Erik van Straten
Veteran
Thank you Nicolas! I'll try to make a pic.
Erik.
Erik.
Erik van Straten
Veteran
Contax I v4, Jupiter 8M 50mm f/2, Tmax400.
Erik.
Erik.
Erik van Straten
Veteran
Contax I v4, Sonnar 50mm f/1.5 black/nickel uncoated, Tmax400.
Erik.
Erik.
Erik van Straten
Veteran
Contax I v4, Tessar 50mm f/2.8, Tmax400.
Erik.
Erik.
Grytpype
Well-known
I've received the piece of ribbon from Erik's Contax I v4 (thanks, Erik!), and I can say there is no difference I can see between this and Contax II/III ribbon. The picture below shows the Contax I ribbon on the left, and ribbon from a 'C' serial Contax II (1937) on the right.
They are the same grosgrain weave, and just 3mm wide. The only difference is that on the micrometer, the Contax I ribbon measures .009" (.23mm) thick, and the Contax II .011" (.28mm). However I have definitely seen Contax II or III ribbon that measured under .010".
I'm a bit disappointed actually! I was rather hoping that Contax I ribbon might be sufficiently different that a suitable material could actually be available somewhere, instead of which there are just the same unsatisfactory options as for Contax II/III.
Steve.
I'm a bit disappointed actually! I was rather hoping that Contax I ribbon might be sufficiently different that a suitable material could actually be available somewhere, instead of which there are just the same unsatisfactory options as for Contax II/III.
Steve.
Erik van Straten
Veteran
Thank you Steve!
The options for the Contax I are unsatisfactory indeed. The Aki Asahi ribbon is probably too thin to open up the shutter of the "sports group" of my v5 completely (my v4 still has the original ribbons), even after bowing the clutches. The other speeds however are fine, and the tensioning of the camera is very smooth.
Maybe for the Contax I things are even worse, as these early ones have aluminium shutters instead of the brass of the Contaxes II and III.
Erik.
Erik van Straten
Veteran
Contax I v4, Sonnar black/nickel uncoated 50mm f/1.5, Tmax400.
I was using the same shade for the Jupiter f/2 and the Sonnar f/1.5. This shade vignettes quite a lot on the Sonnar (not on the Jupiter). I've corrected this a bit in Photoshop.
Erik.
I was using the same shade for the Jupiter f/2 and the Sonnar f/1.5. This shade vignettes quite a lot on the Sonnar (not on the Jupiter). I've corrected this a bit in Photoshop.
Erik.
steveyork
Well-known
Ed Trzoska?
Erik van Straten
Veteran
Contax I v4, Jupiter 8M 50mm f/2, Tmax400.
Erik.
Erik.
RObert Budding
D'oh!
I just learned that Henry Scherer has 434 cameras on his wait list. If I recall correctly, it takes him about 2 weeks per camera/lens set. So that's a 17 year waiting list, assuming that he takes a few weeks off each year. Kind of pointless.
nickdando
Established
sevo
Fokutorendaburando
Well, he certainly does not charge for 80 hours work, so these two weeks obviously are not two work weeks per body. Probably that is including the average wait for suitable "for spares" bodies - but then he'd have dozens of cameras in parallel on the "waiting for spares" list, and these 400+ cameras would be done within a year or two rather than 17.
Erik van Straten
Veteran
Leica M5, Summicron 90mm f/2 v2, Tmax400.
My Contax I v4 with Sonnar 50mm f/1.5 black/nickel.
Erik.
My Contax I v4 with Sonnar 50mm f/1.5 black/nickel.
Erik.
Dralowid
Michael
This thread made me dig my Contax I our of the cupboard and put a film in it. All went well until the twelfth exposure...ribbon broke.
A great shame leaving me with the following options:
1) Spend more than it is worth having it repaired etc
2) Try and do it myself. (I did a Kiev once and found it rather hard)
3) Put it back in the cupboard.
I am veering towards number three. What would you do?
A great shame leaving me with the following options:
1) Spend more than it is worth having it repaired etc
2) Try and do it myself. (I did a Kiev once and found it rather hard)
3) Put it back in the cupboard.
I am veering towards number three. What would you do?
ThreeToedSlothLuke
Established
#2 is out of the question as I have no experience in such repairs. I'd go with #1 if I had Erik's eye for a photo but as I don't then #3. Of course it's really not the camera per se anyway, it's the photographer with some assist from the lens.
Perhaps, if it's good enough, put the lens on another body. Like a Contax II or IIa or even a decent Kiev.
Erik van Straten
Veteran
It is like driving a Citroën Traction Avant, fun, but it is best to do the repairs yourself. Putting new ribbons in the camera is not hard, exactly the same procedure as putting new ribbons in a Contax II or III.
Erik.
Dralowid
Michael
Until recently I drove a Citroen DS which I looked after myself, now it is an Austin 7 from 1932. On both I felt I could start and finish any job I took on (within reason). Not so sure about the Contax, wish there were some Contax I specific repair notes out on the web somewhere
I would have stayed with the D myself. Which one? I drove a manual 23 EFI Pallas for years, (honourable mentions to CX & GS) until I got into photography instead of classic Cits. Did all my own maintenance/repairs. Three Contax users who also drive/drove classic Cits. Hmm, not sure what that says about Contax photographers, or Citroën drivers...
Erik van Straten
Veteran
If you want to take a look inside, do this:
(Remove the back of the camera and the lens.)
Removing the top cover.
1. Remove the film stabilizers in the film room. As a result, the screws of the housing of the shutter are accessible.
2. Remove the housing of the shutter from the film chamber.
3. Unscrew and remove the release button of the image counter with a piece of rubber (rear cover, near arrow).
4. Remove the rewind button. (one screw)
5. Remove the frame counter. (one screw)
6. Remove the small nickel screws from the top of the front plate (on the versions 6 and 7 also the ones of the receiving fork of the viewfinder slider.)
7. Remove the two large screws on the corners of the top cover, which can be accessed from the film room. (Inside the camera)
8. Remove the two large screws at the corners of the front side of the top plate under the leather. (Outside of the camera)
You now can remove the camera's top cover.
To get access to the shutter, remove the four screws of the cover plate of the shutter.
Installing new ribbons.
The biggest problem is the fact that the original ribbons are no longer available. One has to rely on alternatives. I've had good results with the ribbons from Aki Asahi, but actually these are too thin, so 1/500 and 1/1000 do not work anymore. The gap then closes to easy. Other speeds work fine.
Alternatively, there are the ribbons from Arsenal (Kiev). Which are thicker, more narrow and stiffer. I intend to use those when my v4 dies. I have no experience with these.
For the attachment of the ribbons there are two ways: first attach to the second curtain (Oleson method) or first attach to the first curtain (Van Straten method).
My method is as follows.
1. Let the ribbon that still is intact stay where it is. It serves as a model for the ribbon that you are replacing.
2. Set the shutter to "B" or "Z".
3. Remove the lower roller (in which the shutter spring is). In the left film chamber, seen from behind, is an aluminium hatch mounted with two small screws. Make these screws carefully loose, but not quite, so that the cover does not spring away because of the spring tension. Rotate with the schrewdriver the end of the spring (in the middle of the aliminium hatch) counter-clockwise until the spring is totally relaxed. Now, take off the hatch. Then the roller can be taken out of the camera. Beware the little rings at both ends of the roller but also the small metal pin that looks like a part of a needle. These components are all very important.
3. Remove the remains of the broken ribbon.
4. Attach a long piece of the new ribbon (at least 15 cm) to the roller in the same manner as the ribbon which is still good if the camera still has a good one. Work the ribbon through the openings while pushing it with a needle. Use a fine needle and thread for the stitching. Lubricate the stitching with glue. Before the ribbon passes through the clutch on the other end of the curtain, the ribbon must be rotated a number of times around the roller in order to build up some tension. Use clothespins to keep everything together. Be inventive. When the ribbon is through the clutch its tension is fixed.
4. Attach the ribbon to the second curtain. This curtain stays in the camera. For the correct length of the ribbon compare with the old one.
5. Replacement of the spring-loaded roller. First replace at both ends the small rings, then put its end with the thick ring in its small hole on the right and then put on the left (the side of the aluminum hatch) the small metal rod in its slit. Replace the aluminum hatch, but do not fully tighten the screws yet. First give the spring some tension with a screwdriver (clockwise). Then tighten the small screws to fix the tension. The small metal pin is hold by the slot in the back of the aluminium hatch. The spring has enough tension when "B" or "Z" is working correctly. If you cannot get the speed selector to "B" or "Z" the ribbon is too short.
Erik.
