi Erik,

Didn't know that you also had an interest in the dark side.....I think the Contax in the bottom right of my scan may be a conversion...

Tell me, is there a way of fooling your scanner into having more depth of field? I have always been impressed by your scans of Leica bodies.

Best

Michael
 
Hi Michael,

I used to have a cheap scanner, a HP of about EUR 60 that made great scans of cameras. Now I have a more expensive one, the Epson V600, great in every way exept for scanning cameras. Maybe I have to experiment a bit, the scanner has a lot of options.
You cannot increase the dept of field with scanners as there is no lens and no diaphragm!

Erik.
 
Hi Erik,

That's what I thought...maybe cheaper scanners have poorer resolution and wider tolerances...I just don't know. I'm using a V500 now...maybe I'll try an ancient one from the office.

Michael
 
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