zeiss ikon contina

back alley

back alley

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someone gave me an old & beautiful looking zeiss ikon contina this morning. i did a quick search and i think it is the 1b model.
everything moves easily and there isn't a mark on it.
but the film advance lever does not move forward, at all.
does there need to be a film loaded in it for the advance lever to work?
and does anyone know where i might find an online manual for it?
 
i've seen a few manuals from cameras that are close but none mention the film advance or lack of it...except to talk about double exposures.
 
I have one of these, my mother's camera and the first camera I used. I ran one roll through it in the last five years: uneven frame spacing, unfixable apparently.

http://www.thecamerasite.net/07_Viewfinder_Cameras/Pages/zeiscontina.htm

I did have correspondence with a lovely man from NZ who used to be in the repair business and was willing to look at mine, but that was years ago and I imagine he would no longer want a headache like this camera now.

I have the original manual, which I periodically misplace for a decade or two, which keeps it in good condition. I think I've seen it recently.....
 
Hi Joe,
To start with this web page has some interior photos of a later model Contina. Their advance system does not feature a conventional gear drive train like most. It's innovative, but flawed. I suspect your earlier model uses the same or similar peg and rack arrangement. When it wears, needs cleaning and probably lubrication, it won't slide back and forwards correctly. The pegs then jam the rack in place, and until the top cover is removed so it can be freed and adjusted, that is that. I've made one work again in the past, and have another jammed one here for a friend that will need the same remedy.

I have some much better images with full details of how to do the repair but they were lost off my pc a while ago--I've asked the person I wrote to if they can forward my instructions back to me. Hopefully in a day or three I will be able to pass them on to you. It's a little fiddly in a couple of places but by no means hard to rectify.
Cheers
Brett :)
 
Sorry to ask the same question again but are you sure there's a problem? You have to "walk" the sprockets inside to cock the shutter (mimicking the film), and I think the double exposure lock (and so wind lever) won't be un-set until you've done this and fired the shutter. Or have you done all that?
 
johnnyrod said:
Sorry to ask the same question again but are you sure there's a problem? You have to "walk" the sprockets inside to cock the shutter (mimicking the film), and I think the double exposure lock (and so wind lever) won't be un-set until you've done this and fired the shutter. Or have you done all that?
Click to expand...

i did...


.
 
johnnyrod said:
Sorry to ask the same question again but are you sure there's a problem? You have to "walk" the sprockets inside to cock the shutter (mimicking the film), and I think the double exposure lock (and so wind lever) won't be un-set until you've done this and fired the shutter. Or have you done all that?
Click to expand...

But does the Contina Ib definitely need to have a film in it to cock the shutter? I've looked up the last type I repaired—that was a Ic—and it definitely did not have to be loaded in order to wind and release the mechanism. I'm not saying you're incorrect, above—more, asking if you're certain the Ib does require a film?

Cheers
Brett
 
back alley said:
i did...


.
Click to expand...

Sounds very much like the rack is stuck, in that case. Though I would suggest ensuring the shutter is set to a high speed and the timer has not been engaged. These are so well known for jamming the rack it's almost certainly the case—but in the interests of being thorough it's worth ensuring the shutter itself has not failed to release due to a sticking escapement or stuck timer.

The good news is the cover comes off quite easily, and the film wind system is one of the most straightforward you're likely to find on a 35mm camera. Removing the rack, cleaning and lubricating it, and then adjusting the tension on the racks spring (you may well need to bend it carefully to compensate for it reducing in strength due to age) and it will probably be a goer again.

The bad news is the spring for the advance lever coils around a drum under the lever and has to be pre-tensioned before the wind lever can be re-attached. And the lever can't, obviously, be replaced until the cover is back on. Meaning you need to keep the spring tensioned while the cover is fitted and the lever replaced. From memory, fitting a couple of the fastening screws for the lever keeps the plot positioned while the cover goes on—but you then need to remove them, mount the wind lever back on, and fasten the screws—all while the drum underneath just wants to unwind the spring.

If you have three hands it's almost easy to achieve. Otherwise it's quite fiddly but not complicated. I can do one pretty easy now after a bit of practice. It usually boils down to introducing the lever to the boss of the drum with a thin screwdriver inserted through one of the holes for the mounting screws. This is then fitted inside one of the still vacant threads for the lever screws, so the driver can jam the drum long enough for you to fasten one of the other lever securing screws, before the wind spring wins and it all backs off too far. The drum sits on the wind shaft above a stepped cam plate which a spring loaded pin inside the drum catches every time it meets the "step". Whilst you're stopping the wind spring from unwinding the drum, you also need to ensure the drum does not slide up the shaft or the pin spring may pop out of place.

All up it's a pretty easy repair but there are some tedious aspects as outlined above. Honestly getting the wind lever and cover on is harder than actually sorting the rack in my experience, which is an elementary piece of mechanics, the operation of which is self explanatory.
Can provide more info and pics—have not heard back re my previously prepared instructions yet but have all source material on file, so if need be can write it out again.
Cheers
Brett :)
 
I also have a busted one and yes it will work without film in. It's the older ones that use the action of the film being drawn across the sprockets to cock the shutter.

I would say give it a go, you have nothing to lose. Worst case you can't get it back together because of the fiddly bits, and maybe someone can help. Make sure you don't lose anything and some day it'll get finished. I'd offer but the postage to UK might be a bit prohibitive!
 
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