Contax111a and Kiev meter

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Pyrs

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Is it possible to fit a working meter from a Kiev 3 or Kiev 3a or even a Kiev 4 onto a Contax 111a?
Thanks for any information.
Pyrs.
 
Pyrs said:
Is it possible to fit a working meter from a Kiev 3 or Kiev 3a or even a Kiev 4 onto a Contax 111a?
Thanks for any information.
Pyrs.
Click to expand...

I have a Contax IIIa, and the meter housing is part of the TOP plate.

The post war Contax's were a bit smaller the pre-war models. The Kiev 3 or 3a might not have the size TOP plate AND the way they attach may be differant too.

If the they are the same size, You would need to replace the TOP plate and maybe the knobs as well, dono?? Screw pacement may be differant in the Kiev's.

All of this most be considered for your repair idea
Good luck
Someone with real repair knlowedge and a some history knowedge will come along and offer the info you need.
I am just suggesting the possible problems you may incounter
 
I don't think that this combination would work. The meter housing on a Contax III is about 5mm wider and 5mm taller than the meter housing on a IIIa. Similar story on the top plate- the plate on the III is about 5mm wider than that on the IIIa. None of this is a guarentee that you could not swap out the guts of the meter, but the height of the III meter box suggests that the selenium cell would be too big. The disconnected selenium cell from the III is almost exactly the same size as the flip-up window on the IIIa.
 
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Does anyone know where I can find a description of the size differences between the pre & post war contaxes? I know the post-war models were smaller, but by how much? Even some side by side pictures would help.

Thanks!

Peter
 
physiognomy said:
Does anyone know where I can find a description of the size differences between the pre & post war contaxes? I know the post-war models were smaller, but by how much? Even some side by side pictures would help.

Thanks!

Peter
Click to expand...

Here is one with II/IIA III/IIIA comparisions and some cool history too

http://www.cameraquest.com/conrf.htm
 
The Contax IIIa (with meter) is about the same size as the Contax II (no meter). Sorry about the crappy pic, just a quick grab with my digicam.
 
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dexdog said:
The Contax IIIa (with meter) is about the same size as the Contax II (no meter). Sorry about the crappy pic, just a quick grab with my digicam.
Click to expand...

OT: But, Thanks for Pix.

I have figured out that I have a Contax III with a Modified PC Sync. And I have the 90mm RF not the 73mm RF of the IIa/IIIa. Everything else, Knobs, RF, Front RF Plate, Shutter Speeds (no T, 1s) AND the all popular Tripod leveling foot is on mine. Yeepeee. See my Gallery here for pix of the Contax III with PC Modification.

Hay, is the III with PC Modification worth more or less than III w/o it. It was done by Ziess NY most likely in the 40's by my Grand Dad. Original Owner.
 
arbib said:
Hay, is the III with PC Modification worth more or less than III w/o it. It was done by Ziess NY most likely in the 40's by my Grand Dad. Original Owner.
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The PC mod would only be an issue if your III was collector grade, in which case it would severely degrade the price, probably by greater than 50%. For a user, it probably doesn't much matter.
 
dexdog said:
The PC mod would only be an issue if your III was collector grade, in which case it would severely degrade the price, probably by greater than 50%. For a user, it probably doesn't much matter.
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Not Collectors grade, Might have a shutter reapair done, But I will use the 50/2 collapsible Sonnar on my Kiev 4a. That in VG+ to Ex -- condition, Carl Ziess Jena (East German), I hear the West German "Carl Ziess" (no Jena or Opton) are the best though.

Thanks Dexdog
 
arbib said:
Here is one with II/IIA III/IIIA comparisions and some cool history too... http://www.cameraquest.com/conrf.htm
Click to expand...

Thanks! I must have overlooked the measurements when reading Stephen's site. Basically what I see from the #'s is that the IIa is 0.48 cm shorter horizontally, 0.79cm shorter vertically, & 85g lighter. It doesn't really seem that much on paper.

Peter
 
dexdog said:
The Contax IIIa (with meter) is about the same size as the Contax II (no meter). Sorry about the crappy pic, just a quick grab with my digicam.
Click to expand...

Your pic is good Mark, thanks for the visual comparison! I looked at the measurement differences given on the cameraquest web site & there didn't seem to be much between them. I think your pic shows how there really is quite a visual difference! I didn't realise the IIIa was pretty much the same size as a II...

Thanks again!

Peter
 
All you need is a lens hood and film. The hood is to keed the finger prints off, the pre war glass, it will also help with contrast. Not many of the pre war lenses have not been undamaged by cleaning so dont clean it.

A screw in filter in uv or light yellow will help the cleaning issue. The glass is so soft, it will scratch...

Noel
 
Thanks ARBIB.
I always thought that the Kiev 3 & 3a were more faithful clones of the Contax 111.
Regards, Pyrs.
 
Pyrs

It should be possible to fit a early kiev meter into a Contax III, i.e. a Kiev III meter is the same as a Contax III meter, indeed the whole top plate might swap and some of the early ones have DIN scales and are pretty much clones, A collector might not tell any difference. Even these early meters can still work well enough for chrome film.

The later meters in the Kievs might also fit in a Contax III but I have not tried this myself.

The Contax IIIa the post war camera has a different meter and probably is not a swap out candidate, Henry Shearer (probably) has spares of the IIIa meters and will offer maintenance, you would need to e-mail him for $ and timescale, he is so good his wait times are in aeons.

Which camera do you have pre or post war, is the counter either inside the shutter speed dial, or is it on the top plate?

Noel
 
Pyrs

Looked at the Kiev III meter and it is different from the Kiev IIII meter, so this limits your choice.

Only a few of the Kiev III meters are marked in DIN.

The meter may not be the problem the cell can give just as much trouble, the Ru dealers may have spares for Kiev III meters.

Noel
 
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