Zeiss Ikon Contessa 35 - Help With Stuck Lens Door?

[HanSolex]

I just purchased a lovely Contessa 35—my first rangefinder, and my first European camera—with clear optics and in great overall shape knowing it'd need a CLA. The meter even works! The seller also said the lens door was stuck open. Since the seller wasn't very knowledgable, I figured there'd be some trick to it and I'd have it folded up (and thus, easier to ship securely to whoever was going to service it).

Well, hubris is a funny thing. The door seems very jammed. The manual I found online says you push inward on the textured struts while pushing up gently on the door. I've tried this with a bunch of little wiggles and applying gentle pressure in several ways, and I can't get it folded up.

Any ideas about what might be jamming it and how to free it? I can ship it like this but I'd prefer not to.

 

[raydm6]

I don’t have my Contessa in front of me, but did you try setting the lens focus back to infinity before closing? My Retina IIa requires that (else it won’t close) - but I can’t recall if the Contessa does.

 

[TenEleven]

The Contessa does not need to be put to the infinity position, as it is a front-cell focusing mechanism and thus the lens does not extend out that much.
I forgot whether the shutter needs to be released for it to fold or not - let me dig mine out and report back.

 

[Cascadilla]

Squeezing the two struts should enable it to close, and on mine it doesn't take much effort to close it. The lens doesn't need to be at infinity, as noted above. As with any old camera I wouldn't force it if they don't want to move. Be happy that the meter works--most don't.

 

[TenEleven]

Yeah, I just dug mine out. It closes very effortlessly and at least for mine the shutter charge-status as the lens focus position do not matter. It will let you fold it up regardless.
As already noted you fold it by very gently(!) squeezing the ribbed sides, but it's an entirely effortless operation and it folds up smoothly enough that I can do it with one finger.

 

[HanSolex]

I took a video of what I've tried and the situation with the camera, maybe somebody will spot some obvious thing I'm missing ("this lever needs to be up/down to let it fold" or whatever). Or it just needs to come apart for a CLA/repair and I should stop messing with it. As you can see from the video, I think it's a great candidate for repair. It's in really good shape other than the shutter lever not actuating the shutter release, and the folding issue.

 

[raydm6]

It is a jewell of a camera in fit-and-finish; more so than the Retina IIa.

Here is the technique to open and close:

https://usermanual.wiki/Zeiss-Ikon/ZeissIkonContessa35OperatingInstructions779933.113358318.pdf

 

[ranger9]

I took a video of what I've tried and the situation with the camera, maybe somebody will spot some obvious thing I'm missing ("this lever needs to be up/down to let it fold" or whatever). Or it just needs to come apart for a CLA/repair and I should stop messing with it. As you can see from the video, I think it's a great candidate for repair. It's in really good shape other than the shutter lever not actuating the shutter release, and the folding issue.

It's hard to be sure from the video, but it looks as if the chrome "box" at the rear of the foldable section (the thing that covers the fabric bellows) doesn't sit quite square. See (e.g.) 02:36. Is it possible that it's askew enough that it's hanging up on the surrounding camera body? If anything is misaligned here, that also could explain why the shutter lever (which surrounds this area) won't release the shutter. I assume the shutter goes off if you cock it and depress the little release arm on the lower front of the round lens housing?

If the bellows housing is just pushed out of position a bit, you might be able to press it gently back into place. But if anything in the bed or folding mechanism is bent (possibly by a careless previous owner) it might require straightening by an expert to get it back into alignment.

There are no hidden levers or trickery involved in collapsing the bed -- it should work regardless of shutter cocking and focusing position.

 

[titrisol]

The moment you push the sides you should feel tension diminishing in the assembly. As opposed to the "click" and tension when it is fully open
If that doesnt happen, something is out of alignment, maybe the front is a bit out of whack, as it seems to have some play.

 

[HanSolex]

The moment you push the sides you should feel tension diminishing in the assembly. As opposed to the "click" and tension when it is fully open
If that doesnt happen, something is out of alignment, maybe the front is a bit out of whack, as it seems to have some play.

There is some slop in all directions. I wonder if it didn't get unfolded properly at one point (or was dropped). Well, it's going to get torn apart for service anyways, so hopefully nothing is bent too badly. There's no obvious indication from outside that it was seriously mistreated.

 

[Cascadilla]

The shutter not firing could be related to not having film in the camera--if there isn't any film in the camera the double exposure prevention device will prevent the shutter release from firing. You can open the camera back and turn the sprockets with a finger to fool the mechanism or your can trip the shutter at the bottom of the shutter under the lens. This still has nothing to do with the camera not folding and closing, so good luck.

 

[TenEleven]

The shutter not firing could be related to not having film in the camera--if there isn't any film in the camera the double exposure prevention device will prevent the shutter release from firing. You can open the camera back and turn the sprockets with a finger to fool the mechanism or your can trip the shutter at the bottom of the shutter under the lens. This still has nothing to do with the camera not folding and closing, so good luck.

That's it. The camera will not advance until the shutter has fired and will also conversely not let you fire the shutter until you advance the little wheels inside the back.
There's two small sprocket wheels on the top above the film rails. By these the camera knows whether the film has been sufficiently transported and unlocks the shutter.

 

[raydm6]

The man who designed the Contessa - Hubert Nerwin:

https://web.archive.org/web/20160304065345/http://zeisshistorica.org/nerwin.html

Nerwincameras

 

[titrisol]

The shutter not firing could be related to not having film in the camera--if there isn't any film in the camera the double exposure prevention device will prevent the shutter release from firing. You can open the camera back and turn the sprockets with a finger to fool the mechanism or your can trip the shutter at the bottom of the shutter under the lens. This still has nothing to do with the camera not folding and closing, so good luck.

What he said, in many cameras of that vintage you can force the shutter to fire with a bamboo stick, not so in the Contessa

 

[HanSolex]

Update: I sent it off to Michael Zack, who's still working on an estimate but found the pivots were rusty which explains why it won't fold. It's in good hands so I'll be interested to see his full assessment.

 

[HanSolex]

Don't have the camera back yet, but it appears the issue was rust in the hinges (and perhaps, a little misalignment caused by brute force—not from me, I was gentle, but whoever it rusted on previously wasn't so much, it seems). Michael's estimate to fix whatever's wrong and CLA the camera was reasonable and he's proceeding with the service.

 

[yanchep_mike]

The Contessa is a beautiful camera, I just love mine. Just for info when the 1/500 sec is set you feel a resistance and it is a little harder to set, also do not cock the shutter before setting 1/500.

 

[titrisol]

Don't have the camera back yet, but it appears the issue was rust in the hinges (and perhaps, a little misalignment caused by brute force—not from me, I was gentle, but whoever it rusted on previously wasn't so much, it seems). Michael's estimate to fix whatever's wrong and CLA the camera was reasonable and he's proceeding with the service.

You'll be happy for a long time!
Contessas are something different

 

[wlewisiii]

Don't have the camera back yet, but it appears the issue was rust in the hinges (and perhaps, a little misalignment caused by brute force—not from me, I was gentle, but whoever it rusted on previously wasn't so much, it seems). Michael's estimate to fix whatever's wrong and CLA the camera was reasonable and he's proceeding with the service.

It will be worth the money. I should have never sold mine.

 

[HanSolex]

The Contessa is a beautiful camera, I just love mine. Just for info when the 1/500 sec is set you feel a resistance and it is a little harder to set, also do not cock the shutter before setting 1/500.

Really appreciate the tip, it'd be terrible to harm the shutter after just servicing it! Any other "doing this will harm the camera" tips?

I'll probably get in the habit of cocking the shutter last, after making adjustments, in general.

When storing the camera, should it be in any particular combination of settings (to prevent springs from stretching or whatever)? I do have the manual (thanks to the invaluable Butkus resource) but there may be some practical stuff like this that isn't in the manual ... any advice appreciated.