Who Repairs Contax I's ?

Yes Rick,

I agree with Erik. Taking the front off will not get you far enough to do any good. As to cosmetics the Contax I does not really age as well as a Leica. I think yours looks pretty good as is.

By the way, what is the serial number?

To me, your version looks like V3 or (c) with a black foot on the tripod mount (could be a red herring) and white on black distance scale (V4 has black on chrome). Also V4 has the infinity release button top right of lens and not by the wheel.

See bottom right in this scan

img020 by dralowid, on Flickr

But I do not have the big Contax reference books so I could be talking classic internet rubbish!

Michael
 
Mr_Flibble said:
That sounds more complicated than I expected. I'll stick with the faint RF-image for now, and just use my best guess for focusing.

I'll see about refilling those Contax engravings with a Laquer-stik (tm).
Click to expand...

Enjoy the fact that you have a working Contax I. They are very fine shooters! I am sure a lot of them were used during WW2.

The engravings are nicely made with a pantograf.

Erik.
 
You are right, Michael.
Mine does indeed not have the infinity lock near the lens mount and it's taller. Seller thought it was a v4, and I went by the check list on Camera Quest. Of course, in my clouded mind I thought "infinity lock added' meant the button next to the focus wheel, not the one near the lens mount.

Serial number: U.20136, no repair letter added.

I have seen a World War 2 photo of a Signal Corps photographer carrying one as his private-purchase camera, taken either in France or Germany.
 
I would say Rick's camera is a v4, because of the long speeds. My v4 also has a black foot and a black distance scale.

The number U20136 is very early however, the 136th Contax I produced. It can be an updated camera, but than without the "A" added.

Erik.
 
I'm confused now...

In my simple mind I have them noted as follows (I can't remember where I got this from):

1) Dimple (s)
2) No slow speeds, no dimples
3) Slow speeds
4) Infinity release for lenses with outside bayonet, distance scale now chrome
5) r/f v/f switch
6) Four screws in shoe and arrow for speed marker

If one were to split 1) into one or two dimples then the whole thing changes and matches your description.

There are other subtler changes going on and just to confuse things I had a 4) with a black scale.

The camera in bits is AU 65403 and I reckon is a 3) by my list...4) by yours?

My one dimple camera is AU 21904

From somewhere I understood that approx factory date codes (they straddle years I think) were U=1931 V=1932 X=1933 Y=1934 Y/Z=1935 A/B/C=1936 etc etc

Erik and Rick and others, please correct me if I am wrong.

Of course we all know which is the best version, it is the one that works!

On the Yahoo group called ZICG there is a helpful chap called Simon Worsley who is doing great work collecting numbers and I'm sure he would be keen to have yours to help build his database.
 
The number on the bottom of the shutter crate was hard to read due to oxidation, but I think it matched the one on the camera back.
Another 15 frames to go before I can open her up and check again.

The use of black distance scales on the v4 might be because the used left-over black scale stock during the transitional period?
 
I am following the Kuc typology: 1=without dimple, 2=dimple, 3=large front plate, only fast speeds, 4=slow speeds, 5=rounded back, large windows, 6=turning rangefinder (viewfinder extreme right), 7=four screws in accessory shoe.

U=1932, V=1933 etc. U, V, X, Y, Z, A. First batch Contax I=U. 20.001-U. 20.500.

Erik.
 
Erik, yes, adding the early pre dimple cameras makes it match up I think, though I have never seen one.

Life is so much simpler in the boring and predictable world of Leicas...
 
Dralowid said:
Life is so much simpler in the boring and predictable world of Leicas...
Click to expand...

Yes, but the Contaxes are addictive! And better cameras too: a much more even exposure over the whole frame.

Book to read: Hans-Jürgen Kuc, Auf den Spuren der Contax. There is an English version of it. "On the trail of the Contax" is the name I think.

Erik.
 
...and then there is the Super Nettel. I have one of them, and guess what, it only works if you pour lighter fluid into it, then it will run for a day or two before it dries out and siezes up.

I'm not going to pull it to pieces yet because I still have the Contax to deal with and removing the Nettel's top, which I think is necessary involves dismantling the knob that acts as wind on, shutter release and shutter speed dial all in one.
 
Dralowid said:
...and then there is the Super Nettel. I have one of them, and guess what, it only works if you pour lighter fluid into it, then it will run for a day or two before it dries out and siezes up.
Click to expand...

What happens if you pour a very tiny little bit of oil in it? If the oil doesn't touch the straps, it is quite safe. The shutter needs lubrication.

Erik.
 
Erik van Straten said:
Maybe it helps if you first do a Kiev. The knob Michael mentions can't be very different from the knob of a Kiev (the same as a Contax II).

http://www3.telus.net/public/rpnchbck/cleaning and repairs.html

Erik.
Click to expand...

Actually the lower section of the winding knob is held on by a pin in the body. It took me ages to figure it out when I tried taking the knob off.
Mike Elek describes a similar process on the Nettax which is similar to the super nettel here: http://elekm.net/zeiss-ikon/nettax/

nathan
 
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