M.Hilo
Established
I have shot some film with the Tenax II, using Ilford FP4 or Tmax 400. Both films show negative sprockets at the bottom of the image and I guess this means the film is positioned too low while running from left to right.
I have tried an old Contax spool but this one does not fit properly inside the camera, the back won't close.
Any suggestions ?
Thanks, Michael
I have tried an old Contax spool but this one does not fit properly inside the camera, the back won't close.
Any suggestions ?
Thanks, Michael
furcafe
Veteran
The old Contax or Kiev spool should work, as the original spool was identical to the 1 used in the Contax II/III, Nettax, Super Nettel, etc.
Last edited:
M.Hilo
Established
furcafe
Veteran
The spool on the left is from a post-WWII Contax IIa/IIIa or Contarex (maybe Contaflex & other Zeiss Ikon cameras from that era, too). While I would guess that they should work in the Tenax II, I can guarantee that the pre-WWII or Kiev spools do work (assuming your Tenax hasn't been modified/damaged).
As far as the film cassette on the right, I have no idea what era it's from, but it's quite possible that a post-WWII cassette might not work in the pre-WWII cameras (the pre-WWII Zeiss Ikon cassettes for the Contax should work but I don't know for sure). Best to just use regular 35mm rolls.
As far as the film cassette on the right, I have no idea what era it's from, but it's quite possible that a post-WWII cassette might not work in the pre-WWII cameras (the pre-WWII Zeiss Ikon cassettes for the Contax should work but I don't know for sure). Best to just use regular 35mm rolls.
Bill Jones
Contax Lens User
The spool shown was in use from 1939 onwards in all Zeiss Ikon 35mm cameras that used removable spools. It is the correct spool for the Tenax II. The cassette is from 60's onward (Contarex and Contaflex) but should work in all Zeiss Ikon 35mm cameras that take cassettes. They are backwards compatible. The drive sprocket sets the film height on the take-up side. If the film was properly engaged on the sprocket then the mis-alignment is caused by the film cassette you're loading in the feed side.
Bill
Bill
Bill Jones
Contax Lens User
Michael,
Sounds to me like there is something hanging up the spool so it is not seating in your camera. Attach the end of the film to the spool with the spool out of the camera then insert it into the take-up chamber and turn the spool till it seats all the way. The sprocket holes should now line-up perfectly with the sprocket teeth. If not the spool is not seated. Check to see if there is and damage (nicks or bends) in the take-up claw and fix the claw as needed. The spool and the cassette bottom projections need to go into the pocket of the back lock on the base of the back. Don't have the film too tight or the spool or cassette will be pulled towards the shutter and the projection will jam on the base of the back and keep it from closing.
Bill
Last edited:
furcafe
Veteran
Small collector disagreement (since your practical advice is accurate & sound): I'm sure that the spool is also post-WWII. Pre-WWII spools were metal & had 1 small straight slit next to a larger, wavy, snake-shaped slit. M. Hilo's is obviously black plastic & has the diagonal cut-out w/a hook for the sprocket hole; later on (in the mid-to-late'60s?), I think Zeiss Ikon changed their (still black plastic) spools back to having simple slits, only both straight. I'm basing this on having multiple examples of the pre-WWII 35mm camera models that used the Contax spools & cassettes (Contax, Nettax, Super Nettel I & II, Tenax II) as well as a few Contax IIas & Contarexes; most came w/their takeup spools.
If Zeiss Ikon switched to the plastic spools in 1939, that's news to me.
Edit: I see from this thread (http://rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1909731 ) that there is evidence that the plastic spools were introduced as early as 1939-42. I stand corrected.
Wouldn't mind seeing a picture from the book, though!
Now that I'm at home & can access my cameras, I can confirm that regardless of the era, both spool types should work in cameras of both eras.
If Zeiss Ikon switched to the plastic spools in 1939, that's news to me.
Edit: I see from this thread (http://rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1909731 ) that there is evidence that the plastic spools were introduced as early as 1939-42. I stand corrected.
Wouldn't mind seeing a picture from the book, though!Now that I'm at home & can access my cameras, I can confirm that regardless of the era, both spool types should work in cameras of both eras.
Last edited:
M.Hilo
Established
Thanks a lot for your input, I appreciate it a lot!
To avoid any misunderstanding, I have two "problems".
1) with Ilford FP4 or Tmax 400 film I get the film sprockets in the lower part of the image.
2) when trying to insert the old Contax cassette that's in the two pictures of my previous post, I simply can't close the camera. Somehow it doesn't "sit" right and is tilted upwards slightly at the lower end.
Attached two pictures illustrating problem 1. The first picture shows the film as it should run. The 2nd picture shows it with the cartridge in the camera and the film no longer in the right place, but dropped down slightly.
I hope to find another old cassette that will work. But I will also look into getting the modern rechargeable cassettes, to see how they work. Perhaps I can modify those to end up in the right position. I think it would only take removing 1mm at one end of the cassette (not the spool)
To avoid any misunderstanding, I have two "problems".
1) with Ilford FP4 or Tmax 400 film I get the film sprockets in the lower part of the image.
2) when trying to insert the old Contax cassette that's in the two pictures of my previous post, I simply can't close the camera. Somehow it doesn't "sit" right and is tilted upwards slightly at the lower end.
Attached two pictures illustrating problem 1. The first picture shows the film as it should run. The 2nd picture shows it with the cartridge in the camera and the film no longer in the right place, but dropped down slightly.
I hope to find another old cassette that will work. But I will also look into getting the modern rechargeable cassettes, to see how they work. Perhaps I can modify those to end up in the right position. I think it would only take removing 1mm at one end of the cassette (not the spool)
Attachments
furcafe
Veteran
Could you post some pictures of your camera (without the back) & the inside of the back (by itself)? Could eliminate the possibility that there's something wrong w/those.
Sid836
Well-known
Put an empty canister, close the back, shake it gently and hear if it rattles a lot. That would mean that there is a lot of vertical play of the canister and hence the film not travelling horizontally among the rails from the canister to the take up spool.
M.Hilo
Established
Yes, I will do so tomorrow. I am in The Netherlands !
M.Hilo
Established
I put an exposed T-max film in it. All seems to be ok, no sounds, niente !
Bill Jones
Contax Lens User
Small collector disagreement (since your practical advice is accurate & sound): I'm sure that the spool is also post-WWII. Pre-WWII spools were metal & had 1 small straight slit next to a larger, wavy, snake-shaped slit. M. Hilo's is obviously black plastic & has the diagonal cut-out w/a hook for the sprocket hole; later on (in the mid-to-late'60s?), I think Zeiss Ikon changed their (still black plastic) spools back to having simple slits, only both straight. I'm basing this on having multiple examples of the pre-WWII 35mm camera models that used the Contax spools & cassettes (Contax, Nettax, Super Nettel I & II, Tenax II) as well as a few Contax IIas & Contarexes; most came w/their takeup spools.
If Zeiss Ikon switched to the plastic spools in 1939, that's news to me.
Edit: I see from this thread (http://rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1909731 ) that there is evidence that the plastic spools were introduced as early as 1939-42. I stand corrected.
Now that I'm at home & can access my cameras, I can confirm that regardless of the era, both spool types should work in cameras of both eras.
Furcafe,
The spool in question was introduced in the January 1939 edition of Zeiss Magazine (USA) p17. It was also referenced in the March 1939 edtion as being back in stock after selling out all stock. Hence I date it as available from 1939.
Bill
Contax user/collector since 1967
wes loder
Photographer/Historian
spockets & takeup spools
spockets & takeup spools
I have three Tenax II. Each came with different takeup spools, two metal, one plastic. All appear to work. However, modern film magazines are slightly taller above the felt. As a result, the magazines do not seat high enough to bring the film in precise alignment with the film rails. This may be the source of your problem.
I get around this problem by manually shifting the film to the top of the felt gate so that it aligns with the rails. Seems to work. I have not had film spockets show up on my negs.
BTW, my manually-locked magazines seat correctly. WES
spockets & takeup spools
I have three Tenax II. Each came with different takeup spools, two metal, one plastic. All appear to work. However, modern film magazines are slightly taller above the felt. As a result, the magazines do not seat high enough to bring the film in precise alignment with the film rails. This may be the source of your problem.
I get around this problem by manually shifting the film to the top of the felt gate so that it aligns with the rails. Seems to work. I have not had film spockets show up on my negs.
BTW, my manually-locked magazines seat correctly. WES
Bill Jones
Contax Lens User
Edit: I see from this thread (http://rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1909731 ) that there is evidence that the plastic spools were introduced as early as 1939-42. I stand corrected. Wouldn't mind seeing a picture from the book, though!
Furcafe,
I'm the same source as the quoted thread.
The book is in German and a picture of the pages would not confirm that it is from any given book, so if you look on the following page:
www.cameramanuals.org/zeiss_ikon?zeiss_ikon_contax_ii.pdf
(or search "Contax II instruction manual")
Refer to pages 5, 7, 10, 30,32 and 34 for instructions and photos this will show that the plastic spools were available as both take-spool and cassette spool from during the era when Zeiss Ikon (Dresden) made Contax II's. From the 1939 intro date, I would put this as cameras with serial numbers starting with J thru O. Not all these cameras need have these spools as Zeiss Ikon was also using up existing stocks of metal spools.
The camera instruction manual is unfortunately not dated but is from Zeiss Ikon (Dresden) and is not modified with type written pages as late wartime ones were. I would assume no cameras were imported from Jan 1942 onward and this would leave out the O s/n cameras.
Bill
Wouldn't mind seeing a picture from the book, though!Furcafe,
I'm the same source as the quoted thread.
The book is in German and a picture of the pages would not confirm that it is from any given book, so if you look on the following page:
www.cameramanuals.org/zeiss_ikon?zeiss_ikon_contax_ii.pdf
(or search "Contax II instruction manual")
Refer to pages 5, 7, 10, 30,32 and 34 for instructions and photos this will show that the plastic spools were available as both take-spool and cassette spool from during the era when Zeiss Ikon (Dresden) made Contax II's. From the 1939 intro date, I would put this as cameras with serial numbers starting with J thru O. Not all these cameras need have these spools as Zeiss Ikon was also using up existing stocks of metal spools.
The camera instruction manual is unfortunately not dated but is from Zeiss Ikon (Dresden) and is not modified with type written pages as late wartime ones were. I would assume no cameras were imported from Jan 1942 onward and this would leave out the O s/n cameras.
Bill
M.Hilo
Established
M.Hilo
Established
Jerevan
Recycled User
From the pictures shown, there is nothing that looks out of the ordinary compared to my Tenax II.
There was no spool in mine when I bought it but I managed to find a plastic one from a cassette, most likely post-war.
Looking at my spool, it seems to be the same sort as yours.
There was no spool in mine when I bought it but I managed to find a plastic one from a cassette, most likely post-war.
Looking at my spool, it seems to be the same sort as yours.
Jerevan
Recycled User
Looking closer at your pictures in post 3 versus those with film in post 8: the two spools have a different pattern on the endpiece. Are these two spools the same - do they have the same dimensions etc?
Bill Jones
Contax Lens User
Tenax II
Tenax II
A very nice looking camera. The serial number dates it from second lot or 1938 as a production release date.
Jerevan, in the pictures the spool is shown in a top view and the cassette in a bottom view so the ends are different.
Bill
Tenax II
A very nice looking camera. The serial number dates it from second lot or 1938 as a production release date.
Jerevan, in the pictures the spool is shown in a top view and the cassette in a bottom view so the ends are different.
Bill