Contax IIA or Kiev?

FrankS said:
Check out the addition to my sig. line. 🙂 Looking for....
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Frank there's been quite a few good deals on eb@y just lately... I think there is/was(???) a listing for a body with a bin price of $125... I was lucky & won my mine for $105! If this trend continues I might end up with more than one!!!

Peter
 
Peter, I don't allow myself to register on ebay. It would not be a healthy thing for a gearhead with addictive personality like myself to do. I hope to find one here eventually.
 
I also noticed the prices on Contax stuff going down lately. I blame M8 🙂
 
FrankS said:
Peter, I don't allow myself to register on ebay. It would not be a healthy thing for a gearhead with addictive personality like myself to do. I hope to find one here eventually.
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I was trying to remember if that was the case as I posted... I completely understand & admire your strength... I couldn't do it myself & have failed miserably with restraint on several fronts from time to time.

Good luck with your contax search! If you find a good deal for a body with a sonnar & you just want the body keep me in mind.

Have a great day!

Peter
 
retrocam said:
Here are the new toys! B-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l!!! 😀

Contax IIA with Jupiter-3
Kiev II's with Jupiter-8

Thanks again!
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Annie

Malala na sakit mo! hehehehe😀

Nice set!

Many have said that the prewar Contax were "better" in many ways compared to the post-war versions. They were more elegant, had longer rangefinder bases, etc. Though the shutter straps were a problem with the pre war Contax and the Kiev, the cords found in the post war Contax IIa and IIIa aren
t exactly indestructible either. The shutter cord in my Contax IIa had already broken once.

You have theopportunity to compare the Kiev with the Contax. My 1950s-60s Kiev are well made and feel more "German" than Soviet. I could even probably say that these Kiev feel more "German" than my Stuttgart Contax IIa . 😀

Jay
 
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Thanks guys. 😀

To my surprise, the Kiev II produces softer shutter noise than the Contax IIa. I was surprised too with the build of the Kiev II. It feels quite solid. Yuri did a great job with the CLA - the viewfinder is very clean and the focusing wheel runs smoothly.

The focusing wheel on the Contax IIa is quite stiff for me - I need to press that thingy behind the focusing wheel and focus with the lens. But I can live that.
I like the size (though shorter base) of the Contax IIa - it feels just right in my hands. My hands are small. 🙂
 
ZorkiKat said:
Annie

Malala na sakit mo! hehehehe😀

Nice set!

Many have said that the prewar Contax were "better" in many ways compared to the post-war versions. They were more elegant, had longer rangefinder bases, etc. Though the shutter straps were a problem with the pre war Contax and the Kiev, the cords found in the post war Contax IIa and IIIa aren
t exactly indestructible either. The shutter cord in my Contax IIa had already broken once.

You have theopportunity to compare the Kiev with the Contax. My 1950s-60s Kiev are well made and feel more "German" than Soviet. I could even probably say that these Kiev feel more "German" than my Stuttgart Contax IIa . 😀

Jay
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Jay,

E di ba, ikaw yung magaling na nag-introduce sa 'kin sa Jupiter, atbp???!!! LOL! 😀

Yeah, the shutter was the reason I got the Contax IIa. And it feels so right in my hands! Tuwang-tuwa ako. Sa tuwa ko, napa-order pa 'ko ng isa - black dial naman. Nakakahiya ako 'no? :angel:

With the Kiev II's, I can easily send them back to Yuri for repairs if the shutter ribbons break. The weight and dimensions of the Kiev II really come close to that of Leica M3. Perhaps it's just the lighter weight of the Contax IIa that makes you feel it's less "German"? 🙂
 
The one thing I never liked about the Contax II is that small pin that sticks up near the self timer. It seems that its primary purpose is to dig into your finger while you're holding the camera.

Personally, I love the Contax IIa and prefer it to any other camera that I own ... even the Zeiss Ikon.
 
Annie

Bad bad girl, if you can buy three at once, it tempts me even more.

My Contax IIIa focus wheel is pretty free, as are my Kievs except for the one I put PTFE grease on - a mistake. The IIIa shutter is noisy even in a ERC. The Kievs and Contax II are more variable in noise but all quieter by comparison.

The early Kiev build quality encorages er fondling?

The IIIa lenses are just detectable sharper, but you need to use K25chrome to detect.

Noel
 
retrocam said:
Jay,

E di ba, ikaw yung magaling na nag-introduce sa 'kin sa Jupiter, atbp???!!! LOL! 😀

Yeah, the shutter was the reason I got the Contax IIa. And it feels so right in my hands! Tuwang-tuwa ako. Sa tuwa ko, napa-order pa 'ko ng isa - black dial naman. Nakakahiya ako 'no? :angel:
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Annie

Sinapian ka na. Walang gamot diyan! 😀
 
ZorkiKat said:
Annie

Sinapian ka na. Walang gamot diyan! 😀
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Jay

You said it...:bang: How right you are...pero, what am I thinking? You have a much, much bigger arsenal of RF's. 😛

A Zorki (I'll keep mum about which one) is in my wish list too...but that's for another time and thread. I've bookmarked your Fed and Zorki survival site. 😀
 
Xmas said:
Annie

Bad bad girl, if you can buy three at once, it tempts me even more.

My Contax IIIa focus wheel is pretty free, as are my Kievs except for the one I put PTFE grease on - a mistake. The IIIa shutter is noisy even in a ERC. The Kievs and Contax II are more variable in noise but all quieter by comparison.

The early Kiev build quality encorages er fondling?

The IIIa lenses are just detectable sharper, but you need to use K25chrome to detect.

Noel
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I was thinking of dropping a small amount of grease (the type I use on my tripod) on the focusing wheel of the Contax IIa. I was just afraid that it will cause more harm than good. Besides, I can focus using the lens anyway if I press on that wire thingy behind the focus wheel.

I am unable to find the original CZ sonnar lens for a good price. I am quite content with the Jupiters. 😀
 
Annie
I put grease on the helicod of a IIII, this damped all the slack, but slowed the focus action even when you grab the lens by hand, the wheel is thus heavier/harder on the finger.

The grease will be removed the next time the camera is stripped.
The IIIa or IIa wheel is skeletal and any lube near to it may get on the finder optics. The helicod should be 'dry' and free to turn, it may be your problem.
My IIIa ia faster handling then a Kiev winding and shutter change (and a piece of jewelry,) but it is noisy (it is in nice condition just CLAed) and more difficult to maintain. I do use it but I need to buy it a 35mm which is >$.

CZ Sonnars even if only in good condition optically will be expensive, to be fair some of the FSU J8, J8m and a Helius are pretty close, & without K25chrome & tripod/monopod it is difficult to tell which is which, but if you drop a J8... it is not a greek tragedy.
Noel
 
Postwar Contaxes apparently have one more intermediate cogwheel in the focusing wheel assembly, maybe that's why the action can be stiffer.
 
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