Zeiss Ikon Contaflex

Brett, I feel the same way about the "As-Is" sellers with experience and basic skills to inspect their cameras, be they Contaflexes or ANY other camera and their lack of doing so. I think most people play dumb but aren't, knowing if they mark it "As-Is", they can just feign ignorance and when it doesn't work, they can point towards the "As-Is" and be done. I've been burnt several times by this by camera sellers on the auction site selling gear saying it looks pretty but avoiding the working part. It arrives and needs a CLA or the focusing gears are stuck, etc. So I agree 100%. I've actually offered to teach people how to inspect a camera to see if it works on many occasions. Those who want to be savvy buyers are happy to learn, those who want to blindly sell and pass off their gear at "working prices" don't.

I am still looking for a Contaflex for my shooter collection. Still learning what's what and looking at auctions. Runnign into a lot of the above "As-Is" or "Minty!" when they mean "I didn't check it to make sure it works". Some are very careful to note visual problems and will check the basics by firing it off once but never check each speed etc.

So I've been kind of wary about taking the plunge on most of the Contaflexes I've come across since I don't trust people not to test it before they sell it to me for working prices.
 
Loaded my Contaflex again to try out the change between the magazines. 1x Kodak Ektar 100 + 1x Kodak BW400CN so we will see what we get ;-)

alienmeatsack If you can figure out what the shipment from Austria to US will be - I have a 2nd Contaflex Super with 2,8 50mm Tessar and (N)everready case - wouldn´t charge that much for it as you told above - but the long times (lower as 1/8sec) are sticky!!!
 
alienmeatsack said:
Brett, I feel the same way about the "As-Is" sellers with experience and basic skills to inspect their cameras, be they Contaflexes or ANY other camera and their lack of doing so. I think most people play dumb but aren't, knowing if they mark it "As-Is", they can just feign ignorance and when it doesn't work, they can point towards the "As-Is" and be done. I've been burnt several times by this by camera sellers on the auction site selling gear saying it looks pretty but avoiding the working part. It arrives and needs a CLA or the focusing gears are stuck, etc. So I agree 100%. I've actually offered to teach people how to inspect a camera to see if it works on many occasions. Those who want to be savvy buyers are happy to learn, those who want to blindly sell and pass off their gear at "working prices" don't.

I am still looking for a Contaflex for my shooter collection. Still learning what's what and looking at auctions. Runnign into a lot of the above "As-Is" or "Minty!" when they mean "I didn't check it to make sure it works". Some are very careful to note visual problems and will check the basics by firing it off once but never check each speed etc.

So I've been kind of wary about taking the plunge on most of the Contaflexes I've come across since I don't trust people not to test it before they sell it to me for working prices.
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Prudent. I guess if someone here happened to be moving one it might be worth a shot because, by and large, our members seem to use their gear. Nothing inspires confidence like a recent, correctly exposed roll. But acquiring one that has been in active use is very much the exception rather than the rule. One of mine would be OK, however whilst I buy them occasionally, I very rarely sell them!

Some time back I wrote a detailed guide to inspecting and buyng these complex cameras, going into some depth about how to examine them, the things that usually need attention and what is involved in fixing them. Being after 2am and out all day tomorrow, I'm off to bed now, but I'll try to post it Sunday; it should be quite helpful.
Cheers
Brett
 
BW400CN said:
Loaded my Contaflex again to try out the change between the magazines. 1x Kodak Ektar 100 + 1x Kodak BW400CN so we will see what we get ;-)

alienmeatsack If you can figure out what the shipment from Austria to US will be - I have a 2nd Contaflex Super with 2,8 50mm Tessar and (N)everready case - wouldn´t charge that much for it as you told above - but the long times (lower as 1/8sec) are sticky!!!
Click to expand...
If he doesn't want it Michael, please let me know, because I would love another New Super...
Cheers
Brett
 
BW400CN said:
Loaded my Contaflex again to try out the change between the magazines. 1x Kodak Ektar 100 + 1x Kodak BW400CN so we will see what we get ;-)

alienmeatsack If you can figure out what the shipment from Austria to US will be - I have a 2nd Contaflex Super with 2,8 50mm Tessar and (N)everready case - wouldn´t charge that much for it as you told above - but the long times (lower as 1/8sec) are sticky!!!
Click to expand...

I might be interested if the price+shipping is within my budget. I'll give you a shout in PM.

Brett, it seems like you have a good head about you when it comes to film cameras and the Contaflex (and I'm sure many others). I consider myself a camera guy, I know a lot about a lot of cameras, and very little about others, but am always learning. What gets me is that most of the basics, learning how to check shutter and aperture function etc are simple. It's the complexities of the cameras that are unique to that one camera, that one model or year of that particular one, THAT is what gets me. I try to absorb all the info passed my way so I can use it to make my own informed decisions. But sometimes it can be a bit much. Which is why I am grateful for people online, like you and many of the people here on RFF, who use their brains to store the information I do not possess or have room for and then download it to me in a manner of speaking as I need access.

You are all my database. :D
 
That guide I mentioned isn't where I would have put in on my computer. I should have it backed up in a couple of places (I hope!). I'm still looking for it. Fingers crossed.
Cheers
Brett
 
Great thread
This makes me want to dig out the box of contaflexes and see if one will run well enough to go out and shoot with

Still on the great CLA hunt
 
GarageBoy said:
Great thread
This makes me want to dig out the box of contaflexes and see if one will run well enough to go out and shoot with

Still on the great CLA hunt
Click to expand...
Mark Hansen's site suggests he will work on some unorthodox cameras. Can only ask him, I suppose.

Now that I think of it I'm pretty sure Flutots have sold a few unit Contaflex models on ebay, I may have even bought one from them myself a few years ago. So I'd shoot them an email or give them a ring, too.

I don't believe Jon Goodman does any Contaflex service any more, and, when he did, he preferred only to tackle the earlier front cell focus models anyway. I should mention he actually contacted me out of the blue recently, because he knew I wanted a spare prism for an original model that has some balsam separation. He found one and sent it to me for just the cost of postage. What a hell of a nice guy he is; Goodman by name and by nature.

Pacific Rim Camera list quite a lot of Contaflex items on ebay. I don't know if they also service them but you can only enquire. I'm afraid I'm now out of suggestions for US technicians sorry, it's a bit out of my neighbourhood!
Cheers
Brett
 
My Contaflex hunt is still on-going. The universe has tossed me many signs that it's not my time to own one, yet.

Until then, I keep my eyes peeled and read of your adventures with them :D
 
Squee! Thanks to some RFF love, I may have my Contaflex at some point in the near future.

I need to post a list of all the camera gear I want here, it seems to magically happen when posted on RFF!
 
Wow, What a great thread...

I have a Contaflex I with a 45mm f/2.8 Tessar.
It was the camera that I first tried out when I was 14, My dad then bought me a RF as "MY" 1st camera..

I do take it out to trip the shutter speeds every month or so. The slow speeds under 1/25 are long... the others sound close. I guess I need to run a roll through it and see... I have a spool from a re-loadable cassette (lost the original during several moves I guess)

There IS a Expert Repair guy that just bought 200lbs of Early Zeiss Contaflex Cameras, and he can bring an early Contaflex back to better than new!
The caveat?
3 year wait list, and a ball park price of $325 for a complete dismantle and overhaul.(For a Contaflex 1).
including any parts needed from his Contaflex Parts Cameras. About $75 less for a CLA...

I am getting mine done... I know, they don't have that kind of value in mint or new condition...
but, they where made not to break down in essence..

Here is a Link to "ZeissCamera.com"
The repair man's is Henry.
Email: superwide@earthlink.net

I'll run a roll through this week, and I hope I have something to post. ;)
 
1953 Contaflex I photos...

1953 Contaflex I photos...

Well, I was surprised to see nicely exposed negatives from my Contaflex I from 1953 (old shutter speeds)
I had not "Loaded" it with film for over 45 years...
but, I have exercised the shutter and f/stops... and stored it at f/22 to avoid any oil seepage on the blades.

I used TMAX 400 at 400 in HC110 H.

Mostly f/16 at 1/250 or 1/500 according to my Light-meter App in reflective mode with a -.6 EV adjustment to match my OMD E-M5 reading at 0 EV setting.

Even though the camera is usable, there is quite a bit of fungus (?) in the Viewfinder, and needs a new Pentaprizm. The Center Slit is still very usable, and is accurate.

I did not use speeds lower than 1/250 with this test. I just wanted to shoot a roll at f/16 with the DOF scale set for maximum DOF,
so 1/250 or 1/500 where speeds the light-meter showed me to use at f/16 for the lighting.
And a few using the Slit-Image also..>> .(The Flower and Bird Feeder)

I scanned then at 6400dpi on a V700 (The Max optical dpi using the "Duel Lens") as a 16bit B&W TIFF (95mb file)

Larger (5000px on the long side) are available on ipernity, linked with each photo below


1953 Contaflex I Test Roll: 9-2-2013 par Peter Arbib, on ipernity



1953 Contaflex I Test Roll: 9-2-2013 par Peter Arbib, on ipernity


1953 Contaflex I Test Roll: 9-2-2013 par Peter Arbib, on ipernity


1953 Contaflex I Test Roll: 9-2-2013 par Peter Arbib, on ipernity


1953 Contaflex I Test Roll: 9-2-2013 par Peter Arbib, on ipernity
 
Isn't it nice to get such good images out of a 60 year old camera? Now you need to get the tele attachment and lens for it.

PF
 
DNG said:
If I can find one!! a 1.7x if I recall...makes the 45mm a 76mm..
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There are usually a few around. It's referred to as a "teleskop". Here are a couple of listings for the complete unit.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Zeiss-Ikon-...55290926?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item2c6fdca02e

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Teleskop-1-...081?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4d11c16e09

There are a few cheaper listings for just the lens, or the bracket, however the accessory bracket is needed to mount the lens to the camera.

Eg:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ZEISS-IKON-...645?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5af42ca6dd

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Zeiss-Ikon-...y_VintagePhotoAccessories&hash=item232e3f89a5

It may well be cheaper to buy the lens and bracket separately, but just be aware you need both.
Cheers,
Brett
 
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