Oh no... my contax ii is dead :(

[kl122002]

It is very bad day for me...
I took out my contax ii and prepared a film to shoot. When I wind the shutter , a strange sound came out then the shutter can not work any more...😱 ...and stuck at the middle!

:bang::bang:Oh dear...I think I have to open the camera and fix it...

 

[ZeissFan]

Sounds like one or both of the shutter straps snapped. Although they're often called "shutter tapes," they have no adhesive.

In any case, sounds like some service is required for that camera.

 

[raid]

Eddy Smolov is the best answer here.
Save yourself headache and money this way.

A recent comment: " So, the address 123camerarepair@gmail.com is still good, and the
recommendations here and other threads were spot on. I'm a pretty happy
camper."

 

[kl122002]

The shutter tap does not gone and the are still there. But when I wind it, it stops at the middle and won't go further. I heard strange sound when I am winding it.
Oh dear...🙁

 

[photovdz]

ouch... i don't like that noise... I think you will have to send it to a qualified technician... something bad in the gears... (and Smolov is may be the best for that purpose...)

Shutter of a contax is something like a big swiss watch... a bit more fragile... and definitively not straightforward to work on.

 

[kl122002]

I guess some of wheels or gears might be damaged. but I won't sent it for repair because it is too expensive. I would get another one from internet.

 

[ruben]

"Dead" ? No Zeiss Contax is ever dead, just need a fixing that can be more or less complex. The longevity of their design is one of their strongest assets.

The cost of the fixing is another issue.

Cheers,
Ruben

 

[ZeissFan]

There are -- I think -- three sets of coiled springs in the lower drum. There also are some pins that hold in place several key parts.

There also is a flat spring that keeps tension on the lower drum.

I think there are something like 750 or 900 parts in the Contax II ... I don't recall which it is, but there are hundreds and hundreds of parts, which opens up the possibility of something slipping, snapping or binding after 70 years.

Luckily, there are thousands of Contax II cameras still around and even more Kievs. That means a good supply of used parts.

Without disassembling the camera, it's difficult to say what the problem is. I definitely would send it in for service.

 

[Paul C. Perkins MD]

For Heaven's sake - don't force it in any way - that will only compound any damage!!!!

Paul

 

[BrunoK]

This is a dead Contax II awaiting surgery

 

[kl122002]

I opened it today and checked. I notice a wheel under the drum is bended, which is used to wind the shutter. The connection between the hooks is loosen. IT is at the L side.
I think it will be my cross year project of the later days. I have took it out before but it was found can not be repaired. So i think I will have to DIY.

BTW, I found pencil marks with same serial numbers on the shutter house and other parts. That is amazinng

 

[photovdz]

if you found the problem, then the solution is on the way...

good luck...

BTW what serial number is it ? interesting find... it could mean the camera was dissassembled once in her lifetime.

 

[kl122002]

The numbers I found inside are same as the serial numbers of my camera. They marked in different positions. THe year of manufacturing, 1937 id printed red under the cover of top plate.