You're welcome. I was tapping that all out on a touchpad in bed at 3am, so I'm sorry for all the typos and punctuation errors.
Cheers
Brett
Hi Lawrence,
they are made of brass. Sending any lighter fluid down there is guaranteed to make it worse and seize it up completely. Any oils would inevitably find their way all over the shutter and aperture blades. No short cuts on this one I'm sorry. The shutter has to come out so the threads can be cleaned, fresh lube applied and re-assembled.
Are you a DIYer? Believe it or not it is actually not that hard to remove the entire shutter/lens array from the unit focus models. You should remove the trim ring around the front of the lens, (three screws) then the bayonet mounting ring under this (four screws, watch for the small ball bearing for the shutter click stops, easily spotted). Then from inside the camera (uncocked, of course, to retract the rear shutter) there will be three screws, one or two of which may be a bit of a pain to get to at an angle, (depending on the particular model and shutter, I've not yet done a Rapid, but it will be similar to the first Super). You may even want to sacrifice a screwdriver and modify one or two with a bit of a bend to help get onto the screw head. Once these are removed, the entire shutter/lens assembly literally extract forward from the front as one unit. The mechanism is coupled by a drive gearing and socket that slide apart. Throw just a smidge of grease into that before re-assembly incidentally, and take a good look at the gear timing as they come out, as it may be possible to reunite them a tooth or two off which will stop the mechanism cocking properly, etc.
If you need to access the shutter blades or aperture, it would probably be best to remove the middle lens group before removing the shutter. The Rapid should have a small eccentric locking pin that needs to be rotated 180 degrees or thereabouts to extract, and this must be removed before the middle group can be unscrewed. Later models omitted this and sometimes they can be *very* tight, earlier ones with pins are usually less so, hence, it is the lesser of two evils, and as a bonus, it provides very precise fixing of the lens group when it is re-fitted. Don't remove the back lens group for any reason.
The trickiest bit of the whole operation is getting the helicoid back into the right position and installed height after cleaning and lubing. Mark the threads as they release of course, so you can find the right starting point. But the height will affect the infinity focus. Unfortunately, if yours is seized up, if it has been forced at all, this may already have been affected. If you're lucky I may be able to offer a factory installed height (certainly for the Super B I think) to get you in the ballpark. But a few trial and error assemblies will probably be needed, to get this spot on. It is also possible to adjust infinity via the position of the focus ring by loosening the lock screws but there are few short cuts with these cameras, so I recommend doing it by the book and setting the focus helicoid height correctly, as it guarantees that other things you may not consider are also sweet. The designers knew what they were doing, so it is best not to second guess them.
The description of the above probably makes it sound worse than it is, in truth, for a DIYer with some experience it's not that bad, just a bit tedious and fiddly. I wouldn't recommend it for a first time repair process though.
Cheers,
Brett
Depends on where you are. I believe I have read that Ken Ruth and Carol Flutot have serviced them. Perhaps Essex as well but I gather they are no longer around. Henry Scherer's web site also says he now services the Contaflex as well as the Contarex.
I have been persuaded to service the odd one myself occasionally, but I am in Australia and postage each way hurts. I'm on the lookout for a reasonably tidy CIII, though, (it's the only model I don't have at least one example of) so, if you have one of those to trade, then we might be able to work something out regarding some CLAs...
Cheers,
Brett
GarageBoy
Well-known
Ugh, Essex is gone...
I'm in NYC
I don't have IIIs- all of my 50 Tessar ones are metered (IVs)
I'm in NYC
I don't have IIIs- all of my 50 Tessar ones are metered (IVs)
I've done a bit of googling and asked a couple of people for leads on US-based people who work on these SLRs without any luck, sorry. There have been quite a few posts to this thread; perhaps someone can suggest suggest a name. I know Henry Scherer's site now says he will work on them, but he seems to have a lot of cameras sent to him. Flutot Camera Repairs website says they work on many Synchro Compur shutters, but they mention rangefinders and large format lenses, as opposed to SLRs equipped with same. I guess you could give them a call or shoot off an email to see if they will CLA Contaflex, they're not in New York, but at least they're in the states and postage should be reasonably priced.
Cheers
Brett
BW400CN
Bessamatic forever!
Some new stuff from my Contaflex Super
Zeiss Ikon Contaflex Super - Kodak Tmax 100 von LeBleuBeau auf Flickr
Zeiss Ikon Contaflex Super - Kodak Tmax 100 von LeBleuBeau auf Flickr
Zeiss Ikon Contaflex Super - Kodak Tmax 100 von LeBleuBeau auf Flickr
Zeiss Ikon Contaflex Super - Kodak Tmax 100 von LeBleuBeau auf Flickr
Zeiss Ikon Contaflex Super - Kodak Tmax 100 von LeBleuBeau auf Flickr
Zeiss Ikon Contaflex Super - Kodak Tmax 100 von LeBleuBeau auf Flickr
Those Tessar lenses continue to impress, very nice Michael!
Cheers
Brett
Cheers
Brett
BW400CN
Bessamatic forever!
Thanks! - and thanks for the help with my magazine problem - everything is fine now!
BW400CN
Bessamatic forever!
For the once that have a Contaflex with Pantar lenses.
there is a little sister which can take the Pantar lenses too.
Zeiss Ikon Contina III + Continamatic III
Zeiss Ikon Contina von LeBleuBeau auf Flickr
Mine is a Continamatic III which has the frames for the 45mm and 75mm in the VF only the 30mm needs an extra finder - together with my Voigtländer RF it is a nice alternative to my Kodak Retina III S - would like to get the 30mm Pantar too!
there is a little sister which can take the Pantar lenses too.
Zeiss Ikon Contina III + Continamatic III
Zeiss Ikon Contina von LeBleuBeau auf Flickr
Mine is a Continamatic III which has the frames for the 45mm and 75mm in the VF only the 30mm needs an extra finder - together with my Voigtländer RF it is a nice alternative to my Kodak Retina III S - would like to get the 30mm Pantar too!
Gareth Rees
Established
Nice photos with the Contaflex Super. I have one of these and a Contina 111a with Pantar 45mm, 30mm and 75mm lenses.
I have the correct Zeiss finder for the 75mm but use the universal finder from my Contax 111a when using the 30mm Pantar lens.
The Contina produces lovely slides.
thanks for keeping this thread alive.
regards Gareth
I have the correct Zeiss finder for the 75mm but use the universal finder from my Contax 111a when using the 30mm Pantar lens.
The Contina produces lovely slides.
thanks for keeping this thread alive.
regards Gareth
alienmeatsack
Well-known
I got all excited earlier this week. I had a line on a Super that was supposedly working and just needed to be cleaned up.
Alas it wasn't meant to be as it got snagged by someone under my nose. I acted too slowly.
So my quest restarts.
It seems like the earlier ones I find that are a little too affordable are always broken in some way and you guys make it sound like CLA's are a difficult thing to do or to find someone to do reasonably if at all. So I've been avoiding any that need more then a good cleaning (lens, body etc not CLA cleaning).
Alas it wasn't meant to be as it got snagged by someone under my nose. I acted too slowly.
So my quest restarts.
It seems like the earlier ones I find that are a little too affordable are always broken in some way and you guys make it sound like CLA's are a difficult thing to do or to find someone to do reasonably if at all. So I've been avoiding any that need more then a good cleaning (lens, body etc not CLA cleaning).
BW400CN
Bessamatic forever!
It is the truth that any of these leaf shutter cams are a gem to work with but a hell when it comes to more as a outside clean!
I repair my folding plate cams but wouldn´t touch my Contaflex or Bessamatic or Kodak Retina! I have a 2nd Super where the long times (lower as 1/8sec.) are sticky - I don´t open it and use it like it is for the daylight shots
mwoenv
Well-known
A year ago I was fortunate to find a Super BC in excellent conditon locally on Craigslist. I just had to swab out some corrosion from the battery chamber and the meter worked and is accurate. I use 675 hearing aid batteries in an adapter. Bought it for only $25 from the original owner.
Nice camera with an excellent lens. I don't use the Ikoblitz 4 flash shown but an electronic flash.
Question: what is the little clear window to the right of "Zeiss Ikon" logo in the photo attached? There is nothing on this in the Instructions for Use manual.
Nice camera with an excellent lens. I don't use the Ikoblitz 4 flash shown but an electronic flash.
Question: what is the little clear window to the right of "Zeiss Ikon" logo in the photo attached? There is nothing on this in the Instructions for Use manual.
Attachments
alienmeatsack
Well-known
I think when it's my time to own one, it will find me. I was originally going to try and find the original, but I think a Super is also in my mind. My ideas for my budget always tend to grow as I learn more about each piece of hardware I decide I want.
I started my Contaflex budget at $50 and have expanded it to $100. And will probably end up going upwards based on what I find. The problem I have is, I am a bit OCD so I will bend my own rules for budget if I see something and think it will vanish before I can buy it. I've been burned a few times with gear because of it but 9/10 I get a great piece that makes me happy and lives in my collection as a result.
I started my Contaflex budget at $50 and have expanded it to $100. And will probably end up going upwards based on what I find. The problem I have is, I am a bit OCD so I will bend my own rules for budget if I see something and think it will vanish before I can buy it. I've been burned a few times with gear because of it but 9/10 I get a great piece that makes me happy and lives in my collection as a result.
The Super BC is a great model, I use my own example a lot.
An easy answer for once. The purpose of the window you mention, is simply to provide illumination for the meter display in the viewfinder and the shutter speed indicator. If you look through the viewfinder and then cover the window with a finger you'll soon see how it works.
Cheers
Brett
Hi,
these were pretty well made cameras. Actual breakages are reasonably rare, (unless you include the selenium cells of the early models that sometimes are not responsive but that's really an age-related issue, and these will also sometimes still work very well, anyway).
Although everyone knows that Zeiss Ikon's premier SLR through the 1960s was the Contarex line with their fabulous lenses, these do not exactly have a reputation for unerring reliability. (I wouldn't knock one back if the price was right, but, given the cost of lenses it is not a system I can see myself ever really getting into.) Given that the Contaflex is a much less complex design than the Contarex, and, once serviced, much more likely to keep on working, contrary to popular wisdom, I think they are the better prospect of the two for regular use even if their lenses are not as good. Their lenses work much better than Contarex ones do when those are sitting on a shelf, though, which is usually where they spend all their time. Having sorted out some IIs, many Supers, a number of Super Bs, a BC, and an S, my experience has been that once the shutters are clean they will usually work beautifully again for a long time.
There can be a few other niggly things that need attention, such as dried out grease in the focus helix of late models, or mirrors and capping plates in need of adjustment (the latter sometimes needed with the Super or later models and an easy job usually). But the common thread through all the examples that have come through my hands (well over twenty by now, as I have the Contaflex disease quite badly, and have also infected a couple of friends) is just a need to have their shutters cleaned. In this regard, they aren't any different to almost any Rollei TLR or German rangefinder with a Compur shutter of the same age, which are extremely unlikely to run well at all their speeds, unless they've been serviced. Granted, the Contaflexes have the additional complication of automatic aperture stop down, but once again, this system is reliable in itself and if it's sluggish, cleaning the aperture blades is usually all that's needed to see it working as good as new.
Whereas there are still a number of people happy to take on service work on Rolleis or rangefinders, the Compur shutter installation in the Contaflex is not nearly as easy to get to (although it is not as bad as many people think). But most people (including camera technicians) are usually more comfortable staying within their comfort zone. So when a Contaflex presents itself, it can be seen as too much trouble, even if they're a lot less complex than a Hasselblad that many shops happily take on. Go figure.
My own perspective is that I love my Rollei TLRs, but sorting out the focus parallelism of one is a much more time-consuming and fiddly task than setting the mirror of a Contaflex or even calibrating the focus helix, as no shimming, corner alignment and special tools are needed. Some pros and cons then.
The thing that has frustrated me, time after time after time, is an inability of sellers to correctly inspect Contaflexes when selling them. Don't think I'm referring to mum and dad sellers here either, I'm happy to cut them quite a bit of slack if they're Eg. moving on their dads or grandads gear. But "professional" sellers, with thousands of camera feedbacks to their name, time and again, have sold me examples that are simply not fit to load a film into on arrival, because they need shutter cleaning. I don't claim to possess any special super powers of observation or x-ray vision. But if I can check the shutter speeds and aperture stop down for proper function, and, sixty seconds after I've unpacked one, establish that, Eg. it's stopping down too slowly, well, why the hell can't they?
I'm sorry if this is sounding a bit like a rant, but you have to understand that, almost without exception, you pretty much have to take it for granted that, no matter what the seller says, when you buy one, it's just not going to be ready for a film in its arrival condition. Given this, it's unlikely to be worth paying a premium for a "working" example, unless it's actually been recently tested with film, or comes with excellent return privileges that enable you to minimise the risk of getting the typical example in need of a CLA.
Recently two of our members, colyn and Farlymac have tackled Contaflex service. Colyn found it surprisingly easy to manage when he sorted out an early Super, and Farlymac did some excellent documentation of his experiences getting a Contaflex II working well again.
Keep on asking questions. These are beautifully made cameras from the golden age of the German industry. Their only crime is usually a failure to receive the CLA any forty or sixty year old camera requires, and I would be pleased to see their reputation for quality imaging rehabilitated. Their Tessar lenses are surprisingly sharp and the Pro Tessars are better than you would expect. I use my own examples more than any of my other cameras, and I own quite a few (you'll find some images here).
Cheers,
Brett
farlymac
PF McFarland
For the once that have a Contaflex with Pantar lenses.
there is a little sister which can take the Pantar lenses too.
Zeiss Ikon Contina III + Continamatic III
Zeiss Ikon Contina von LeBleuBeau auf Flickr
Mine is a Continamatic III which has the frames for the 45mm and 75mm in the VF only the 30mm needs an extra finder - together with my Voigtländer RF it is a nice alternative to my Kodak Retina III S - would like to get the 30mm Pantar too!
That's the reason I got my Alpha, since I already had two Contina III's and both Pantars. The 426 is much easier to obtain than the separate 30mm and 75mm finders. But now I know why some models are called Continamatic (though I could do without that LV system interlock).
PF