help!

[almontriv]

Hi, there:

I'm new to Rangefinder Forum.

I'm looking for opinions and recommendations on the virtues, desirability and/or dangers of owning, refurbishing and using Zeiss Contax (IIa or IIIa) rangefinder cameras and lenses - my favorite! I've been into photography "seriously" for over 55 years. After vast personal and professional experience with sophisticated photography and filmmaking camera equipment - Contaxes, Nikons, Leicas and Hasselblads, Arriflexes and other similar equipment and, most receltly, Canon Digital cameras - I wish to return to the simplicity, subtlety and charm of rangefinder black and white photography for serious personal work. Nevertheless, I will most likely scan my B/W 35mm negatives and print digitally, for I currently own exceptional scanning and printing equipment.

I would greatly appreciate hearing from anyone - and everyone - willing to shed some light and wisdom on the subject of Zeiss Contax rangefinder cameras and lenses. I've been away from this mark and genre of photography for a very, very long time and have, for all intents and purposes, lost touch with and knowledge of it completely. This is also my first effort at "collecting" classic cameras.

Thank you very much!

 

[RayPA]

Welcome Almontriv! While your question is best answered by others, I just wanted to welcome you to the forum, and welcome you back to the "real" world of Rangefinder cameras. 🙂 Enjoy!

 

[back alley]

welcome as well.
i'm not in the know when it comes to contax but we have some that are, i assume they will be along shortly.

joe

 

[Doug]

Welcome to RFF, almontriv! We do have some classic Contax experts hanging around here so I'm sure an interesting discussion will ensue. Ummm, it wasn't something like the below that you wanted to talk about was it? 🙂

 

[wyk_penguin]

Welcome.

the virtues: "OOh"s & "aah"s from those who know what you are holding; "ouch"s from those who dare insult the user for using a piece of trash.
desirability: Highly disirable, but as they are old, they need some body checks. And unlike a Minolta X-700, not many people know how to or have parts to fix a Contax RF.
dangers: causes severe GAS!!

 

[JoeFriday]

I'm more of a Kiev guy, myself.. not that I'd turn down a nice Contax.. but they get a bit pricey, and if I'm going to drop over $400 on a body, I'll take one with framelines

Doug, I always liked those black Contax's.. too bad they're not authentic

 

[wlewisiii]

Hi, there:

I'm new to Rangefinder Forum.

Welcome, and put your wallet in your saftey deposit box! 😀

I would greatly appreciate hearing from anyone - and everyone - willing to shed some light and wisdom on the subject of Zeiss Contax rangefinder cameras and lenses. I've been away from this mark and genre of photography for a very, very long time and have, for all intents and purposes, lost touch with and knowledge of it completely. This is also my first effort at "collecting" classic cameras.

Thank you very much!

Well, I can give you a bit of info on Contax cameras and thier Kiev raised siblings. But really there are two excellent sources of information on the net you might care to read first. Stephen Gandy has a bunch of good pages on both the Contax and Kiev cameras on his website at http://www.cameraquest.com/classics.htm and Henry Scherer's website at http://www.zeisscamera.com/First.html Either of those two places will tell you far more and much fast than I can. Around here, look for posts by Honu-Hugger and Furcafe (both are handles and I regret to say I remember those far better than real names. I'm very sorry, gentlemen.)

Once those sources are exhausted, I'll be happy to try and answer any questions you might have but much of my limited knowledge comes from them and other worthies here at RFF. I was bitten by the RF bug just about a year ago when I bought a Yashica GSN on a whim at a flea market (I owned a Yashicamat 124G at the time, so I knew thier quality, still...). Everything I know about Contax and Kiev has been learned since then.

If you have any specific questions, please feel free to PM me.

Hope this is of some help,

William

 

[FrankS]

The Contaxes are beautiful. Lenses are top notch, but how reliable are their shutters and how easy are they (shutters) to get repaired?

 

[Roger Hicks]

Dear Almontriv,

The traditional advice is 'Don't' but apparently there are more repairers working on Contaxes (and able to repair shutters) than there were 20 years ago.

Even so I'd go for a Leica instead: inherently more reliable and longer lived, and easier to repair. Whenever i use 'real' Contaxes belonging to friends I am very, very nervous in case they break.

Cheers,

Roger

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Can't believe that I beat Honu-Hugger to this.

If you get a Contax, the best resource for rebuilding it is at:

http://www.zeisscamera.com/First.html

With that said, the Contax is a masterpiece of mechanical precision. Buying one used and having it CLA'd is well worth it. I prefer the 1x viewfinder of the Nikon RF's over the 0.6x of the COntax II/III and 0.67x of my IIIa. The Zeiss-Opton 5cm F1.5 Sonnar is one of the best lenses of all time. I modified the film-flange distance of a Nikon S2 (changed shims) to dedicate to the Sonnar.

 

[Pherdinand]

Contaxes are amazing cameras. Based on my personal experience and on hearsay, i can give you one advice: When you get one, count on the fact that it's not (perfectly) working and will need some service, which will cost you either $ or time and effort. If you are lucky enough to get one that works good, you can be happy, but be prepared for the opposite.
Anyway, in the end you will not be disappointed.

Cheers -and welcome!
Pherdinand, former contaxIIIa owner

 

[gc1]

Welcome, and put your wallet in your saftey deposit box! 😀

And pass the key to your wife! 😀

But remember to keep a spare key with you. 🙂

 

[almontriv]

Hi, there:

To all of you very nice people who replied to my original posting, thank you very much for the "welcome" you gave me, and for the information you shared. You seen to be a well experienced bunch with whom to chat.

Since my original posting, I've also requested information on Nikon S2 or SP equipment as well as lenses potentially available for sale. Although I really value - and would actually prefer - a Contax IIa or a IIIa, my longterm experience with Nikon rangefinders tells me that perhaps I should lean in that direction, especially in view of the warnings about Contax "shutters", and such, several of you have given me.

In any event, I'm delighted to be engaged in these exchanges with you, all, and I look forward to many more.

almontriv

 

[RichardS]

You might try leaning in the direction of the Kiev camera. If it stops working you can buy another one probably for less than the repair would cost, and Zeiss lenses made for the Contax should fit on the Kiev although the only way to make certain is to try it.

Dick

 

[wlewisiii]

Oh, Zeiss glass works wonderfully on the Kiev. After all, the Kiev _is_ a Contax that is simply made in the Ukraine (with all that that implies, to be sure). The Cosina SC mount wide angles work beautifully as well. I have a 50/2 Sonnar, a 135/4 Sonnar and an SC Skopar 35/2.5 that I use on my Kievs and all work wonderfully. Also all of the FSU copies that I have tried (Jupiter 8m, Jupiter 8nb, Jupiter 9, Jupiter 11, and Jupiter 12) have all been excellent as well. The only lens I've ever used on my Kievs that I wasn't thrilled with was the Helios 103 and it wasn't bad, it just didn't have the look that I like.

There aren't as many lenses available for the Kiev/Contax line as for, say, LTM. But I've yet to find a real dog.

William