Dating Contax III

[CraigB1960]

Hello, I had my Grandfather's Zeiss Contax III camera completely restored/serviced by Henry Scherer. (BTW, he did an outstanding job, it looks and functions better than I ever remember).

Anyway, during the restoration there was confusion dating it. Henry definitely confirmed it is an original Zeiss camera.

The serial number is on the film back (removable) and the rewind knob on the top. The distance scale is in feet.

I have the original Zeiss Ikon Contax III camera instruction book with an C 2556 b E identification number on the front. Zeiss Ikon AG. Dresden for the company.

Camera has a Carl Zeiss Jena No. 2272582 Sonnar 1:2 f=50cm

Also have an Ernst Leitz shoe mount 5cm

According to one resource on the web, serial number starting with a B is year 1936.

I'm trying to get as accurate information on this camera because I might end up selling this camera

 

[Highway 61]

Ask Henry Scherer. 😀

 

[Mr_Flibble]

Serial number starting with B would indeed indicate that it was made in 1936.
The SN on the rewind knob is also one of the correct locations for it.

The Sonnar lens serial number points to 1938.

 

[CraigB1960]

Serial number starting with B would indeed indicate that it was made in 1936.
The SN on the rewind knob is also one of the correct locations for it.

The Sonnar lens serial number points to 1938.

Thank you! That is exactly what I needed!

The key is the lens and the body point to the same year!

 

[CraigB1960]

Ask Henry Scherer. 😀

I did and he revised it to 1945, which did not correspond to the history of the camera and the date of the family photographs I have from this camera....all before WWII.

I sense some negatives toward Henry from some of the posts I've read on this board. All I can say is Henry provided an excellent service to me. I'm a retired photographer and the work he performed on this camera is top-notch.

Henry's first thought when first dis-assembled was it had been assembled by the Official Zeiss Ikon Repair Center sometime during World War II after supplies from Zeiss in Germany had been cut off. It's got a very late shutter from 1941 mounted in a very early body from early 1935.

He changed his thought on this after restoration and dated it to 1945 assembled by an employee of Zeiss and sold to Allies for resale in US. I thought this was strange and as I said, did not match the historical photographic family records. The 1936 does match.

I think some of the things that confused the dating of this camera is some of the internals have been updated. My Grandfather was very much into photography and had this camera serviced as well as a flash sync added. (Since removed to restore to original condition).

I have to go by the consistent serial numbers of the lens and camera body being 1936 as well as our family records.

Unfortunately, the ones that would know are long deceased.

 

[Deklari]

I have found real date of my Contax III (E.90...) one stamp under light meter cover
it show 20 AUG 1937 and other stamp on selenium plate 22 MRZ 1937