I love m IIIa...

[matt_s]

more and more each passing roll. Just got a box of about 15 rolls I sent out to have developed (yes, I know, develop my own), and the one camera that always jumps out is my Contax. The results from this camera/lens combo are starting to make me look like I know what I am doing- maybe has something to do with all the practice too.

Anyway, some shots with TMY-400 I just got in the mail- from a trip to Maine last month and our first rooftop barbeque of the season. Very happy I have a patient girlfriend. Now if I could only figure out how to take some better pictures with the thing!

Matt

 

[ray*j*gun]

I love my IIIa also.....you didn't mention the lens you are using.

 

[matt_s]

lens...

lens...

is a 50mm Sonnar 1.5. This makes for an unusually comfortable combo.

 

[ray*j*gun]

Thats what I use on my Contax.....beautiful old fashioned look to the photos. I sometimes use a Jupiter 8M which is a Sonnar formula and its also a nice combo....good luck!

 

[dexdog]

I love the old Zeiss glass, and while I have a couple of IIIa cameras, they don't get used as mush as the IIa. Still, great old cameras, and love the shutter sound!

 

[helen.HH]

Wonderful Set....Love it!...🙂

 

[matt_s]

thanks for the comments everone...

thanks for the comments everone...

I would love to find a IIa around somewhere, since I never use the meter on the IIIa anyway. Just cannot justify having two, almost identical cameras around- and I don't want to sell the III in hopes of someday finding that perfect II.

Does anyone have a recommendation for a decent 35mm (or any wide, really) for this camera? The FSU lenses are about where my budget is right now, especially since I would need to buy a finder along with the lens..

And yes, the shutter sound of these old Contax cameras is a beautiful thing to hear!

Matt

 

[batterytypehah!]

budget wide angle

budget wide angle

I'm in the same situation; see my earlier post. Budget wides don't seem to exist. The Jupiter 12 does not mount on IIa/IIIa bodies. One can pick up a Nikon 35/3.5 for about $200, it seems, but that length/speed combo has very little appeal to me. I would literally rather carry a Minox 35 or the like in my bag. Which would leave about $150 versus the Nikkor... Towards a portrait or tele lens, for example.

Shorter/faster than 35/3.5, the pricing for nice examples is in moon territory, as far as I'm concerned. So, I'm waiting for that used-but-not-too-used Nikkor 28 to show up. Not terribly likely.

I see a need for a hack. Anybody have a J-12 with beat up glass for sale? I wonder if the mount couldn't be married with some of the nice glass you find in half-frames, movie lenses or Instamatics that go for next to nothing. Specifically, the 28 mm Schneider lens in the Instamatic 500. Likely would show vignetting on the full 24x36 frame, but worth a try. Just tossing this out there as a challenge, I'll admit I'm out of my depth.

You also mentioned the viewfinder. I followed Matt Denton and picked up a Petri tele/wide finder. Actually, the whole set with aux lenses, for $12 including shipping. (No, I can't recommend the wide aux lens, even though it would mount beautifully on my Helios-103. Test shots were awful.) Decent finder, if you don't wear glasses. It's 1:1 and I'm an old Voigtländer man, so I'm right at home. The wide frame seems right on the money for 35 mm.

Also, I love your shots and I recognize your city. I live nearby. Feel free to send a PM if you want to exchange coordinates.

 

[mhv]

I use a Nikkor 35mm f/2.5 and a Voigtlander SC Skopar 21/4 for wides on my Contax IIa. I wish I could have stuck with el-cheapo Jupiter-12, but it will have to live on my Kiev.

The Nikkor is very good, looks great on slide film. The Voigtlander is among the best lenses for colour that I have, never seen anything give such nice saturated colours. You can still buy it new from Stephen Gandy.

 

[batterytypehah!]

correction

correction

The Instamatic 500 has a 38mm lens of course, not 28. Wishful thinking, I guess.