Contax ii maintenance and repair options

[stephen_lumsden]

I got a Contax ii from Henry Scherer a while back, did not use it for a few years, but but have resumed in the last few months. Its working ok, apart from the possibility of having a slower shutter speed at 1/50, but I have to confirm that. Over the longer term I may have to get it repaired or have a CLA on it. I read there is a waiting list of 4 years for Henry, which is unacceptable. Are there any other good technicians out there who do Contax iis. I know Mark Hansen does Contax iia repairs, but I am talking about the ii. I have a Jupiter 12 which I would have to replace if I got a Contax iia, so would rather stay with a ii.

 

[KoNickon]

Look at okvintagecamera.com -- yes, he (Oleg) is in Russia, but he does a good job on the II and III and is inexpensive and fast.

 

[KoNickon]

Here is the link -- 129 Euros for Contax II/III repairs: https://okvintagecamera.com/ocart/index.php?route=product/product&path=67&product_id=144

 

[hap]

Very easy to work with Mark. Just email him and you will get an answer in 1-2days. I don't have his phone number but it may be on his website. I have no experience with Oleg but heard he was good. I do have experience with Mark and so far it has also been good.

 

[Timmyjoe]

Don Goldberg (DAG) does service on the Contax IIa, so maybe he also works on the Contax II. You might want to check with him.

Best,
-Tim

 

[Miles.]

Folks who return their cameras to Henry for a 5-year "touch-up" service go to the front of the line so he might be your best option if that much time has elapsed.

Otherwise, Timmyjoe's hunch is correct, Don does work in Contax II's as well.

 

[stephen_lumsden]

I sent my camera to Oleg in the end, just before the Ukraine invasion, waiting on the post to get it back

 

[R. Peters]

I've had Oleg repair 3 cameras for me and he did a great job. I've also bought lenses from him and was very pleased. Khalyavin is a "straight shooter".

However, I contacted him Monday 5/09/22 and he is shutting down his repair business and leaving Russia with his family because of the Ukraine situation. He isn't sure if he will re open. I'd encourage you to check his website: https://okvintagecamera.com/ocart/index.php?route=common/home

I told him I hoped the situation was resolved so that he could re open and we could again do business. I didn't comment further because you never know who else might be reading his mail.

If he re opens in a reasonable time, I'll send my two early contaxes to him. He's a decent guy who is going to have a pretty stressful time ahead. I wish him and his family well.

 

[hap]

I've had Oleg repair 3 cameras for me and he did a great job. I've also bought lenses from him and was very pleased. Khalyavin is a "straight shooter".

However, I contacted him Monday 5/09/22 and he is shutting down his repair business and leaving Russia with his family because of the Ukraine situation. He isn't sure if he will re open. I'd encourage you to check his website: https://okvintagecamera.com/ocart/index.php?route=common/home

I told him I hoped the situation was resolved so that he could re open and we could again do business. I didn't comment further because you never know who else might be reading his mail.

If he re opens in a reasonable time, I'll send my two early contaxes to him. He's a decent guy who is going to have a pretty stressful time ahead. I wish him and his family well.

Maybe he would come to America. Many Russians in my part of the world. Problem is ...it almost never gets cold. that could be fixed. anyway, he would almost immediately have business.

 

[stephen_lumsden]

I got back my Contax ii and lenses in really good order. Its like when I first got it. Hopefully Oleg can re-settle and continue his business. He is a great technician at a good price.

 

[KoNickon]

That's great news. And that's pretty fast, considering postage time and all the rest.... I have not checked his website, but I sure hope he continues in business, wherever he ends up. (May be harder to get parts from outside Russia though.)

 

[R. Peters]

I suggested to Oleg that he consider coming to the USA. I told him that all the Leica and contax technicans claim to have a backlog. I suggested that if he comes, to bring all the parts he can find and pack.

If you've had Oleg work on any of your cameras , you might consider encouraging him via email to re start his business when he is settled. If you do, Please don't mention Ukraine . email isn't necessarily private, especially in Moscow. His website makes his views pretty obvious.

 

[gaheris]

It's a shame. Oleg is a real magician with pre-war Contax cameras and I hope he will be in somewhere safe and happy very soon.

 

[Shafovaloff1]

I bought a Contax II repair manual from a seller in Kiev about a month ago and recently received notice it had reached the US Postal Service in Jamaica, New York and then Birmingham, Alabama....so evidently Ukriaine Postal Service is operating out of Kiev! It had stopped at the customs sort in Kiev for a few weeks...several weeks...no problem.

 

[R. Peters]

I had Oleg overhaul 2 early Kievs. I think what we often see outside of Russia are cameras that, besides being 70 years old, have had a hard life. The two early Kievs he repaired for me feel like new cameras--actually they feel like "good" cameras! I was surprised that at the time, he could replace a Kiev/Contax light meter for a nominal amount while the camera was in for service. He found some screws in one of the Kievs that weren't original and replaced them with originals. I had another camera boxed and ready to send when Ukraine was attacked. It's still in the box in my living room.

 

[lohrentz]

I got off the fence just in time to get two of the last cameras Oleg is sending from Russia. a 1961 Iskra I and a 1955 Kiev 2A + Jupiter 8, which he put in the post on May 4. I also placed an order with a Ukraine seller on 4/25 for a 1981 Helios 103, which arrived today, so mail is still getting here in reasonable time. I hope he is able to get the heck out of there without any trouble. He said that he is leaving behind his inventory of parts and cameras. What a shame.

 

[santino]

Maybe he would come to America. Many Russians in my part of the world. Problem is ...it almost never gets cold. that could be fixed. anyway, he would almost immediately have business.

Is it that simple to immigrate into the US?

However, if I were him I would stay away from certain countries within the EU, not because of the gouvernments but recently increasing blind hatred against Russians in general. Even products with „russian...“ in their name get renamed etc (products that are not affiliated with Russia at all).

I wish him all the best. He is truely a master of his craft and a nice guy. I hope he will re-open his business soon, wherever that might be.

 

[hap]

Is it that simple to immigrate into the US?

However, if I were him I would stay away from certain countries within the EU, not because of the gouvernments but recently increasing blind hatred against Russians in general. Even products with „russian...“ in their name get renamed etc (products that are not affiliated with Russia at all).

I wish him all the best. He is truely a master of his craft and a nice guy. I hope he will re-open his business soon, wherever that might be.

If you can get to the Rio Grand.....no problem

 

[R. Peters]

Good News! Oleg Khalyavin has re settled in Slovakia and has re opened his business. OK Vintage Camera

Check out his web page.

OKVintageCamera

Classic and vintage cameras sale and repair

www.okvintagecamera.com

Khalyavin is one of the very few who repairs prewar Contax II and III--and at a reasonable price! No four year waiting list! He did a full service on a Minolta II (Leica Copy) for me as well as 2 Kievs (Contax copies). I suspect my two Kievs may work better than when new! He also repairs a number of different Soviet and both East and West German cameras.

My two "real" prewar Zeiss Contax bodies are on their way to him at the time of this post.

Oleg sold his home left Moscow with his family out of principle because he objected to recent "events", and I respect him greatly for it--it took courage If this post sounds like a "plug" this is why. I have no connection to Oleg except as a satisfied customer.

 

[jdvf]

My Contax is also on its way to Oleg, acoompanied by few lenses: I recently checked his website and was pleased to read that he is now in Bratislava, esp. against the background you mentioned, @R. Peters

Greg