Who Repairs Contax I's ?

madNbad said:
Have you tried Mark Hansen in Portland, Oregon? I haven't used him personally but it might be worth it to send him a note.
http://www.zeissikonrolleirepair.com/index.html
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Mark seems to be quite helpful, but he isn't taking any more cameras in right now. I spoke with him in May about a IIa, and he said he would be moving over the summer, and not able to take on any more work until around September. But, you could always send him an email and see what he says.
 
Mark may be worth a try but he much prefers working on the post WWII models. He did a terrific job on my IIIa but wouldn't touch my II.
 
Stephen,
Are you familiar with Radu Lesaru from 3R Camera Service?

I do not know anything about him personally, (New York is after all, a long way from Tasmania!). But he has had some recommendations from a few members for his work on Exaktas and Alpas.

The reason I mention him is that on his site under the list of cameras he works on he mentions both the Contaflex SLR and TLR. If he can make a Contaflex TLR shutter work again, I do not think he should have too much trouble with the shutter from a Contax I that is its close relation. Maybe you should contact him? FYI, anyway.
Cheers,
Brett :)
 
For the very specific needs of the Contax I and Super Nettel (to a lesser degree) there is someone in Germany who has a website etc.

But...

I cannot remember their name. perhaps EriK Van Staten can help remind me?
 
Perhaps you can ask here: http://www.arluewa.de/service.html

The Contax II and III can be very excellent cameras when properly serviced. But they require a different kind of approach than regular cameras in order to work properly. That's why most workshops don't perform repairs on them. They are mostly used to the focal plane and compur shutters.

In the case of a Contax I, things get more difficult. This shutter can't be taken out of the body. Gears and such have to be placed and mounted individually. It is a very intense, time consuming and skillful job.

It isn't just a matter of finding someone who is able to take the job, but finding someone who can prove to be expert on the Contax I in order to repair it.
 
I recommend Frank Marshman, Camera Wiz in Virginia. He likes working on Contax and he can tell you if it can be saved or not. (Frank is getting a little older and I hear he slowing down a bit)
 
He must be good, because Henry Scherer hates him.
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Henry Scherer is almost unreasonable about everyone else who works on Zeiss or Contax cameras. (sorry to say this) He really should apologise to some Dutch people, who do have an honest business in selling cameras.

Never heard of Petrakla before. Their website appears to be new.

But there are some points about their way they work as they mention on there that must be taken seriously. They tell that it is not necessary to take apart a shutter down to the last bit in order to make it work properly.

The way they work is way too superficial.

Well I can tell you from my experience you have to take everything to bits. But it if you are used to it, it isn't the hardest job. I do this with my Kiev shutters as well. Taking everything apart, polishing and ultrasonic cleaning and such.
 
Erik van Straten said:
Maybe you mean Paepke in Düsseldorf.

On eBay there is someone from The Netherlands who sells restored Contaxes, Super Nettels etc. under the name Petrakla. He must be good, because Henry Scherer hates him. He restores the cameras himself I think. He is 100% positive on eBay.

http://stores.ebay.de/Petrakla-Classic-Cameras?_trksid=p2047675.l2563

Erik.
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A very high quality piece of dry humour Erik.

I have had two Contax Is repaired in the UK. One was done by Peter at CRR. He swears he will never touch another, but it still works. Another was done by another well respected repair man. It last about a month (4 or 5 films). He didn't want to have another go and just sent me the money back, which I suppose is understand.

I think the reluctance to work on these cameras is really based on the inability to guarantee a repair and the inevitability of a return visit. This is a great shame, they are wonderful things and must have worked in their prime. Problem is that most, because of their internal construction, have been mangled by repair people in the intervening 80 years.
 
Valkir1987 said:
Never heard of Petrakla before. Their website appears to be new.

But there are some points about their way they work as they mention on there that must be taken seriously. They tell that it is not necessary to take apart a shutter down to the last bit in order to make it work properly.

The way they work is way too superficial.

Well I can tell you from my experience you have to take everything to bits. But it if you are used to it, it isn't the hardest job. I do this with my Kiev shutters as well. Taking everything apart, polishing and ultrasonic cleaning and such.
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Petrakla is into business for quite some years now.

There is a huge difference between the Contax I at one side and the Contax II, III and the Kievs on the other. The Contax II etc. are modular constructed. On a Contax I everything is fixed directly to the housing. That makes the thing extremely complicated and difficult to work on. In fact it is only a shutter. The other components are very primitive.

When you see a Contax I on the inside the admiration for Leicas increases.

Erik.
 
MISH said:
I recommend Frank Marshman, Camera Wiz in Virginia. He likes working on Contax and he can tell you if it can be saved or not. (Frank is getting a little older and I hear he slowing down a bit)
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+1,000,000! Frank is the king. If he can't fix it, well, he can fix it.
 
Petrakla is into business for quite some years now.
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Well after reading their page I would never bring a camera around there. This is a page for those who want you to make believe, not one to be proven of skilled workmanship.

I know the Contax I is not modular constructed. There is a model without slow speeds too, which is considered to be more reliable.
 
Erik van Straten said:
There is a huge difference between the Contax I at one side and the Contax II, III and the Kievs on the other. The Contax II etc. are modular constructed. On a Contax I everything is fixed directly to the housing. That makes the thing extremely complicated and difficult to work on. In fact it is only a shutter. The other components are very primitive.

When you see a Contax I on the inside the admiration for Leicas increases.

Erik.
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This is all true.

I heve successfully overhauled several Contax II bodies (total teardown and rebuild including shutter ribbons replacement and RF wedge prism recementing etc) but the lone Contax I which I had tried to work on... another story.

I sent it to Steve Ash in the UK eventually and he could complete the job.

Since he closed his official business, I don't know whether he still might be asked to work on some cameras from time to time, or not.
 
Great news! This repairshop repairs the Contax I. The site is however in German. Use the Google translator.

http://blog.classic-camera.de/?tag=reparatur

Nicolas, I knew you've repaired the Contax II, but I did not know about the Contax I. What went wrong?

Erik.

Restauration klassischer Kameras


Wir restaurieren in erster Linie Zeiss Kameras, insbesondere die Contarex Typen, Contaflex TLR, alle Contax Messsucher, Super Ikonta, die Ikoflex, Super Nettel, Tenax II und andere hochwertige Zeiss Geräte. Bei der Rolleiflex überholen wir hauptsächlich die 3.5/2.8 F.
Wir können Linsen polieren und neu vergüten lassen.

Schraubleicas können ebenfalls repariert werden sowie einige Linhof Modfelle. Bei Interesse einfach nachfragen per mail an service@classic-camera.de oder telefonisch 02305 – 922928.
 
Erik van Straten said:
Great news! This repairshop repairs the Contax I. The site is however in German. Use the Google translator.

http://blog.classic-camera.de/?tag=reparatur

Nicolas, I knew you've repaired the Contax II, but I did not know about the Contax I. What went wrong?

Erik.

Restauration klassischer Kameras


Wir restaurieren in erster Linie Zeiss Kameras, insbesondere die Contarex Typen, Contaflex TLR, alle Contax Messsucher, Super Ikonta, die Ikoflex, Super Nettel, Tenax II und andere hochwertige Zeiss Geräte. Bei der Rolleiflex überholen wir hauptsächlich die 3.5/2.8 F.
Wir können Linsen polieren und neu vergüten lassen.

Schraubleicas können ebenfalls repariert werden sowie einige Linhof Modfelle. Bei Interesse einfach nachfragen per mail an service@classic-camera.de oder telefonisch 02305 – 922928.
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Erik, that's the one I was thinking of! I remember asking them to give a guide price for working on a Contax I shutter and complete overhaul. It was not cheap but then bearing in mind the work it was not overly expensive.

Michael
 
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