Zeiss Ikon Contaflex

[Roberto V.]

Hi guys. I haven't seen any mention of the Contaflex SLRs here. I have a Contaflex I which I absolutely love. It's small, about the size of my M4 with the 35mm 'lux pre-asph (tiny lens). It has a fixed Tessar 45mm f/2.8 with synchro-compur shutter which produces some great pictures.
With its small size, great lens, excellent build quality (up there with Leica), and great price on the market, I'm surprised it isn't very popular.
Have any of you guys used them? What are your opinions? And post some pictures if you have them.


Here are a few of mine (the scans from the lab aren't really sharp):


Untitled by Roberto V., on Flickr


Untitled by Roberto V., on Flickr


Untitled by Roberto V., on Flickr


Untitled by Roberto V., on Flickr


Untitled by Roberto V., on Flickr

 

[Roberto V.]

Here's a picture of mine.


Contaflex by Roberto V., on Flickr

 

[Roberto V.]

I also forgot to post something important. Its viewfinder is brighter than my M4's!

 

[ray*j*gun]

Beautiful Roberto!

 

[dtcls100]

My dad has a Contaflex Super BC, which was maybe the last of the Contaflex line. It is a rock solid built camera with interchangeable magazine backs, and automatic exposure capability, as well as a very sharp Zeiss Tessar lens with a leaf shutter. Takes technically great pictures, but the battery compartment door is uncharacteristically built out of flimsy plastic. My dad loved the camera, although he doesn't use it much anymore after using it for about 25 years.

 

[Roberto V.]

My dad has a Contaflex Super B, which was maybe the last of the Contaflex line. It is a rock solid built camera with interchangeable magazine backs, and automatic exposure capability, as well as a very sharp Zeiss Tessar lens with a leaf shutter. Takes technically great pictures, but the battery compartment door is uncharacteristically built out of flimsy plastic. My dad loved the camera, although he doesn't use it much anymore after using it for about 25 years.

I've been searching for a Contaflex Rapid for some time now. It's basically like mine, but with the interchangeable magazines, and an advance lever instead of the knob. Great little cameras.

Beautiful Roberto!

Thanks!

 

[tic]

I have a Contaflex IV (selenium light meter working fine) and a Super BC, and "all three" pro-tessar lenses: 35mm, 85mm and 115mm. I also have the Steritar stereo lens for making stereo slides and a small viewmasterlike viewer for the individual slides. I must admit that it was the Contaflex IV that infected me with serious GAS for the first time, my interest so far had been in more modest medium format cameras. But the build quality, mechanical feel, sound of the shutter, the weight and heft of the pro-tessars... Shudder... This in turn made me buy a Contax RF which two years later led to a Leica and here we are... 🙂

Below is a picture from the Super BC with just the normal Tessar lens on Kodak Ektar. A street light outside the Royal Dramatical Theatre (Ingmar Bergmans old haunt) in Stockholm, Sweden:

 

[Roberto V.]

Tic, great picture. I love the standard Tessar on mine. And build quality is just as solid as my Leica! I hope to find a Contaflex Rapid someday to try out those Pro-Tessars. How's the image quality with those?

 

[tic]

I think the pro-tessar image quality is quite OK. Below are two shots with the 115mm pro-tessar:

 

[Roberto V.]

I think the pro-tessar image quality is quite OK. Below are two shots with the 115mm pro-tessar:

Thanks, looks pretty good, maybe I'll try them out some day. I've also had some GAS for an Icarex lately.

 

[Shahin]

hi, i am new to "old" cameras and i would love to buy a contaflex but i do not know which of them.
As far as I understood, they do not need a battery (Contaflex II and the super).
I also do not know what films I can usw. I preferably use the ilford delta 400 (B/W) is that possible with the "old" lightmete with selenium?

I hope you can help me find the right contaflex.

 

[Mauro]

I own a Zeiss Ikon Contaflex Super with the 50mm and 115mm lenses, two interchangeable backs and several filters and macro lenses set: a great gift from a great friend!
It is a wonderful camera, I shoot some pictures with a Fuji 800 ASA and one of them was published on an American magazine. I will use it tomorrow, loaded with a Fuji Sensia slide film.

 

[Shahin]

sound very good, so I can put in films up to 800 asa?
does the super need a battery?

 

[petronius]

Shahin, the Super B has an ASA dial up to 800 and doesn´t need a battery, the Super BC needs one.
I received my Contaflex Super B from my father-in-law some years ago.
The camera is exactly as old as I am and was originally bought by my wife´s grandfather.

The selenium meter is dead and the shutter needed some exercise; The output is really stunning, even the blackout after releasing the shutter can be handled.

Wide open (2,8):

Through the windshield, scan from print:

 

[Shahin]

I have a very good offer for a contaflex II about 40Euro but the good thing is that it is "almost" new and funktions perfektly even the lightmeter.

is it worth it (can I put in 400 or 800 asa ?)or should I wait for a Contaflex Super?

thank you very much for you help.

 

[Shahin]

???

I only need a small info about which one is worth a buy and whether the one offered to me is good?

thanks a lot 😀

 

[petronius]

40 Euro for a working Contaflex II? I would buy it, but check the shutter speeds carefully, namely the long ones. If the ASA dial doesn´t go to 800 it is easy to measure at 400 and correct the exposure.

 

[tstermitz]

A client gave me a Contaflex Super

A client gave me a Contaflex Super

It is a big chunk of stainless steel. My client said the timing was off, but I haven't tried it to see.

It has set of magnifying lenses that screw onto the 50mm. I also picked up a 35mm & 85mm sait of lenses, in superb condition for $40 at a local junk camera store.

Here is a website with lots of manuals for different models: M. Butkus Library

 

[Roberto V.]

It is a big chunk of stainless steel. My client said the timing was off, but I haven't tried it to see.

It has set of magnifying lenses that screw onto the 50mm. I also picked up a 35mm & 85mm sait of lenses, in superb condition for $40 at a local junk camera store.

Here is a website with lots of manuals for different models: M. Butkus Library

Keep us updated. I'd love to see more pictures from Contaflex users.

 

[Roberto V.]

???

I only need a small info about which one is worth a buy and whether the one offered to me is good?

thanks a lot 😀

I'd recommend the meter-less ones. You can use this: http://www.fredparker.com/ultexp1.htm to calculate your exposure, and that way you don't need anything but film. You can use any 35mm with them. I've shot up to ISO 3200 with mine.