Contax II Mini-Review and Questions

Well, the Contax II with its uncoated Sonnar and ever-ready case

arrived two days ago. Comments: The finish is remarkably high quality

for a camera that old. The wind and rewind knobs are extremely

smooth. The long-base rangefinder/viewfinder is relatively clear and

accurate. Overall, it looks like a camera that's seen some use, but

not abuse. (Amazingly, someone in the past had neatly engraved the

initials "HCB" on the bottom of the ever-ready case - could it be...?

Cartier-Bresson? Hmmm...)

 

The best part? I thought the shutter straps were broken. But they're

not. In the first few minutes of playing with the controls, I was

surprised to hear the whisper-like "snick" of the shutter firing at

1/125. Opening the back, I found that the shutter was working nicely

at all speeds 1/125 and above. The slow speeds, on the other hand,

are completely dead. When set at 1/50 or below, the shutter curtains

crawl across the film gate with a low "zzzzzz" and stop halfway open.

 

The bad news: Looking at the front element of the lens, I thought

there was a film of grease or fingerprints covering the surface. Five

minutes of careful cleaning later, it was still there. Closer

inspection revealed that it was in fact an ugly mass of the dreaded

cleaning scratches!

 

I've shot one roll of color print film with it, and am awaiting the

results. The camera is so silent, and so fast to focus, it makes a

great candid shooter. However, the lack of slow speeds limits my

shooting to bright light and small apertures - both of which

basically negate the advantages of having a long-base rangefinder and

a wide-aperture lens.

 

Questions: (The unimportant one) How do you reset the film counter?

 

(The important one) I have an unserviced camera that is clean, but

works at only the four highest speeds. It has a lens that has the

heck scratched out of its front element. And there's only $130 left

in my photo equipment budget. I can either spend the money on a

complete shutter overhaul/CLA, or a cleaner Sonnar (which may take me

a long time and much effort to find a good one). What should I do?

 

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

Cheers,

JW

I'd vote for getting the CLA and picking up a couple of Jupiter lenses to tide you over. Congratulations on snaring this fine camera. Will look forward to seeing some images from it.

To reset the film counter, just turn the dial with your finger. No self-resetting anything with this camera. Remember, in the 1930s, having a self-timer and exposure meter (onthe Contax III) was highly advanced.

Have the shutter cleaned. And then look for a decent lens: Soviet or German.

I would also make sure I fire the shutter with the lens wide open viewing through the back for all of the fast speeds. If the shutter is completely shaded at 1/1250 and/or 1/500 you will make blank exposures at those speeds.

 

I would make/buy a suitable lens hood and try testing the Sonnar under a number of conditions. The effect of minor lens defects is way overrated IMO. I once saw a 50/1.4 AF Nikkor that could still make decent images with a shattered front element!

Sounds like the slow speed escapement are really gummed up. The High speeds work on friction only, the shutter mechanism sets only the width of the curtain slit. The prewar contax cameras do not shade (it is physically impossible).

 

Get a CLA and a $10 jupiter and you should still make budget.

I think it would be really tough to live without 1/50 and 1/25 shutter speeds (or whatever these are on the Contax). So I guess I say get the CLA.

Send it to Henry. He'll work magic:

 

http://www.contaxcamera.com

Ditto what Mike Kovacs said. Find or make a lens hood and keep the front of the Sonnar shaded, and you might be pleasantly surprised.

Thanks for all the helpful advice. I got the first roll from the Contax back from development today. Unfortunately, it showed that even at the high speeds, the shutter wasn't closing fully now and then - causing burnt-out frames - so an overhaul's definitely needed. In addition, all the pictures looked like they were taken with a soft-focus filter - shaded or not. This is fine for the few portraits on the roll, but generally distracting. I might have to start saving up for another Sonnar (Russian lenses seem like too much of a gamble to be worth the time and effort).

 

One question: Ritzcam's offering a 50mm f/1.5 Sonnar that is listed as having "edge seperation". What's edge seperation, and is it a progressive or detrimental problem? Thanks again!

 

Cheers,

JW

Hello Joseph,

sorry I have never heard in my life, and other Zeiss specialist from a edge separation from Zeiss Sonnar 1:1,5/50mm. I think is a puzzel or invented word for good to sell this lens.

The fact is the Zeiss Sonnar 1.1,5/50mm have 7 lenses in 3 groups.

The post war 1:1,5/Sonnar Made in West-Germany are in mechanical with double blades diaphragm absolutly top and all coated lens.

peter

Joseph, lots of people have rightly suggested CLA. However, if you are a bit mechanically minded and CAREFUL and METICULOUS, it is not a difficult camera to pull to bits yourself. "Zeiss Contax Repair Manual Models II and III" is available from Amazon and is imho the best DIY service manual I have ever read. Basically, the shutter comes out as a module once you have removed five screws (having removed a lot of other stuff first, of course), you can then immerse the gears (*not* the blinds or the tapes) in cleaner for a while and then lubricate the bearings lightly with watch oil. This transformed a Contax III that I bought recently that showed very similar symptoms to yours.

 

It's a great shame about the lens - I agree with whoever mentioned lenshoods. They make such a difference with uncoated lenses...

If looking for russian lenses scares you off, then maybe Yuri at www.fedka.com could be a saving grace. As I understand he inspects the lenses sold, and he has a return policy. The prices are bit higher but you get something in return for it. The russian lens I've used was great, especially for the price. Though, it wasn't from Fedka.