Help with dating/manual for Contaflex

[CP93]

Just picked up a vintage Contaflex at the antique store. It has a Tessar 45mm f/2.8 and has the CdS meter. The back says it was made in Stuttgart. S/n is G 80484 and lens is 1822856. It’s got some light wear and scratches, and the lens needs cleaning, but for $40 usd I couldn’t resist. Shutter and aperture appear to be ok.

According to one website the serial makes it a 1936 model; another website (Wiki) puts it at 1938.

Any help dating it, and finding a manual (pdf ok), gratefully received. Also, any idea what model version this would be?

TIA.

 

[Vince Lupo]

If it has a CdS meter then I’d say it’s 1960’s.

 

[CP93]

Another site says it’s Selenium, and that this is a model II from 1954. It also says there were no 35mm models til after WW2.

 

[1936ContaxII]

There has actually been a pre-war 35mm Contaflex but this was the Contaflex TLR.

According to one website the serial makes it a 1936 model; another website (Wiki) puts it at 1938.

Here is another site that might help you to identify your model. Good luck 🙂.
I have not yet heard of a Contaflex SLR earlier than 1953.
So if your camera is an SLR, it should be definitely post-war. If it's a TLR, it's pre-war.

As for the manuals, Mike Butkus has uploaded some of them on his site - for example here.

Michael

 

[CP93]

Thanks, that's a good site. I'm going with 1954 model II.