Pfreddee
Well-known
I got it a week ago, ran a roll through it to check spacing, exposure, and everything came up smiling. It has the Sonnar f/1.5 50mm lens, all of the speeds work, even the slow speeds.
This is a fascinating camera. I started with FSU rangerfinders, including a Kiev 4AM (which seems to be dying a slow death: shutter.):bang: The Kiev sold me on the Contax when it showed up in my local drug(oops!) camera store. It looks like it had some use; the pressure plate shows some wear. The rangefinder/viewfinder is working just fine, and it is so much smoother than the Kiev. I can even manage to see everything through the viewfinder with my glasses and not scratch them.
I don't know if Bill gave it a CLA before he put it in the case, but it sure runs like he did. Next purchase will be a Leica. (I have to save up for it.) While I own a Nikon D7000, I seem to keep buying film cameras, and using them more than the digital. Now that I own and am using a Contax, I feel much more comfortable about picking up a Leica, at last.
With best regards,
Pfreddee(Stephen)
This is a fascinating camera. I started with FSU rangerfinders, including a Kiev 4AM (which seems to be dying a slow death: shutter.):bang: The Kiev sold me on the Contax when it showed up in my local drug(oops!) camera store. It looks like it had some use; the pressure plate shows some wear. The rangefinder/viewfinder is working just fine, and it is so much smoother than the Kiev. I can even manage to see everything through the viewfinder with my glasses and not scratch them.
I don't know if Bill gave it a CLA before he put it in the case, but it sure runs like he did. Next purchase will be a Leica. (I have to save up for it.) While I own a Nikon D7000, I seem to keep buying film cameras, and using them more than the digital. Now that I own and am using a Contax, I feel much more comfortable about picking up a Leica, at last.
With best regards,
Pfreddee(Stephen)
KoNickon
Nick Merritt
Using a properly working Contax, especially the postwar ones like yours, is about as good as it gets with a rangefinder. Get a Leica, certainly -- I think you'll find they are less of a crapshoot in terms of reliability. But also try some of the other Zeiss lenses for the Contax if you can.
Joe Vitessa
Well-known
Yes, a tuned-up Contax IIa is a thing of beauty! The Sonnar 50mm 1.5 is probably my favorite lens in any format.
ray*j*gun
Veteran
Plus 1 and plus 2.... I have a mint IIa black dial and a mint IIIa color dial both done by Henry S and they are by far the smoothest running RF's I have ever owned.
Pfreddee
Well-known
I forgot to mention, it's a black dial, FWIW.
With best regards,
Pfreddee(Stephen)
With best regards,
Pfreddee(Stephen)
farlymac
PF McFarland
I didn't use my IIa for a long time when I first got it because the frame counter was messed up, and it wasn't enjoyable trying to remember how many frames I had shot, then running out way before I was expecting to. But once I fixed that, it was wonderful. Now my biggest problem is getting it into the rotation. Maybe if I just dumped most of my cameras...or quit fixing them.
PF
PF
Vics
Veteran
I've recently really gotten back into my IIIa-cum-Sonnar 1.5/50, so now I'm back to jonseing over a IIa. My M3 sits on the shelf while the Contax gets all the work!