Highway 61
Revisited
That Contax I (third type, with slow shutter speeds) wasn't mine. It had been sent to me by an Australian guy.
The original shutter ribbons had both torn out and the camera was in a general dirty (but good) condition. My concern was about getting access to the shutter drums to replace the ribbons.
As you say, everything is built together in this camera and I couldn't figure out, how to remove the film gate so that I could see the shutter drums. Actually there was no film gate to be removed.
But, Steve Ash could do it eventually.
Crazy Fedya
Well-known
There are screws under the leather on top plate, that have to be taken out in order to remove top cover. Underneath it there are screws that hold film gate /shutter crate together.
Erik van Straten
Veteran
In the left film chamber, seen from the back, there is a small aluminium hatch secured by two very small screws. This hatch has two proposes: tensioning the shutter spring and removal of the lower shutter drum. The top shutter drum is simply attached to the crate by two screws. But you first have to remove the top plate to see how you can get access to the film gate.
For me the big riddle is how the second curtain is coupled to the first when the shutter is tensioned.
Erik.
Highway 61
Revisited
Thanks Erik. Anyway the camera has been returned to his owner in Australia eight years ago, after a successful service by Steve Ash in the UK.
I wouldn't buy a Contax I. As much as I find the Contax II a fantastic camera for its time, as little interest I have towards its predecessor.
I wouldn't buy a Contax I. As much as I find the Contax II a fantastic camera for its time, as little interest I have towards its predecessor.
Erik van Straten
Veteran
I find the Contax I a very interesting camera, but I don't think it is a good camera. It is interesting because it is the first 35mm camera with a bayonet-fitted lens and a metal focal plane shutter. Today these things are normal - even Leica uses metal focal plane shutters today - but the Contax I was the first.
Secondly the marketing strategy of the Contax I against the Leica is fascinating. The Contax I lost the battle before it started. The Leica got its form from the technical construction and the development of the camera. The Contax I was designed by an advertising team that knew nothing about cameras and photography. It was and still is a gadget.
Erik.
Highway 61
Revisited
This is all true.
DNG
Film Friendly
I have a Contaflex I that has been on a waiting list for 3 years now, and there is still over 300 Ahead of me!... only 40 or so have been overhauled in 3 years! That is all he does, he does not do any simple CLA;s... Only full overhauls. He said the wait was 2-3 years... ha.. more 6-7 or more
Henry will disagree with me I'm sure, but having persuaded a couple of dozen or so of most types back into life, my experience has been that they do not need an overhaul (OK, meters are sometimes doubtful, but otherwise). Clean the shutter, adjust the mirror and capping plate if needed, and they're generally good to go for years. It is rare that anything much else goes wrong. I have run dozens of rolls through various models, so speak from some experience in actually *using* them to make images...
Cheers
Brett
DNG
Film Friendly
Yes mine definitely needs the shutter to be cleaned and adjusted but I also need a new Pentaprism prism. Because it has mold or fungus on it. My dad did not store it very well apparently, it was his camera back in the 1940s. And I also need a pickup spool that fits. The Russian variety fit but you have to trim the leader so that your Center section goes into the sprocket. The proper one that came with the camera has a slot on the right side of the inner spool.
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Pioneer
Veteran
The number of people identified in this post who will work on the Contax 1 is small, but still encouraging. Although I own several Contax II and IIas, even a couple IIIas, I have never been tempted by a Contax 1. However, should that ever happen I now know a few people who may be willing to provide some work should it be needed.
This is a good thread, thanks Stephen.
This is a good thread, thanks Stephen.
Elmar Lang
Well-known
A good repair laboratory in Verona, Italy (Mr. Castelli) cleaned and regulated my Contax-I (type with slow and fast times): he said that it was a tiring work, but everything works fine since then.
I need to say that the Contax-I is a nice "toy" to use, but I prefer the II/III model.
I am sure that Mr. Scherer's work on the old Contaxes could be the best on such cameras, but he should also realize that his long waiting lists could disappoint more than one Contax user.
I need to say that the Contax-I is a nice "toy" to use, but I prefer the II/III model.
I am sure that Mr. Scherer's work on the old Contaxes could be the best on such cameras, but he should also realize that his long waiting lists could disappoint more than one Contax user.
Erik van Straten
Veteran
I repaired one of my Contax I cameras myself; I replaced the shutter tapes. I forgot however to level out the film cassette, so I got some perforation in the image.
Contax I v5, Jupiter 8m 50mm f/2, Tmax400.
Erik.
Contax I v5, Tessar 50mm f/2.8, Tmax400.
Contax I v5, Jupiter 8m 50mm f/2, Tmax400.
Erik.
Contax I v5, Tessar 50mm f/2.8, Tmax400.
Erik van Straten
Veteran
My other Contax I, a model 4, so far did not need any repair. Maybe this camera was reworked in the fifties as it has an added flash synch. I hope that the camera will be usable for some time as it is great fun shooting with it. I've fitted it with a Jupiter 8M, much easier to handle than the Tessar 50mm f/2.8 if you ask me and better performance too.
Contax I v4, Jupiter 8M 50mm f/2, Tmax400.
Erik.
Contax I v4, Jupiter 8M 50mm f/2, Tmax400.
Erik.
Erik van Straten
Veteran
The speed selector of the Contax I with long speeds is something to get used to. It is divided into "groups". The "sports group" of my Contax v5, the speeds 1/200, 1/500 and 1/1000, does not work well, the shutter runs but stays capped. This problem occurs also with the later Contaxes. I do not bother as I do not use these speeds. The "normal group" offers a 1/200 too, but that speed is not engraved.
The "sports group"of my Contax I v4 works flawlessy.
Erik.
The "sports group"of my Contax I v4 works flawlessy.
Erik.
nhchen
Nathan
Hi Eric,
I always thought that by their design, the contax I and II shutters should never have a capping problem for the fast speeds. It usually is only found on the IIa shutters. I wonder if in your v5 the gears are slightly out of sync.
Nathan
Erik van Straten
Veteran
Hi Nathan,
I think that when the shutter is out of synch, it wouldn't work at all. I took all the care in the world to make an out-of-synch situation NOT happen.
I think that the tension of the spring is too low. I do not dare to increase it. I am afraid that the ribbons will not hold. I've used the ribbons of Aki Asahi. That ribbon is paperly thin.
Contax I v4, Jupiter 8M 50mm f/2, Tmax400.
Erik.
A couple of weeks ago I changed a set of ribbons in a II using Aki's ribbon material. At one point during my testing the shutter was capping, or there was variation in the slit, at the higher speeds. I found that this was because the clearance at the clutches was slightly too great. Not surprising given the replacement ribbon material is around half the thickness of the original. Very gently crimping them with a finger to close them remedied the incorrect gap. Essentially what was happening was that, instead of the first curtain running with the ribbons as it should at the faster speeds, the ribbons were slipping through the clutches, enabling the second curtain to catch up with the first.
But this was only the second Contax that I had changed the ribbons on, and as I was doing it for a friend who is going to use it (this is good, they should be used) I wanted the camera to be really reliable. Initially I was very conservative with the spring tensioning, wanting to apply the minimum amount needed to get the shutter to run correctly. Although it was running reasonably well, after adjusting the clutches it began to sometimes not latch up correctly, particularly when released upside down. You need to test the camera in various positions, I think, to be really sure it will continue to work, because sometimes gravity and friction may manifest certain problems only if a camera is fired in a particular orientation. The curtains would latch OK with the camera held normally, but upside down gravity began to brake the second curtain at the end of its run slightly, because it would cap the gate, but not quite latch fully. Another half a turn on the tensioner resolved these problems, and as it was still under five turns of tension on the adjuster I was satisfied with that.
I was, it is fair to say, pernickety with my testing, firing the camera across the speed ranges, checking and re-checking the shutter in various orientations again and again in the course of getting it right at all speeds in all positions. Without exaggeration, I would have fired it the best part of a thousand times, over a few days. I was working on a decent blister on my thumb by the end. Did I say I was pernickety? As far as durability is concerned. Only time will tell for sure, this is true. But my testing was getting on for thirty films worth of use.
I appreciate that the original has some design differences to the II, but you have used the same ribbons I did. So how much are you going to use your Contax, Erik? I would not worry about the ribbons. They may not last as long as Zeiss's original material, but be assured, they will last.
Cheers,
Brett
nhchen
Nathan
Thanks Eric, I had completely forgotten about the effect the spring tension had on the shutter. This thread reminded me to get out my two contax I(f)'s out last week. I had changed the shutter ribbons on them a few years ago and only rarely used them. But I managed to run a roll through one of them and it's running ok on all the fast and slow speeds. Even with all of their weirdness they are quite nice to use I think. I had used ribbons bought from nobbysparrow's eBay shop, which I assume is similar to the ones you used.
Nathan
Erik van Straten
Veteran
Thank you, Brett and Nathan, I will reconsider the tension. But as I am happy with the results so far, maybe I leave the camera as it is now.
Nobbysparrow does not list ribbons anymore, but I am quite happy with the stuff of Aki Asahi. It is very easy in use (to get it through those small holes I mean).
Erik.
Nobbysparrow does not list ribbons anymore, but I am quite happy with the stuff of Aki Asahi. It is very easy in use (to get it through those small holes I mean).
Erik.
Roger Hicks
Veteran
When I first saw the question, my initial answer was "No-one in their right mind". I didn't post this because it would have been totally unhelpful. However, having now read the thread, it seems I was pretty close to right.
Cheers,
R.
Cheers,
R.