Contax IIIa

[Jack Conrad]

I'm working on my 2nd roll of film using a 1955 IIIa.

I really like it so far, especially the "snick" sound of the shutter at 1/1250.

But what's up with the infinity lock on the front by the lens mount?

What is the point of an infinity lock? It's so annoying... 😡

Is there an old trick in disabling it? Wedge a toothpick in? Superglue it? Haha, j/k...maybe. Whatever, I don't know, it's already screwed up several grab shots so far and it's pissing me off.

I pretty much hate the focus dial as well, haha, but otherwise it's so smooth and nice in the hand. 🙂

 

[Sonnar Brian]

You need the infinity lock to mount/dismount the lens. There is a little tab near the lens, near the "x" of contax. Tape it in the UP position.

 

[Jack Conrad]

Thanks Brian. Tape, eh? Well, at least it'll match the tape on the strap lugs as well as the tape holding my glasses together. 😛

Hey, I received a comment from the public today
in reference to this beautiful camera.

A nice elderly lady at the thrift store said, and I quote,

" I'll give you $2.00 for that old camera?" 😡

She was ribbing me of course, but continued in a concerned voice that she knew it was an expensive looking camera, and frowned pensively as if to ask how I, who had just spent the last half hour digging furtively through all the thrift store junk, might have come into possession of such a fine valuable looking device. 😀

 

[Jack Conrad]

 

[KoNickon]

Wow, what's the vintage of this last photo? I actually like best the sound of the shutter at 1/50 or 1/100 -- a lovely soft <pthik>.

Yes, the infinity lock is a pain in the neck. But the Nikon rangefinders have it as well, and many of the older Leica and Canon lenses do too. Seems to have been a common feature of interchangeable rangefinders or rangefinder lenses in the Golden Age.

 

[Highway 61]

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/search.php?searchid=5150092&pp=25


Enjoy 😀

 

[Jack Conrad]

Wow, what's the vintage of this last photo?

Well, as close as I can recollect, the shot was taken
in the late great post Industrial era of last Saturday. 😛

What the age of the Hudson is I don't know.

 

[Gareth Rees]

Hi Jack, I'm glad you are enjoying your Contax 111a.
I have two of the same cameras. I use one for b&w and the other for colour.
My lenses are a 50 mm Tessar and 50 mm sonnar; a 35 mm orthometar and a pre war 135 mm Sonnar.
I find them all very good incolour and b&w, but I prefer the Tessar for b&w for a real vintage look.
As already said, the infinity lock is essential if you wish to change lenses in any reasonable space of time!
Enjoy

Cheers

Gareth

 

[Vics]

I love the focusing wheel on my IIIa/50/1.5. The idea is to use the middle finger of your right hand on the focusing wheel, and the index finger on the shutter release. The left hand never touches the lens, just holds the camera up. It's really fast when you get used to it.

 

[johank]

I have one IIIa too many, no Zeiss bubles on backside, Sonnar 1,5 5cm.

 

[batterytypehah!]

Please buy an ad in the classifieds, it's what pays for this site.

 

[MISH]

I took my IIA to europe a few years back and when I was in the airport in Frankfurt, I was
going through the security screening when a officer pulled me off to the side. there was no problem he explained to me, he just wanted a chance to look at that beautiful camera

 

[TVR]

Contax IIIA 50mm my workshop at work

 

[Alfasud]

I just photographed the family Christmas with my IIIa. Using this camera is as good as getting presents.

 

[uhoh7]

My IIIa was included with a sonnar i wanted, and turned about to be near perfect, except for the meter.

the sonnar was pre-war

but seemed to shoot well on the contax, even before a CLA

those just scans of small prints

When a 105 appeared at evil bay with a "C" on the side, I could not resist:

 

[Dave Jarosz]

Jack, Love the look of this shot, vintage vibe, desaturated tonal range, GRAIN.....cool, where's James Dean!!!