Show Off Your Contax

[Erik van Straten]

after 2 months work... finally working camera...

Fantastic! Congratulations.

Erik.

 

[Deklari]

This is my Zeiss collection as far as it goes...and as some of you know it doesn't 'go' very well!

IMG_2881 by dralowid, on Flickr

If soaked in lighter fluid the 'dimple' Contax has a shutter that fires on all speeds but does not open. The tension seems very high and I think I can guess what is wrong (spring). At least this is a camera with no slow speeds so it will be simpler inside. On the other hand it is said to be quite rare and I am inclined to leave it on a shelf.

The Contax behind is the one I have been working on. Result? The shutter works but the way in which the advance winds on gives no confidence in that the knob does not end up where it started from. The shutter opens on all but the fastest speeds but I am unsure of the actual exposures. I have only put it back together loosely and may go back to it when I have recovered from the last bout.

The Super Nettel actually appears to be working, stiff to advance but the shutter seems to be doing what it should. It also responds well to lighter fluid. If I were to pull it apart someone suggested I approach the film advance/speed dial/shutter release knob in much the same way as a Contax II.

In the past I have had good results from the Super Nettel (Tessar 3.5) and from the Contax at the back withe either 3.5 Tessar or 2 Sonnar.

Over the years I have picked up quite a few non working Contax I. They used to be very cheap (understandably) but now seem to fetch money. I am left with these because I sold those that I expected to make the most first (V7 etc) as part of one of my annual GRPs (Gear Reduction Programmes). Three examples of this shutter is surely enough.

Great collection !

 

[Deklari]

Thanks Erik, for all your support in this matter!

 

[Dralowid]

after 2 months work... finally working camera...

Congratulations Deklari! Excellent result!

 

[Erik van Straten]

Leica MDa, Carl Zeiss Hologon 16mm f/8, Widepan adapter.

Erik.

 

[Mr_Flibble]

Just finished rebuilding the camera and re-gluing the leatherette.

Pardon the crappy Win Phone photo...

Need to do some touch-ups of the black lacquer...and have a look at refilling the engravings on the shutter speed dial and the distance scale on the focusing mount.

 

[Erik van Straten]

Rick, does it work at all speeds now?

Erik.

 

[Mr_Flibble]

All except 1/2sec and Zeit. Milo warned me against adding more tension if the rest of the speeds were okay.
I'll run a test film through it somewhere in the new year.

 

[Darinwc]

Sorry, I dont have as pretty pics as you all have. But this is a real gem. It is a Contax iia color-dial I recently found at a thrift store for a good price.
When I bought it, it was very dirty. The shutter did not work at all, and the rear door was dented in so much that I could barely get it off.
Well I was able to hammer out the dent, but I sourced a better back anyway.
I gave it a good cleaning, and I was able to get the shutter to fire. Sometimes it still does nothing when pressed. But I can still advance to next frame. I will live with that for now.

 

[Darinwc]

It really amazes me just how quiet these cameras are with their metal bladed shutters.

 

[Deklari]

Contax III (1937), with Helios 103

 

[Highway 61]

I gave it a good cleaning, and I was able to get the shutter to fire. Sometimes it still does nothing when pressed. .

Unfortunately this is a common problem with the "color dial" postwar Contax cameras. Design fault due to a very complicated X-sync system added inside the camera. Hard to fix, unfortunately too.

 

[Darinwc]

I wonder about the color dial cameras. I've read that they are rare but I've seen more that a few for sale.

 

[Mr_Flibble]

I've recently bought this Color Dial IIa for around a 130 GBP. In near perfect condition.

 

[Highway 61]

I've recently bought this Color Dial IIa for around a 130 GBP. In near perfect condition.

The IIa and the prewar collapsible Sonnar make for a very compact and perfect kit. I like this combo and I have set one myself.

 

[Fixcinater]

My budget Contax kit. Got about $100 into the setup as you see it with the Opton Biogon and Canon finder. Took a while to hunt these deals but is fun to shoot, quite different from my other RFs.

The color shot is same IIIa with an Opton Sonnar 50/2 and a Speed-O-Copy mounted.

 

[HuubL]

I've recently bought this Color Dial IIa for around a 130 GBP. In near perfect condition.

Well done Rick. I just sold mine for 3 times that amount 😊

 

[Mr_Flibble]

Nice.

The Contax camera deals are still out there. I guess they don't draw as much excitement from collectors/users as the Leicas do.

Got some film in the IIa now.

 

[Deklari]

Nice.
I guess they don't draw as much excitement from collectors/users as the Leicas do.

And this is why we should be thankful Zeiss Ikon for such complicate shutter mechanism.😉

 

[Mr_Flibble]

There has been an updraft in Contax I cameras lately, here and on the Facebook Vintage Camera Collectors Group. 😉