Zeiss Contax IIIa Metering

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leonardo

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I just acquired a Zeiss Contax IIIa and had it serviced by Henry Scherer including new meter. My first rangefinder. I am having trouble understanding the instruction in the manual. Particulary, using the meter. Is the meter taking its reading off of the speed setting, f-stop? The manual say to first set the f-stop, then turn the metering dial until the meter needle centers with the diamond. That part is easy. The manual then says I can determine the proper shutter speed for any other f-stop by looking at the appropriate marks on the metering dial. I any of this makes sense. I am trying to understand the metering aspect vs. total manual operation.

thanks,

Leonardo
 
Leonardo, once you get the needle centered over the diamond indicator, you select an aperature on the smaller inner dial of the rewind knob. The appropriate shutter speed for that aperature is found on the larger dial, directly across from the chosen aperature.

I just metered my desk lamp with my IIIa. Having chosen an aperature of f 5.6, I centered the needle. Next, I located f 5.6 on the inner dial, and looked on the larger dial for the shutter speed, in my case, 1/10 of a second

dexdog


I
 
Leonardo, if I understand the point of your question correctly, the meter reading is independent of both the aperture and shutter speed settings. The meter is not coupled to either. The meter is an 'independent' meter, unlike the rangefinder which adjusts the lens focus distance. I agree that the manual is not clear. My manual says: "the required exposure times obtained through the exposure meter may under all circumstances and without further corrections be used for the setting of the diaphragm and shutter speeds." Only the outer ring of the aperture/shutter scale rotates moving, the shutter speed to the corresponding aperture settings which are fixed.

Good luck with your IIIa!
 
hugivza, good idea pointing out that the meter is not coupled to the lens. That's probably what he was after.

dexdog
 
It took me a while to work it out! It just shows how used we have become to having everything totally integrated
 
thanks all, I figured it out. I thought it was the case as you explained. I kept looking at the shutter speed for f/16 with 400 ASA and things just were't adding up, but after plaing around and using my light meter on my D70, the meter is pretty much spot on.

Thanks again,

Leonardo
 
Another questions: any suggestions for Fill Flash settings? I have a small Metz that fits nicely on the camera.

thanks,

Leonard
 
First question. Is your camera a black dial or color dial model?

Black dial: All shutter speeds are marked in black. (Not the metering dial that surrounds the rewind knob).

Color dial: 1/50 is in yellow and higher speeds are in red.

Black dial cameras require an intermediate cable for flash units. There were two types: one cable for bulb flash and another cable for electronic flash.

Color dial cameras have a normal flash synch post -- you can connect either a bulb or electronic flash via the PC synchronization cord. The camera has no hot shoe -- only an accessory shoe. That is, the electronic connection on the foot of the flash won't work with the Contax -- you must use a synchronization cable.
 
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The IIA and IIIa are both color dial. I do have a sync cable for the Metz. I'll shot at 50 and set the ASA on the metz and go for it.

Thank you,

Leonard
 
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