Impressions: Contax IIIa and Nikon SP

[Biggles]

Went for a walk downtown earlier, to trawl the local camera shops for used rangefinders. To my great surprise, I got to handle both a Nikon SP and a Contax IIIa.

Though I've been haunting camera shops on and off for over twenty years, I don't knowingly recall ever having played with either system before, so today was eye-opening. There's a big, big difference.

The SP had a 50mm f1.1 on it. HUGE fuggin' piece of glass. Balanced well, though, because the SP body is an ingot. Big, brawny thing. Terrific viewfinder clarity, though it focuses, ah, majestically.

Control placement on the SP was, as far as I'm concerned, perfect. Even though I grew up with Voigtlander and finished on Olympus OM, two of the most idiosyncratic 35mm systems extant, the Nikon's focusing mode, shutter release placement, and winding are all intuitively placed. My hands floated over them without a bobble.

The Contax IIIa was in another shop, and the salesman on duty wasn't familiar with it at all. He'd thought it was a Canon. I had to figure its controls out all by myself. Thankfully, I'd recently read up on the Contax IIa, so I knew to look for a few things.

The Contax people were drawing on a different manual of arms from the Nikonisti when they designed this camera. I found it quirky, but endearingly so. As much as I hated the infinity lock on the lens focus ring, I appreciated the focusing finger-wheel on the front of the camera. Very well-placed. The Contax viewfinder's focus marks were MUCH faster to scroll than the Nikon's, but a bit harder to make sense of. Considering what I've read, the viewfinder brightness was surprisingly good, but the SP's were admittedly larger and clearer.

Excellent shutter release. Beautiful post-art deco design ethic. Nice size.

Obviously, I did not have the opporunity to evaluate the lenses.

My overall impression is that the Contax IIIa body is a damned nice camera, and the Nikon SP is a damned nice tool. If the pictures had to feed me, I'd take the Nikon over the Contax. But for strolling around among café society, taking mug shots, the Contax would get the nod. Good looks and Zeiss optics.

Rolex vs Breguet.

Just wish I'd found a Leica CL today, too. No such luck.

 

[Honu-Hugger]

Personally, I've never much cared for the III or IIIa -- that meter seems like a wart on an otherwise beautiful face. I'd hate to have to decide between an SP and a IIa if I was starting fresh today, but I made my choice years ago. The inifinty lock on the Contax annoys some, but I never give it a moments thought -- very instinctive for me to release it and it is automatically disengaged from the external mount lenses (all but the 50's). I've found over the years that some people adapt to different layouts easier than others; unless the ergos are entirely idiotic I don't have a problem adjusting to different layouts (Alpa cameras wind in reverse of other cameras, from front to back, and their shutter release is on the front of the body, you squeeze towards the camera rather than push down). I'm just glad there is variety -- it makes it all the more interesting.

 

[Nikon Bob]

Nice finds. I agree with D2 that the meter on the IIIa ruins the cameras profile. I have a Contax II and a Nikon S2 and find very little to choose from between them. The viewfinders on those two appear similar but the Nikon has a wind lever so it is easier in use. Either one will do nicely.

Bob

 

[FrankS]

For what it's worth, I also enjoy my Kiev 4am, a Contax copy. It's not the camera I'd take to a paying job, but as a quirky walk about companion, it's fun.

 

[RObert Budding]

I have a IIIa and, yes, the IIa looks cleaner. But I do like the meter for times when I don't want to carry a handheld meter. But the real clincher for me was the lense selection. Not a dog in the lot!

Robert

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Buy Them.

Buy Them Now.

BTW: What were the prices? The SP with an F1.1 would fetch ~$6,000 if in EX or better condition.

 

[Nikon Bob]

Did some checking on the 50 F1.1 and they are not only physically large but so is their price tag. Pretty rare in any of it's three versions, especially in LTM .

Bob

 

[Biggles]

Buy Them Now.

Heh. Not with my money, mate. I'd have to lay off my staff.

I'm not a camera collector, but using criteria I've established in other domains of vintage arcana, I'd rate them as follows:

Contax IIIa: Body was Good-Very Good; two huge Zeissbompen on the back, meter responsive but probably needing calibration, shutter authoritative, perhaps 5% brassing on hard edges. Some scuffing and nicking of knobs and protrusions. The two warts degraded the cosmetics considerably, to my eye, else it would be Very Good. 50mm f2 post-war west bloc (I think) Sonnar was only Fair; edge abrasion and visible surface scuffing, and front glass was marked. A decent user-grade body, and a lens to start at one dollar on eBay. Yours for $540 US.

Nikon SP, chrome: Body was Very Good; perhaps 5% brassing of hard edges and some hand wear on frequently-touched areas, leather just starting to roll at seams, very clear viewfinder, focus matched D-O-F readout and logic both, shutter sounded like the air vent doors on a Rolls Royce. 50mm f1.1 lens was, conservatively, Fair-Good; much evidence of scuffing, table-resting, edge-knocking, and paint wear on edges and handling surfaces, but aperture ring snapped nicely from setting to setting, focus ring turned properly, and glass was Excellent +. Overall, not collector-grade, but superb choice for a true otaku user. Seller was quite cagey about the price, but said the body and lens would definitely go over $4800 US.

My budget for a rangefinder is more in the user-grade S2 with 50-f1.4 range. I was actually looking for S2s, S3s, and IIas today, but the items described above are all that were on hand in my category. Close enough for an initial hands-on evaluation, I think.

 

[RObert Budding]

Your price on the Contax IIIa seems high. Mine has no visible brassing and came with the 50/1.5 Sonnar for about $400. BUt then I sent it off for a complete overhaul, including the removal of the Zeiss bumps and a new light meter cell. So now I have a very nice looking camera that functions perfectly, all in, for about $750. That's what I call a bargain.

Robert