I want a Contax IIa or IIIa ...Help :D

If the meter is working, and accurate- it is certainly good enough for modern color and B&W print film. The meters in my Contax IIIa and Contax III are both working. They match my hand-held meter. Prices of meterless cameras tend to be higher.

Right now, I have the Contax II, III, IIa, and IIIa. I need to get a family portrait. I paid $300 for the III and 5cm F1.5 Sonnar recently, meter listed as dead. Some "massaging" probably cleaned off the contacts enough for it to work again. I have seen them go for more recently, but $300 used to be the going rate for many that I have seen.
 
It all sounds very exiting :D i cannot wait to finally find a good one.
Isn`t someone here from germany who knows a place I can buy one?
All the shops I know are stop selling analog cameras.
 
I am reading a lot about the contax an found out that the KIEV 2 and 4 are technically the same than the contax models.....in addition to this most of them have been manufactured with parts made in germany so the early ones are ALMOST as good as the german ones.
My question is, what are the differences between them?
 
A good Kiev with German parts is likely to be as expensive as the originals, some will run even more. The Kiev's are copies of the original Contax II and Contax III. The IIa and IIIa are somewhat smaller, with improved/simplified Shutter mechanisms.
 
Both the IIa and IIIa are excellent cameras. Sometimes solid IIIa's except for dead meters can be had for bargain prices and they are not much more bulky or heavier than a IIa.

One thing to watch out for on the IIa or IIIa is that the rangefinder have good vertical alignment. Vertical misalignment can be difficult to fix on these. The bulk of II and IIIa's work well, although some need basic CLA's. They are usually easier to repair than the II and III - better shutter curtains for instance.
 
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Check early East Germany Contax prices at recent Westlicht Auctions, they are muuuuch more than normal IIa/IIIa. Nothing to go for, if you want simply the fine feeling of Contax shooting and not collecting rarities.
 
The Kievs can be great cameras, and be had very cheaply. I have a very nice Kiev from the '60's and a Contax IIa from the '50's. I actually can't say I prefer one over the other. I was probably lucky with the Kiev, $40 and it has worked perfectly from the day I got it.
 
Take a California vacation and use your Euros to buy a Henry Scherer camera priced in USD. You'll save a bundle and then you can go to San Francisco and Yosemite National Park and shoot pictures with your new old camera! Here's Henry's site: http://www.zeisscamera.com/
Good luck!
 
@Vics: i like your idea :D

Since I am looking for Contax and decided to go for a real contax and not a soviet copy made by german made parts and machines :D

I have to say that it is easy to find a cheap contax but I am looking for camera that works and thats not so easy.
 
"and thats not so easy."

but not soooo hard too! Bought a good Contax IIa Color Dial on the ..bay, sent it to Castrop Rauxel (have sent you the link before) and got a perfect one back. This Contax works without any trouble since more than two years. In the meantime I own a similar perfect IIa BD (BD for black and white film, CD for color), some lenses, finders and filters and have lot of fun using these precious cameras.

The photo shows my IIa CD with Carl Zeiss Biogon 4.5/21.


Kind regards,
Walter
 

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some more help for a decision, here my IIa CD with a great Nikkor P 2/85 (2nd batch, last chrome version, f/32).

Regards,
Walter
 

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Walter Ulreich said:
"and thats not so easy."

but not soooo hard too! Bought a good Contax IIa Color Dial on the ..bay, sent it to Castrop Rauxel (have sent you the link before) and got a perfect one back. This Contax works without any trouble since more than two years. In the meantime I own a similar perfect IIa BD (BD for black and white film, CD for color), some lenses, finders and filters and have lot of fun using these precious cameras.

The photo shows my IIa CD with Carl Zeiss Biogon 4.5/21.


Kind regards,
Walter
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BD is black dial and CD is for color dial and not films! The color dial uses PC Sync for flash while the black dial uses special Zeiss cord (if I remember correctly).

Your biogon 21mm is beautiful peace of glass:D
 
of course you are right, but I use BD for black white film, and CD for colour film, so I know always, which film in which camera ... only my personal use ;-)
 
Walter Ulreich said:
"and thats not so easy."

but not soooo hard too! Bought a good Contax IIa Color Dial on the ..bay, sent it to Castrop Rauxel (have sent you the link before) and got a perfect one back. This Contax works without any trouble since more than two years. In the meantime I own a similar perfect IIa BD (BD for black and white film, CD for color), some lenses, finders and filters and have lot of fun using these precious cameras.

The photo shows my IIa CD with Carl Zeiss Biogon 4.5/21.


Kind regards,
Walter
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Walter, You are killing me with that 21 Biogon. I want one of those!!!
 
Thanks - such a nice toy and great photos, examples with the Biogon herewith:

Günther Domenig's Steinhaus in Steinhaus at the Ossiachersee, Carinthia, Austria, July 2008
New ski lift station on top of the Gerlitzen, Carinthia, Austria, July 2008

Walter
 

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