rsosa
Established
I've found myself in front of this camera. I was looking for a Leica (already own an M4) but the name caught my eye. So... how much do you think does it worth? curtains have some rust?? (not sure, tried removing it and underneath were bronze?? Anyway... focusing didn't "seem" to work, i mean the patch was hardly visible and was not overlapping (normal?) Outside the camera looks pretty mint, wondering if a "diy CLA" would put this to work again
Lens is collapsible and shows cleaning marks and some haze...
These are not easy cameras to work on, complex mechanisms. If you can get it for $100, it is worth it. $200- questionable. The lens is worth $100.
Pickett Wilson
Veteran
Essex camera repair has done a good job on a couple of Contax cameras I've sent them to CLA. Do it if you really like the cameras and plan to use them. You probably won't get the cost of a CLA back of you just plan to resale the camera.
Highway 61
Revisited
The lens is worth peanuts. It's not the 50/3.5 Tessar. The 50/2.8 Tessar was made as an attempt to get an extra f-stop using the same Tessar formula, but it was not a good idea. Rather getting a nice Sonnar 50/2 instead - I mean, the 50/2.8 Tessar is an average lense even when close to perfect, so using one which has haze and cleaning marks is not worth the trial.
On the camera : a dim viewfinder doesn't mean anything from the outside (grime, dust etc can make what you see pretty dark and blurred) and it's only when you remove the top cover that you'll see if this one has heavy separation of the cemented beamsplitter prism, but the rangefinder patch not overlapping with the main image probably means that the swinging plano-concave element in the rangefinder mechanism has come unglued with time : even if dirty and dim the RF patch must move and overlap with the main image when you focus the lens using the focusing wheel.
Everything can be repaired and restored on a Contax II and everything can be done through a DIY job but this is always long and sometimes difficult. If the external condition of the camera is worth it, you can think of it. But this would require a certain amount of experience at working on your own cameras, a lots a patience, some precision screwdrivers and tweezers, and the like. Don't expect to have the camera brought back to life in less than 30 or 40 hours of careful homework if you want to do something proper and durable.
From what I see on the picture the camera is in nice cosmetic condition with no dings, corrosion or mold.
On the camera : a dim viewfinder doesn't mean anything from the outside (grime, dust etc can make what you see pretty dark and blurred) and it's only when you remove the top cover that you'll see if this one has heavy separation of the cemented beamsplitter prism, but the rangefinder patch not overlapping with the main image probably means that the swinging plano-concave element in the rangefinder mechanism has come unglued with time : even if dirty and dim the RF patch must move and overlap with the main image when you focus the lens using the focusing wheel.
Everything can be repaired and restored on a Contax II and everything can be done through a DIY job but this is always long and sometimes difficult. If the external condition of the camera is worth it, you can think of it. But this would require a certain amount of experience at working on your own cameras, a lots a patience, some precision screwdrivers and tweezers, and the like. Don't expect to have the camera brought back to life in less than 30 or 40 hours of careful homework if you want to do something proper and durable.
From what I see on the picture the camera is in nice cosmetic condition with no dings, corrosion or mold.
rsosa
Established
thanks guys, will go to give it a shot. I do really love working cameras, but also appreciate history, lets see what happens
cheers
cheers
rsosa
Established
Regarding contax lenses... how would you compare the sonnar 50 1.5 to the summilux 50 1.5 of same time ( i mean the first version )
cheers
cheers
Brian Legge
Veteran
I was under the impression that Contax cameras were particularly challenging to work on... I've done some repair but sold a Contax IIIa that had ribbon issues because I didn't believe I would be able to fix it.
As it didn't cock, I only got $75 for it. Better than a local dealer who offered me $15 for it as a parts camera.
As it didn't cock, I only got $75 for it. Better than a local dealer who offered me $15 for it as a parts camera.
raid
Dad Photographer
Eddy Smolov works a lot on Contax cameras. he may be out due to health reasons.