Hilarious Ebay Contax score....

[Gben]

I thought it was funny when someone threw this up on Ebay yesterday for $159 and free shipping. Of course it said the shutter was not working but I still thought it was a great deal. Now all it has to do is get here through the mail in one piece and I will be all set. I think it is one of the later 30s models. Is it just me or does it look really good?:

 

[p.giannakis]

These are beautiful cameras but they are notoriously difficult to repair.

 

[Mr_Flibble]

For that price! Nice find. The camera appears to be in beautiful condition for its age. And it looks fabulous in the original case.

Yeah, I think it's the first to last type of the Contax I, before they switched the viewfinder and rangefinder window.
Mine's the model prior to this one and I've spent the last two days replacing the curtain ribbons.

 

[nikonhswebmaster]

These are beautiful cameras but they are notoriously difficult to repair.

They require skill, but can be repaired as easily as most of the Contax models, and usually only require tapes when found in this condition.

There is lots of information on and off the web on replacing tapes, many of our members, including moi, have done it successfully. 🙂

Looks like a really lovely find with little green.

For the price, I would be happy to have it just on a shelf.

 

[ray*j*gun]

I know Henry S has a huge waiting list but I might be tempted to use him for such a nice camera.

 

[Gben]

It came in the mail today well packed. I took it out of its ready-case and put neatsfoot oil on the case and strap, they are both in amazing condition for their age, someone got lucky and stored this thing at the right temperature and humidity for leather.

Then to the camera. The lens looks great and the aperture functions smoothly, the rangefinder is accurate and aligned.

The shutter fires! The only catch is that the speed-range dial is froze in the 25-50-100 range so those are the only three speeds I can access. But this damn thing could actually take photos right now.

So that is it. It will go into storage until I figure out what to do with it. This is a great camera though that looks to have been well stored and has been used moderately. A few times in life you are thrown a fish and I guess this was one of mine.

 

[Erik van Straten]

The only catch is that the speed-range dial is froze in the 25-50-100 range so those are the only three speeds I can access.

To access the other speeds, you first have to turn the command-dial, that is the thin, nickel ring behind the thick knob. Turn anti-clockwise. The next range of speeds is: 100, 200, 500 and 1000.

Erik.

 

[KoNickon]

Fingers crossed that the high speeds work too! Nice camera, and congrats. Keep exercising it!

 

[Gben]

To access the other speeds, you first have to turn the command-dial, that is the thin, nickel ring behind the thick knob. Turn anti-clockwise. The next range of speeds is: 100, 200, 500 and 1000.Erik.

Oh, you call it the command-dial. Sorry, the Command-Dial is frozen and will not turn......

 

[Gben]

Fingers crossed that the high speeds work too! Nice camera, and congrats. Keep exercising it!

Actually since I have the other Contax I which has been Schererized I will not run this one because without being cleaned and properly lubed I believe it is just injuring itself. I will think about options for its future, but until it has some serious attention I will probably just put it in mothballs.

 

[Chubberino]

That finely aged leather case was worth the price of admission alone, lol!

 

[Gben]

That finely aged leather case was worth the price of admission alone, lol!

I agree, the ready-case is in remarkable condition for it's age. It has lost a little of it's character now as the neatsfoot oil I applied to it has made it mostly one shade, but the treatment should help it. It is a #1777/8 case which is supposed to be for the Sonnar lenses.

In other news I cut this out of a piece of Zeiss literature for the Contax I so we could all learn what Zeiss called the parts of the camera for adjusting shutter speed:

 

[Erik van Straten]

How can the command-dial be frozen? If you can tension and set the shutter the command-dial can be turned too I would say. Did you try to turn it (only anti-clockwise) with a piece of rubber (inner tube for instance)?

Erik.

 

[Gben]

How can the command-dial be frozen? If you can tension and set the shutter the command-dial can be turned too I would say. Did you try to turn it (only anti-clockwise) with a piece of rubber (inner tube for instance)?Erik.

Erik, it is not my style to use excess force to try and get very old machinery which may have been sitting for many decades to operate, it sounds like one of the surest ways to break something.

I am 6'2" tall and about 220 pounds so I do not think I am lacking in strength. My experience operating another Contax I which Mr. Scherer has worked on lets me know what sort of torque one of these shutters requires, also having been a mechanic for many decades and having training in watchmaking also gives me a very good intuition as to when a piece of machinery needs more than simply extra force to operate.

There is either something put of place inside the camera, or some old oil or grease has dried up and cemented a few components together. Sooner or later the camera will be taken apart and when the mystery is solved I will certainly post it here for you and others.

 

[Gben]

Yeah, I think it's the first to last type of the Contax I, before they switched the viewfinder and rangefinder window.

It's serial number is AV10856. I think this means that is is from 1933/34. I think the "A" means it was sent back to the factory and repaired/upgraded. So it might be an earlier Contax I, but it looks like the factory might have put some later parts on it like the four-screw accessory shoe and who knows what else inside and out during an overhaul.

Of course this is all just me going by what websites like CameraQuest and Pacific Rim Camera etc. have written about the subject!

 

[Mr_Flibble]

I'm going by the same sites as well...still have trouble identifying mine with serial number U20xxx. No idea if that is supposed to matches the version I have. Or if it was upgraded at all (It's lacking the "A" in front of the serial number, so I guess it wasn't).

My full case is a different model than your, but the leather is rather dried out and the flap is only attached by the fabric of the liner 🙁
Thought about turning it into a half-case, but replacing the strap with something stronger is going to take some hard thinking as it is rivited to the bottom of the case together with the tripod screw.

 

[Gben]

The plot thickens and the wallet thins. Someone was selling a Contax II on Ebay with this1933 f1.5 lens affixed . I just had to get it and swap it onto this camera. I figure if I subtract the value of the Contax II body I now have $510 invested in this Contax I total, so much for doing things on the cheap. Lens looks to be in amazing shape for it's age with no scratches, aperture is smooth and shows little wear cosmetically. Must have been a sock-drawer queen.

 

[Erik van Straten]

Lens looks to be in amazing shape for it's age with no scratches, aperture is smooth and shows little wear cosmetically.

I have the same lens (black/nickel 1628901), also in a near mint condition. However, when I use it on a Contax I, it vignettes in an extreme way, the corners are totally black. When I use the same lens on a Nikon S2 there is no vignetting at all. Maybe this is the reason that the lenses did not see much use on Contax I bodies.

Erik.

 

[Erik van Straten]

My full case is a different model than your, but the leather is rather dried out and the flap is only attached by the fabric of the liner 🙁
Thought about turning it into a half-case, but replacing the strap with something stronger is going to take some hard thinking as it is rivited to the bottom of the case together with the tripod screw.

I've tried this way too, but finally found out that using the strap lugs is much more convenient.

Leica M5, Summicron 90mm f/2, 400-2TMY.

Erik.

 

[Corran]

Maybe this is the reason that the lenses did not see much use on Contax I bodies.

Erik.

I thought the black/nickel 50mm f/1.5 lenses were the standard lens for Contax I cameras? Why wouldn't it have been - what else would it have been made for??

My black and nickel 50mm f/1.5 came on my Contax I, and works just fine, no vignetting. Sounds like there is an issue with your pairing.