dee
Well-known
I am not sure where to post this , but I am eagerly anticipating a set of Contax based cameras - Contax II with Kiev shutter , silver paint / tan leather .
Contax III original ... and most controversial of all , a damaged Contax III providing meter parts for the bettter one - transformed into a Contax IV - courtesy of a 1958 Kiev 4 .
All from broken / worn / parts donors .
I have both rigid and collapsible 50mm f2 Sonnars , but Brian Sweeney has gifted me with a 1959 J 3 in a 1937 Sonnar mount - perfect for my Contax IV !
I know that this is controversial - but those broken cameras are no longer destined to become parts , and will live again .
My dee'slexia and Autistic glitch struggles with cyrillic script , and certain details , but this trio will be perfection .
Contax III original ... and most controversial of all , a damaged Contax III providing meter parts for the bettter one - transformed into a Contax IV - courtesy of a 1958 Kiev 4 .
All from broken / worn / parts donors .
I have both rigid and collapsible 50mm f2 Sonnars , but Brian Sweeney has gifted me with a 1959 J 3 in a 1937 Sonnar mount - perfect for my Contax IV !
I know that this is controversial - but those broken cameras are no longer destined to become parts , and will live again .
My dee'slexia and Autistic glitch struggles with cyrillic script , and certain details , but this trio will be perfection .
That lens is on its way across the Ocean. It was it's Deestiny to be on a Kontax.
A sense of satisfaction is achieved in seeing these old cameras and lenses performing properly decades after they were made. Many have been in disrepair for a very long time. I just got back the results with a 1953 KMZ J-3 in LTM with a new 1982 front element. The original front element was really bad, focus mount was way off, focus ring was falling off from lack of set screws, and it needed a lube-and-collimation. WOW! The mix of German and Russian Glass just worked.
A sense of satisfaction is achieved in seeing these old cameras and lenses performing properly decades after they were made. Many have been in disrepair for a very long time. I just got back the results with a 1953 KMZ J-3 in LTM with a new 1982 front element. The original front element was really bad, focus mount was way off, focus ring was falling off from lack of set screws, and it needed a lube-and-collimation. WOW! The mix of German and Russian Glass just worked.
dee
Well-known
Can a late Jupiter 8 face be added to an earlier Kiev fit J 8 ?
I ask 'cos it would be cool to have an English script J8 from an export version .
Not that I have a UK J 8 at present !
I ask 'cos it would be cool to have an English script J8 from an export version .
Not that I have a UK J 8 at present !
dee
Well-known
I feel the same about my Contax cameras having a new lease of life - rather than becoming donors for spares - indeed one Contax III is a source of meter spares and live s again as a Contax IV . That's recycling !
gzuiko
Established
Was your meter working on the Contax III, or was it revived? I've just acquired a Contax III with a dead appearing meter and am hoping it can be saved.
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ZeissFan
Veteran
I say all is fair in love and camera restoration. Do what you need to do to get a camera into working condition again.
Good for you in putting those cameras back into service. A Kiev is just the Contax's country cousin from the east.
It's only controversial in so far as those (henry s.) who wish to make it so.
Good for you in putting those cameras back into service. A Kiev is just the Contax's country cousin from the east.
It's only controversial in so far as those (henry s.) who wish to make it so.
dee
Well-known
gzuilko -
The meter was dead , but the Arsenal guy was proud to fix it .
I have lost the link - but new cells are available from USA - I shall look it up .
The Kiev meter is not the same , it seems . I needed a control part from another camera - it's not always the cell .
It cost about 75 euro to completely fix a Contax or Kiev through Mike Haley in Kiev .
The meter was dead , but the Arsenal guy was proud to fix it .
I have lost the link - but new cells are available from USA - I shall look it up .
The Kiev meter is not the same , it seems . I needed a control part from another camera - it's not always the cell .
It cost about 75 euro to completely fix a Contax or Kiev through Mike Haley in Kiev .
dee
Well-known
Thanks Brian .
Hopefully , I shall end up with a no name silver face J 8 .
I was thinking about the Kontax situation - there must come a time when cameras from before ' The War ' exhaust all the spares , and early Kievs will become seen as donor source to keep a Contax alive ! Enforced collaboration !
The alternative is that more and more repairable cameras will be scrapped - I know that bodies are being bought for spares .
The Kiev III / IV alteration happened in Ukraine as owners sought to update a hugely expensive older camera , or the cell died .
In fact , this is sensible idea - keeping the integrity of the original concept , with the less intrusive meter and less ' towering ' controls !
Not with a later Kiev 4 , though as the finish and engraving are crude .
Frankly , I reckon my Contax II / III / IV covers all the bases - neat nicely fiished II with newer shutter , very good classic III and very useable IV .
Hopefully , I shall end up with a no name silver face J 8 .
I was thinking about the Kontax situation - there must come a time when cameras from before ' The War ' exhaust all the spares , and early Kievs will become seen as donor source to keep a Contax alive ! Enforced collaboration !
The alternative is that more and more repairable cameras will be scrapped - I know that bodies are being bought for spares .
The Kiev III / IV alteration happened in Ukraine as owners sought to update a hugely expensive older camera , or the cell died .
In fact , this is sensible idea - keeping the integrity of the original concept , with the less intrusive meter and less ' towering ' controls !
Not with a later Kiev 4 , though as the finish and engraving are crude .
Frankly , I reckon my Contax II / III / IV covers all the bases - neat nicely fiished II with newer shutter , very good classic III and very useable IV .
dee
Well-known
Another really scrap Contax [ read cheap ] is also being restored with a new 1947 script Kiev face plate .
It's too rough to keep chrome so it will be rescued and painted metallic Silver Blue with tan leather .
It's actually closer to the mythical 1947 Kiev - in both years and integrity of Contax parts LOL .
It will have a Silver Blue J 8 to create a designer set ! Maybe I need a case with cut outs for it lined in velvet ... should be able to make that !
It will be paired with another Silver Blue K IIIa - ' no name ' with KIEV in English on the meter door ...
Reverse snobbery ? Zorki faced Leica IIIc ? Sticker on emma-the-M8 -' My other camera is a Kiev ' LOL
The Contax fascia will go onto my Kiev III / IV - in black - I always thought that the Kiev 4 ' Contaxes ' looked smart in black , but they are made from late Kiev 4 with plastic covering , sloping face plates and suspect engineering . Mine , at some expense , will be a real CLA camera .
OK , but it's a Konsidered pretender ! Will look super kool with a Sonnar J 3 too !
That's six cameras on average £ 200 each , which could have funded a really good digi-box , several leses .. but I just don't care - it has been a dream to create cameras to suit my
Autistic glitch .
It's impossible to describe how few ' toys ' are real / comparitively ' solid ' to me - that break through the mist of lostess in an out of phase world .
Kontax is THE companion which hands and eyes combine to make real - and where ' not sameness II / III / IV ' becomes intriguing rather than dee'sturbing .
Look at it this way - Leica II is real , Leica IIIf is wrong / Leica II broken ? OOPs !
It's THAT sensitve to shape / weight etc .
Even Kiev 4 [ not same base ] is ' wrong ' but Kiev III / IV is right ! LOL .
Hopefully , I shall have two sets of Contax II/III/IV ' profiles ' which will keep me occupied without either them or me , breaking down !
It's too rough to keep chrome so it will be rescued and painted metallic Silver Blue with tan leather .
It's actually closer to the mythical 1947 Kiev - in both years and integrity of Contax parts LOL .
It will have a Silver Blue J 8 to create a designer set ! Maybe I need a case with cut outs for it lined in velvet ... should be able to make that !
It will be paired with another Silver Blue K IIIa - ' no name ' with KIEV in English on the meter door ...
Reverse snobbery ? Zorki faced Leica IIIc ? Sticker on emma-the-M8 -' My other camera is a Kiev ' LOL
The Contax fascia will go onto my Kiev III / IV - in black - I always thought that the Kiev 4 ' Contaxes ' looked smart in black , but they are made from late Kiev 4 with plastic covering , sloping face plates and suspect engineering . Mine , at some expense , will be a real CLA camera .
OK , but it's a Konsidered pretender ! Will look super kool with a Sonnar J 3 too !
That's six cameras on average £ 200 each , which could have funded a really good digi-box , several leses .. but I just don't care - it has been a dream to create cameras to suit my
Autistic glitch .
It's impossible to describe how few ' toys ' are real / comparitively ' solid ' to me - that break through the mist of lostess in an out of phase world .
Kontax is THE companion which hands and eyes combine to make real - and where ' not sameness II / III / IV ' becomes intriguing rather than dee'sturbing .
Look at it this way - Leica II is real , Leica IIIf is wrong / Leica II broken ? OOPs !
It's THAT sensitve to shape / weight etc .
Even Kiev 4 [ not same base ] is ' wrong ' but Kiev III / IV is right ! LOL .
Hopefully , I shall have two sets of Contax II/III/IV ' profiles ' which will keep me occupied without either them or me , breaking down !