Contax IIIa Nikkor compatibility?

[Dirk]

One of the local dealers here has a IIIa with a Zeiss 50mm lens and a chrome Nikkor 85mm f/2. Are the Nikkors fully compatible with the IIIa?

 

[Vickko]

Well, the short answer is "no", for the 50mm and longer lenses.

For wide angle lenses, it is okay.


The long answer is:

http://www.cameraquest.com/NRF-Contax.htm

http://www.dantestella.com/technical/compat.html

 

[jonmanjiro]

Nikon made telephoto lenses for rangefinder cameras in three mounts: LTM, Nikon S-mount, and Contax mount. The Nikon S-mount and Contax mount lenses look identical except for a "C" engraved on the side of the barrel of Contax mount lenses to indicate they are for Contax. If the Nikkor has a "C" engraved on the barrel, like the one on the lens below, its fully compatible with the Contax IIIa.

 

[Vickko]

ah, yes, Jon is absolutely correct. If you find the "Contax" version of the Nikkor lens, it will focus perfectly.

Thank you Jon.

 

[Dirk]

Thank you, gentlemen. I will have to go back and look for that "C". Also I assume it'll require an external finder? Need to find out if the lens comes with one.

 

[farlymac]

You could get a seperate finder, since it's a 105mm, because the 440 turret finder, and the 438 snoot nose finder go from 85 to 135. With the 438, you could maybe figure out where 105 would fall between the frame, and the 135 line (about halfway I would think). Nikon made a really nice zoom finder, if you can find one at a decent price, and it should have the 105 setting.

PF

 

[RObert Budding]

You'd be better off buying a Nikon S2 if you really want to use Nikon lenses. The S2 finder is superior to the Contax finder, and the shutter is more reliable.

 

[migtex]

well explained here!

http://www.zeisscamera.com/articles_cnrfdr.shtml

 

[Highway 61]

well explained here!

http://www.zeisscamera.com/articles_cnrfdr.shtml

This doesn't take into account the fact that Nikon used standard lenses of a nominal focal length of 51.8mm while Zeiss used a nominal focal length of 50.0mm.

So shimming the whole lens unit by 0.31mm isn't enough, and some focusing problems will remain, even while using the rangefinder.

This has been debated many times here, for instance when Brian Sweeney was still on board.

As usual Henry Scherer likes to introduce himself as the man who saw the man who saw the bear... 🙄