Contax IIa WA

[puderse]

New to the Contax RF and looking for a user wide angle with a sharp, medium contrast image. Seems Jupiter 9 is about as close as I'm going to get but they don't seem to fit and image quality may or may not be an issue.

Please contribute your 2 cents worth of comment.

I'll probably have to sell some Nikon assets to get what I am looking for. But not my 20mm!

 

[furcafe]

As usual, much depends on your budget. The "W. German" Zeiss or Zeiss-Opton 35/2.8 Biogons go for around $600 (haven't checked recently, though). The 35/3.5 Planar is actually $100 or so more than the Biogon because fewer were made. A nice alternative is the 35/2.5 W-Nikkor (for Nikon RF), which is usually $150-200 less than the Biogon. For modern glass, the Cosina Voigtlander 35/2.5 Skopar is no longer made, but I think there are still some out there for sale (check Mr. Gandy's Cameraquest).

And don't forget the finder, though there you can probably get a cheap FSU 1 for the Kiev, etc.

New to the Contax RF and looking for a user wide angle with a sharp, medium contrast image. Seems Jupiter 9 is about as close as I'm going to get but they don't seem to fit and image quality may or may not be an issue.

Please contribute your 2 cents worth of comment.

I'll probably have to sell some Nikon assets to get what I am looking for. But not my 20mm!

 

[batterytypehah!]

New to the Contax RF and looking for a user wide angle with a sharp, medium contrast image. Seems Jupiter 9 is about as close as I'm going to get but they don't seem to fit and image quality may or may not be an issue.

You mean Jupiter-12, actually. (J-9 is the 85/2 lens.)

You're correct that it doesn't fit. Kiev "copied" ("continued" is more historically accurate) the prewar Contax cameras and lenses. When Zeiss designed the new IIa and IIIa, they made them a little smaller. Consequently, the prewar Biogon with its huge rear element didn't fit anymore and was replaced with a redesigned version.

I have the W-Nikkor-C 3.5cm/2.5 in LTM and it's great. Easier to use than the S/C mount, actually, as it has a conventional external aperture ring.

 

[D.O'K.]

The CV 25mm f4 skopar (in Contax/Nikon mount obviously) is very sharp, although shows perhaps more than "medium" contrast. It works very well on my lla, although it's very long (270 degree) "throw" from closest focus to infinity is a minor handling irritation.

Although it's no longer made, I second the suggestion to try Cameraquest--they still had some a few months ago as I recall.

Regards,
D.

 

[btaylor541]

Second on the Nikkor suggestion, I also didn't want to spend $600 for the 35mm Opton. I picked up a nice Nikkor for about half that. I also got a nice Kiev 4a with a J-8 50/2 and a Jupiter 12-- the camera and 2 lenses have given me great results and set me back a whopping $110 with shipping.

 

[bobby_novatron]

It's unfortunate that the Contax IIa lenses are so pricey. However the Nikkor suggestion is brilliant! From what I understand, as long as the lenses aren't used wide-open there's only negligible focus shift but excellent image quality.

Camerquest still had quite a selection of BNIB Nikon RF-mount lenses, last time I checked. Maybe I should take a closer look as well! 🙂

.

 

[batterytypehah!]

Yes, from 35mm FL down you'll be safe using Nikon lenses on a Contax.

KEH currently has 4 reasonably priced 35 Nikkors (must be something of a record) and one CV 28.

 

[puderse]

IIa lenses

IIa lenses

Now I'm really confused! Some say that the body is thinner and lenses contact inner parts of the body. It appears that there are 2 different mounting locks. Mine has a half leaf spring that must be depressed to unlock the lens. Nikon and other lenses for the II have a squarish button. Don't need to buying sight unseen and then have to send back. Visited the Gandy site and emailed. They said that the new lenses would fit but they appear to have the squareish button?

Help me Obeywan!

 

[batterytypehah!]

There are indeed two separate bayonets in the Contax/Nikon mount. The inner ring (which carries the focus scale and that leaf spring) is for normal lenses, i.e. 50mm, only. Wides and teles have an outer collar (with that square button) and engage both a matching outer bayonet on the body, and the RF mechanism via the inner ring.

It's all a little more complicated than it needs to be, really, but let's not forget that Zeiss designed this more than 20 years before Leica switched to bayonet mount...

Our host Stephen has plenty more info, for example here: http://www.cameraquest.com/NRF-Ctx.htm

 

[furcafe]

It's not that the IIa/IIIa bodies are thinner than the II/II, it's that they have less room between the lens mount & the shutter (Zeiss Ikon redesigned the shutter in the IIa/IIIa because they had to start over from scratch in "W. Germany" after WWII), but the rear element on the pre-WWII Carl Zeiss Jena 35/2.8 Biogon, the original version of that lens, is too large for the lens to fit into the tighter confines of a IIa/IIIa & trying to mount 1 will result in it "contact[ing] inner parts of the body."

Not sure what lens you're referring to when you write "[m]ine has a half leaf spring." Per batterytypehah!'s last post, there are 2 mounts on the Contax & Nikon RF systems. Pretty much all telephotos & wide-angles, basically anything other than the standard 50mm lens, uses the external bayonet. It doesn't matter what shape the release button is on whatever external mount lens you're looking at. All the wide-angles, w/the exception of the pre-WWII CZJ 35/2.8 Biogon (& the post-WWII "E. German" CZJ version or Jupiter-12 copy w/the huge rear element) should fit fine on your IIa.

Now I'm really confused! Some say that the body is thinner and lenses contact inner parts of the body. It appears that there are 2 different mounting locks. Mine has a half leaf spring that must be depressed to unlock the lens. Nikon and other lenses for the II have a squarish button. Don't need to buying sight unseen and then have to send back. Visited the Gandy site and emailed. They said that the new lenses would fit but they appear to have the squareish button?

Help me Obeywan!

 

[puderse]

IIa lens mount

IIa lens mount

It completely blew past me concerning inside and outside lens mount. You can see I have a lot to learn!

 

[batterytypehah!]

The Zeiss - Kiev - Nikon saga is definitely a complicated one... Want another wrinkle?

So, Nikon lenses will mount on Contax bodies but focus will be off -- however, with short focal lengths, not enough to be noticeable.

In addition, though, Nikon also made versions of their lenses to the Contax focus standard. These have a 'C' (with quotes) engraved on the barrel. Not sure if they bothered doing that for wide angles. Probably only 50mm and longer. I have a 135/3.5 I dug out of KEH for a mere $2.49 once.

 

[furcafe]

Nikon only made the 'C' versions of their lenses for teles (8.5cm/2, 10.5cm/2.5, & 13.5cm/3.5), nothing 50mm & wider.

$2.49 is a great price for any lens.

In addition, though, Nikon also made versions of their lenses to the Contax focus standard. These have a 'C' (with quotes) engraved on the barrel. Not sure if they bothered doing that for wide angles. Probably only 50mm and longer. I have a 135/3.5 I dug out of KEH for a mere $2.49 once.

 

[Elmar Lang]

Hello,

yes, the double bayonet of the Contax/Kiev/Nikon RF system can be confusing, at the beginning.

With some practice and use, everything will appear crystal-clear anyways.

A good wideangle lens for a Contax IIa is the Biometar 35mm. F2,8, made by Carl Zeiss Jena in the early DDR years, mostly exported to Western Germany, to fit on the new, postwar Contaxes.

To fit the new, restricted place, it doesn't have that protruding, rear element that makes earlier Biogons and Jupiters impossible to mount on new bodies.

The price is usually less expensive than western "Opton" Biogons and Planars, although the quality is very fine.

Best wishes,

E.L.

 

[sevo]

A good wideangle lens for a Contax IIa is the Biometar 35mm. F2,8, made by Carl Zeiss Jena in the early DDR years, mostly exported to Western Germany, to fit on the new, postwar Contaxes.

These have grown scarce by now, and the few I've seen in recent years weren't any cheaper than the superior Oberkochen Biogon.

 

[furcafe]

My experience is similar. I got my Biometar almost 8 years ago (off eBay here in the U.S.) & even back then it wasn't much cheaper than a Biogon in similar condition. It is a good lens, though.

These have grown scarce by now, and the few I've seen in recent years weren't any cheaper than the superior Oberkochen Biogon.

 

[Elmar Lang]

Ops!... So, it seems that the quite good DDR/CZJ Biometar wideangle can be more erxpensive than its western "Opton" colleague, the Biometar.

I live in Italy, and from what I've seen, western Zeiss lenses for RF Contaxes are usually more expensive than DDR-made Zeiss ones.

A couple weeks ago a dealer offered me a Zeiss Opton Planar 35mm. for more than 300,- Euro...

I have a CZJ Biometar 35 mm. inherited from my grandfather (so, it wasn't expensive at all...) and it gives very fine results in the practical use.

Also the Jupiter 12 (heir of the old Biogon) is a fine lens but, as said, not usable with a Postwar Contax RF.

Best wishes,

E.L.

 

[sevo]

Ops!... So, it seems that the quite good DDR/CZJ Biometar wideangle can be more erxpensive than its western "Opton" colleague, the Biometar.

I live in Italy, and from what I've seen, western Zeiss lenses for RF Contaxes are usually more expensive than DDR-made Zeiss ones.

A couple weeks ago a dealer offered me a Zeiss Opton Planar 35mm. for more than 300,- Euro...

That is not that expensive for a flawless one - the 35mm Planar is rather rare and hence collectible, which drives its price up beyond the Biogon. By the way, the Biometar is not the eastern Biogon, but their Planar.

 

[puderse]

IIa WA

IIa WA

The quest is where the adventure is, not the holding!

 

[David Murphy]

I have an Orthometar 3.5cm F4.5 which works well despite being prewar and uncoated. Sometimes these can be found at reasonable prices - not real common however. The Voigtlander lenses are probably the best in some technical sense and not terribly expensive when they become available used, which is fairly often on the classified section here or at eBay. Of course the Planar and Biogon 3.5cm F2.8 Opton are spectacular if you can get a good ones, but expensive!!