Gotta love it!

A

Ash

Selflessly Self-involved
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Well for the first time I have to say I LOVE the bokeh of my lenses. At least, my contax-mount lenses.

This photo ( http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=48194&cat=6186 ) was taken on the kiev with Jupiter-8m. It's unedited, but with the contrast whacked up the bokeh is 'smokey'. The guy in the shot loves the photo, so my job is done ;)

So I was in a RIGHT rush yesterday, but I cracked open the Contax II to get a few shots passing through Resales (the shop I used to work in, it acts as a backdrop in these shots). I really do love the Sonnar f/2 wide-open, really nice smooth bokeh.


Not the best photo's, and the others are just out and about, but I'm falling in love with the Contax setup.

direct blog link http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=9040683&blogID=195106472
 
Nice off-hand portrait, Ash. I don't have a J-8, but have a few of the Contax version. Justly reknown for the appearance of the OOF areas. Not a criticism, but I would probably suggest bumping the contrast up a bit in photoshop to give it a bit more punch, if that does not offend your sensibilities. Glad that you are enjoying your Kievtax/Contiev and Contax II
 
Thanks Dexdog, these are straight-off neg scans (with a few having their own 'automatic' contrast adjustments on the scanning software). I'm well aware of the need for contrast :D
 
Hey, Ash. Watch out for a copy of My Way With the Miniature by Lancelot Vining in your local secondhand bookshops. Firstly, it's pretty much a Contax handbook as written by a "racy" uncle, secondly, it's hilarious from our 21st century perspective. A rough quote: "When you first get your miniature camera, sit in your favourite chair, fill your pipe or light a cigarette and familiarise yourself with all the controls". You'd also find his account of how he chose the Contax over the Leica unbelievable, I'd love to try it at Jessops :D :D
 
markinlondon said:
Hey, Ash. Watch out for a copy of My Way With the Miniature by Lancelot Vining in your local secondhand bookshops. Firstly, it's pretty much a Contax handbook as written by a "racy" uncle, secondly, it's hilarious from our 21st century perspective. A rough quote: "When you first get your miniature camera, sit in your favourite chair, fill your pipe or light a cigarette and familiarise yourself with all the controls". You'd also find his account of how he chose the Contax over the Leica unbelievable, I'd love to try it at Jessops :D :D
Click to expand...

I so second that! Also his assumption that a significant part of the photographer's life is spent pursuing "Night Club Girls". A real joy and a good read :)

Cheers, Ian
 
Ian, Mark, I'll scout for that book this week. If I can't find a copy then I'll 'bay it no doubt :)

Thanks for the heads up!


I'm currently wet printing a few of those photo's. learning to print 'by eye' is easier than sunny-16, but just as difficult to master :D
 
A quick look online shows that it's definitely 'out there' but then it has been reprinted about 15 times! Any idea whether it's worth going for an earlier edition?
 
Ash

Try local lending library, they will get you a copy. He was the AP's fleet street rep, for a long time, so they may have back prints of his weekly submissions.

I think he only have one body through out WWII and after. Worrying that.

Noel
 
You're doing some nice work with that Sonnar, Ash. If these samples are anything to go by you shouldn't have to go to the trouble of having the lens polished (although the offer of help still stands if need be). I've had my glassware back from Arax and will have some results soon. I have to agree with you, the Contax II/Sonnar is a real pleasure to use. It takes some practice to get used to 30's Zeiss ergonomics but it's well worth the effort.

Paul.
 
Thanks Paul. I'm not sure whether I'm happy using the lens. Using it is a bit difficult since it doesn't lock in position, the results are pleasant however. :)
 
Ash

I'm confused on two points

The local library won't have a Vining on their shelf but they can get one via an inter library loan, it should/might be free to you.

The lens should cam (wedge) into place when locked at infinity, in the camera mount, and the aperature ring should be free to turn so that you can adjust f number (while stopping it from focusing by other hand) without unlocking the wedge action.

The focus should be as (more) free as (than) your j8m between the click stops. This is one of the problems of the Zeiss design that the Kiev people fixed with the click stops, the J12 has the same (origonal Zeiss) problem.

Noel
 
Noel, the aperture problem is due to the collapsible element of the lens. its because the lens won't lock when expanded, unlike the leica lenses. This means that regardles of infinity lock, the lens moves when I try and adjust aperture. It's not a huge problem, just annoying with a collapsible lens on a bulky camera ;)
 
Ash, the Vining book turns up frequently on e-bay, where it shouldn't set you back more than a pound. I should think the successive editions are all pretty much the same - it was simply enormously popular in its time - although I'd tend to go for the earlier ones, just for guarenteed local colour.

As noted, Vining was AP's 35mm man from the mid 1930s through to the 1960s, by which time he was well into his 80s, having been a press photographer all his life. In his earlier days at least he was a very controversial figure and even at the end he rubbed some up the wrong way by welcoming automation. I can't help but think he'd have loved digital! It's a joyous read.

Cheers, Ian
 
Many thanks Ian, I like the older editions for the feel of older books - newer published books look and feel less interesting, plus they dont have the old book smell :D
 
The lens should lock in place sufficiently firmly to resist the movement of the aperture ring. If you look at the inner end of the barrel you'll see a black ring with three lugs with slits in. These lugs should be slightly bent along the axis of the lens to give some interference when it is twisted into its extended position. If these have become flattened they can be gently bent back with a small screwdriver. It doesn't take much, maybe 0.5mm, but the lens should then hold in place. If you need more info I should be able to post a picture.

Paul
 
Hi Paul thanks for the info. One of the three does lock in place, but it takes about a minute or two of fumbling to get it in that position. I'll look into adjusting the other two to let it lock correctly
 
Ash said:
Many thanks Ian, I like the older editions for the feel of older books - newer published books look and feel less interesting, plus they dont have the old book smell :D
Click to expand...

My 1946 edition of Vining, like my similarly dated edition of Jacobson's Enlarging "conforms to wartime utility production standards". This has a charm all of its own but the paper is dreadful (Sylvia is my judge of paper, but she says the binding is OK for commercial binding). The Vining cost me a few pounds, the Jacobson and a 1952 Ilford Manual of Photography cost NZ$3 each from a secondhand bookshop in Shannon, NZ (the Hay-on-Wye of the Manawatu!).
 
Yes I agree that some older books have the "we cut corners on every angle" feel, but it adds to charm when you treat something with delicacy. I've old wartime issued books and the paper is so thin it feels like it will dissolve in my hands
 
Vining used a Contax II from before WWII until he retired from Fleet Street. When asked by writers into AP what his failures were he sometimes described photographing the battle damage to HMS Exeter after she had limped back from 2nd Battle of Falkands mid winter 39-40, hit repeatedly by 11" AP from Ge pocket battleship “Graf Spee”, near simking she had to breal off action and try and make Faklklands for emergency repairs, and then back to UK for dry dock, cold and dark days in every sense. The rest of the press with 5x4 Graphics did the external damage to Exeter, Vining with the Contax the interior. His shutter had not run properly once, it was too cold.

The morale keep the Contax warm

Noel
 
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