Contax IIa mod and service...

[lukx]

Thank you Miles.

I'm going to tackle the bumps today.

I opened up the IIa yesterday, and like magic the rangefinder started working. Must have been some debris in there or something, took off the top plate, and presto! I didn't actually see what caused it to hang, it was very clean in there, no greasy sludge.

So the camera seems fully operational now, pending a film test, from 1s to 1/250s.

In case someone else stumbles across the issue of a stuck rangefinder on a IIa or IIIa, here is an image that illustrates its function.

The brass part center left is the actual rangefinder cam that drives the orientation of the rf patch based on the position of the focusing mount. The little arm that lies against it transfers the movement and swivels the little glass lens accordingly. It connects to some springs that lie underneath the little brass plate at the right. When debris or gunked up grease is trapped in there, the little arm won‘t spring back then the focus is turned, leaving the rangefinder in position. Adding some lighter fluid and careful movement of the parts should free things up…

 

[rick oleson]

Viscount: Feel like a fun DIY project?

Dropbox

www.dropbox.com

🙂=

 

[Viscount]

Viscount: Feel like a fun DIY project?

Dropbox

www.dropbox.com

🙂=

OMG. Kudos on the great drawings but I think I just went blind in my right eye and burned out several brain circuits. I'm where I can print that out, so I think I will and will sit down with a ...beverage, and consider. Many thanks...at least until I start.

 

[jc031699]

If it's inappropriate to piggyback on this thread, please let me know.

I have a Contax IIIa that is non-functioning. The shutter is locked up, and the rangefinder is cloudy, but (if memory serves) I think tracks the full range. Meter does not appear to work. 50mm collapsible lens. The camera was my father-in-law's, and is in very nice cosmetic shape. When I did my research several months ago, there was a "Contax guy" who has a very extensive website, but who apparently is not accepting work. I checked out Oleg's site, and while he does appear to be accepting cameras, it looks like the bill could crowd $500 US including return shipping, IF there is no tariff surprise on return. I'll reach out to him to see if my estimate is close.

But my question to members in the US is whether there is anyone in the States who can be reliably used to CLA/repair a IIIa. I can't prove that Ross Yerkes is accepting rangefinders; he may be the person who is now only working on Rolleiflexes. (My attention to this task has been intermittent...)

Thanks for any and all assistance.

If the rangefinder is cloudy, that likely means that the prism has separated and there is degradation of the half silvered mirrored surface therein

 

[Viscount]

Okay, I mis-spoke and mis-remembered.

The IIIa is not locked up, and I think with some careful external cleaning, the finder is OK. The issue is that when the shutter fires, the speed does not change, no matter where the selector ring is set. My search continues for a skilled repair source.

I never did get my sister-in-law's printer to work, so I still have the document to print out.

 

[jc031699]

Oleg Khaliavin seems to be the recommended repair maestro currently

 

[aw614]

My II is working great, but I've been pondering what to do with the iiia that I bought for a 1.5 Sonnar. I was planning on giving the body to a friend. I know if it was a iia, I probably would pay to fix it, but I never liked the meter bump on the iii or iiia that its kind of holding me back on what to do. The body is rough, shutter is closed and doesn't do anything and the viewfinder looks very dusty. No zeiss bumps, but the leather cover seems like a mess.

But the overall width of the iia/iiia is really nice to hold, maybe I'll look for a iia later.

 

[Viscount]

Oleg Khaliavin seems to be the recommended repair maestro currently

Yeah, I gather, but with two steps for shipping to him and the cost of shipping back, it ends up being pretty dear.

 

[KoNickon]

Yeah, I gather, but with two steps for shipping to him and the cost of shipping back, it ends up being pretty dear.

What about Mark Hansen? ZeissIkonRolleiRepair.com

 

[boojum]

Yeah, I gather, but with two steps for shipping to him and the cost of shipping back, it ends up being pretty dear.

I paid around $300 - $350 for a complete overhaul and CLA of lens, camera and shutter. The shutter now is a whisper. That is a pretty reasonable price for a fellow who is famous for his work and its quality. Of course, YMMV.

 

[Duofold RF]

What about Mark Hansen? ZeissIkonRolleiRepair.com

I never use Mark’s service. Mark offers repairs for many camera brands, while Oleg focuses only on CONTAX and Russian cameras—like family medicine versus a specialty.

 

[WoodallP]

I never use Mark’s service. Mark offers repairs for many camera brands, while Oleg focuses only on CONTAX and Russian cameras—like family medicine versus a specialty.

Oleg does Leicas too.

 

[splitimageview]

I’m planning to send a IIa (or two) to Oleg. Will report the results…

 

[boojum]

To help understand what Oleg does: OKVintageCamera

 

[rick oleson]

I’m planning to send a IIa (or two) to Oleg. Will report the results…

Does Oleg do the IIa/IIIa? I thought he just did the II/III and Kiev (and FED/Zorki). The postwar “a” series are totally different cameras

 

[1936ContaxII]

Yes he does. He serviced my 1952 IIIa.

 

[Duofold RF]

Does Oleg do the IIa/IIIa? I thought he just did the II/III and Kiev (and FED/Zorki). The postwar “a” series are totally different cameras

Yes he does, after all, the III/II and IIIa/IIa are related. He seems like to adjust the 1/1250 close to 1/1600-1700 rather than 1/1000.

 

[splitimageview]

I'm going to have him do 1/1000 instead of 1/1250.

 

[rick oleson]

Yes he does, after all, the III/II and IIIa/IIa are related. He seems like to adjust the 1/1250 close to 1/1600-1700 rather than 1/1000.

That’s good to know. They are EXTREMELY distant relatives.

 

[Duofold RF]

That’s good to know. They are EXTREMELY distant relatives.

You are the expert, I was the one of whom bought your tech notes CD decades ago. best wishes