Fake Contax II or not ?

bolas

bolas

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I found this camera on auction on the internet. It says that this is a Contax II body and so on ... what attracted my attention is a fact that this "pre-war" body have lamp synchronisation port on its front. I never seen anything like this in pre-war Contax II. I seen it only in post war Kievs ...

Seller said that serial number is F 41818.
What do You think guys ? For me it smells baaaad ... like a compilation of ealry Kiev parts with Contax logo ...

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I think that you are right about the hybrid Kiev-Contax idea. The flash sync looks exactly like that on a Kiev. Also, I have never seen a Contax with an arrow like the one seen on the rewind knob (and I own an "F" serial number Contax II).
 
Looks like a late model Kiev 2a with a Contax faceplate and accessory shoe on it. Everything else says Kiev to me.

William
 
Yes, it is a Kiev.
The focusing wheel, the rewind texture and arrow, the flash sync, are kiev signs.
The Contax name on the front plate is he wrong font, so it is probably hand made.
In the original models the N in Contax should be aligned with the lens axis, and in this case it is centered in the flat space, so the contax mount axis is about the right of the O.
Ernesto
 
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Found another one very curious 😉
This one comes from Bulgaria, what do You think ?
Looks like a front panel is from kiev, back plate from Contax ...

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Same serial numbers? Something about the lens looks a little strange to me, i thought they had "ears" on the aperture ring. I've got a II from 1936 that has a flash socket retrofitted on the left side and I've heard they could be on the front as well. At least the rewind knob looks right on this one.
 
It's a Kiev. No "Made in Germany" on the base ring of the rewind knob, no "double-teeth" focus wheel. And even the front plate isn't Contax, but probably fake as the "Contax" script is positioned too far to the right.

edit: I see Ernesto above already mentioned the script.
 
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Yes its a a Kiev for all the reasons above plus the distance scale on the helical focusing mount has periods to indicate fractions of a meter while the Zeiss Contax has commas. BTW many original Contax cameras have flash sync added later - indeed that's one why to get a cheap user as the sync ruins the collector value.
 
Both cameras are Kiev.
I have a Contax II of 1937 factory retrofitted with flash synch and the PC connector is located in the front lower right (seen from the front). Both cameras have Kiev PC socket, no doubt about.

Ernesto
 
Now I shall just HAVE to put a spare KNeB plate on my genuine beutifully CLA , Gringe Contax II LOL !
My imminent Contax IV is almost ' genuine ' though - scrap Contax III body , 1958 Kiev IV meter and controls - my dream camera !
 
Not enough pictures to say. A shot of the top plate would help as would one of the inside of the film back.

William
 
It's interesting that Kiev II [ a? ] are being faked rather than the ' obvious ' K 4a copies . This seems to be a deliberate attempt to deceive .

Secretly , I always wanted a Contax badged Kiev - until I realised that broken Contax cameras can be picked up inexpensively - and that the Arsenal guys can restore it for 80 euro incl return shipping ... and the pretenders look so wrong with late K 4a sloping lens plates and self timer ... not to mention vinyl covering .

I had not thought of being careful of Contax cameras , but the four I bought are near and complete basket cases from USA and RFF - no one is going to sell a non working fake . LOL .

Kiev II and Kiev IIa are becoming harder to find and more expensive in their own right .

At least mine is all genuine on the outside , even if it's a combination of 1937 body / 1938 back ... Kiev II shutter and various small parts ... and the engraving IS different from the fakes ... I wonder if the original Russian Contax versions , pre KNeB , had different engraving - the photo of the Jena Contax looks as if they had to redo it - slightly differently ?

I love my Kontax , but it was not cheap at £120 with restoration in Kiev , Ukraine ... come to think about it , my 1951 KNeB II bought CLA by an ex Arsenal ' hand master ' according to Alex photo on e-bay cost the same !

Both cameras are a dee'light to use .
 
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