ColSebastianMoran
( IRL Richard Karash )
58mm Biotar is interesting on Mirrorless.
Help me learn what I have here...
- Thread starter nikon_sam
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ColSebastianMoran
( IRL Richard Karash )
Same as my Praktina. Click... Black. Till you wind. And, then on mine you manually re-open the iris.
It’s important to select only correct dial positions. You have to move between high and low speed ranges using the switch on the back according to whether or not the speeds are shown in black or red. There are no correct speeds for the mechanism that aren’t marked. So you have to select the speed you want and ensure the appropriate coloured arrow appears next to it depending on whether or not it’s marked in black or red.
Given its condition if it was a conventional “Contax” marked example I personally would want to repair and use that. As a Hexacon labelled specimen, perhaps not. It’s main value is as a collectible and, well, I’d rather use a Contax. But they’re wonderful cameras and if you are inclined to do so they can be enjoyable to use.
Cheers
Brett
This page has a good summary of the Contax/Pentacon SLRs and the various re-badged versions sold, including the Hexacon.
Cheers,
Brett
http://web.archive.org/web/20160419...e.com:80/praktina/Contax-Pentacon Cameras.htm
Cheers,
Brett
http://web.archive.org/web/20160419...e.com:80/praktina/Contax-Pentacon Cameras.htm
Fixcinater
Never enough smoky peat
Export regulations, I believe. Some Pentax Takumars had the brand name scratched off their beauty/name ring.
rbiemer
Unabashed Amateur
I am not sure I would say "any" M42 body--I have this lens and have used it on a Pentax K2 DMD and my dad's K10D with a M42-PK adapter. No problems. But when I tried to use it on my Pentax ES , the lens interfered with the mirror. And it wouldn't mount correctly on my Fujica ST-605n.
I do like the Biotar quite a bit.
I started a thread about it:
https://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=76276&highlight=Biotar
Rob
David Hughes
David Hughes
Hi,
You might find these interesting:-
http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Contax_S
http://www.mikeeckman.com/2017/08/pentacon-fm-1958/
Regards, David
You might find these interesting:-
http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Contax_S
http://www.mikeeckman.com/2017/08/pentacon-fm-1958/
Regards, David
nikon_sam
Shooter of Film...
Thanks for all the replies...
Looking for someone to service this lens....
Any suggestion...I'm in California and would like to find someone in the US first...unless it makes absolute sense to send it elsewhere...
Looking for someone to service this lens....
Any suggestion...I'm in California and would like to find someone in the US first...unless it makes absolute sense to send it elsewhere...
tunalegs
Pretended Artist
The extra name ring was probably added by the importer (so the serial number relfects their business, not Zeiss Jena's). There were a lot complications regarding trademarks after WWII. Zeiss Jena was forbidden from using prewar trademarks (like Biotar, Tessar, etc.) when selling products in the west. Additionally, in the U.S. only the official importer was allowed to sell lenses with the Zeiss name on them. So grey-market imports or small import/export businesses would have to rebrand the lenses - some times all they did was paint over the Zeiss name and the lens name (or grind them off!), and that was that. Better importers would put on a new name ring to cover the original.
This was also true of cameras, sometimes when you remove the importer's name plate, you'll find the Contax name engraved underneath - or ground off underneath.
This was also true of cameras, sometimes when you remove the importer's name plate, you'll find the Contax name engraved underneath - or ground off underneath.
