Contaflex IV - first roll, nasty flare from bottom of mirror box

[karl_adams]

I went to a local camera fair this last Sunday and came home with a

Contaflex IV, an Olympus Pen S and a Voigtlander Vito II (total

outlay AUS$130). Put a roll through the Contaflex that afternoon and

turned up a strange problem. Almost every shot shows this unpleasant

flare at the top of the frame. Looking into the mirror box from the

back, the bottom seems to have rather too many shiny bits, almost as

if it's missing something - maybe there's supposed to be an extra

baffle, or something. I'm sure that shooting with a lens hood will

help, but even without one I didn't expect this amount of flare.

Other than that, the camera is a delight - everything appears to be

working as it should, even the selenium meter appears to read

somewhere close to the correct exposure (a complete bonus). The front

element has a small mark on the edge, and a few scratches - so I was

expecting some loss of sharpness, or all-over veiling flare, but not

this localised flare at the top of the frame (and much less at the

bottom of some frames also). If I can sort out this flare issue, I'll

probably get a replacement front group for the lens (sans scratches)

but until then it's doing decorative duties only. A pity, 'cause I

just love it. Any thoughts on what might be going on here?<div></div>

[karl_adams]

Here's another one.<div></div>

[karl_adams]

Here's a shot showing some of the exposed metal parts in the mirror box.<div></div>

[michael_linn]

Uh, Karl- those parts are not supposed to be there. I have a couple of working Contaflexes and I've never seen anything like that. I'm surprised that you got any photos at all. I don't think that the off center mark and scratches on the lens are the source of your problem.

[pennington]

I hate to say this but mine has no parts like that either.

[mskovacs]

That is some strange-looking stuff in there. Unless it is some sort of illusion in the photo, that plate and the spline for winding the shutter should be at the front near to the mount.

 

When you wind the camera, does a flap come all the way down to cover the film plane to make the film light tight when the shutter is open for viewing?

 

I have a IV here where the flap doesn't come all the way down. Haven't tried it with film but I know it will leak if I do.<div></div>

[mike_elek]

I think that plate might be installed backward. That is, it should fit against the back of the lens. See if that's possible at all.

[karl_adams]

Thanks everyone, you folks are terrific. I think Mike Kovacs may have hit the nail on the head, it appears that the flap doesn't completely close (a couple of mm out) so I'm getting fogging of the bottom of the frame. That would also explain why, when I took several shots of the same subject, the first one was always the worst (more time for fog to accumulate).

Also, if I crank up the gamma on Mike's photo, I can see the same parts as in mine. I'm pretty sure the plate wouldn't fit in backward - it has ends that are bent forward to engage in slots in the lens barrel, these ends would project the wrong way if reversed.

I don't suppose that it would be easy to adjust that flap so that it closes properly, and I suspect my repairer would charge me a fortune to even LOOK at a Contaflex - so it may be a shelf queen after all.

[karl_adams]

Here's a shot of the flap in its 'closed' position. I'm pretty sure this is the problem. BTW, on my earlier photo the plate and spline assembly appears further away from the lens than it really is. It's pretty close to the lens, and it is black (but shiny though).<div></div>

[mskovacs]

Yes, that is exactly like mine. I have two Contaflex IV's right now, both not working. One is completely in pieces and I need to get around relubricating the wind/mirror/flap geartrain because it squeaks now that I cleared the jammed gear. The second is like yours, in excellent working condition except for the flap. Actually, I think that the shutter might need some work too but I'll take that over opening-up a Contaflex body.

 

The closure of the flap this second one also seems to be gravity (orientation) dependent. I tend to slow down my repairing during this time of year and focus on my photography, but if I find a quick fix for the flap, I'll let you know. I'm guessing that you wouldn't want to ship it to me from Oz.

[glenn_thoreson]

Yep, that's your light leak. I have gotten a couple with this problem and worse. It is often caused by someone who thinks that little flap should not be closed and tries to push it with a finger, thus bending the linkage. Then, you're looking at a disgusting disassembly project.

[karl_adams]

Another big thank you to everyone for their help. Last night I tested it by shining a flashlight into the lens in a darkened room, and yes - it leaks. I'll see whether my local repairer will touch it (for less than a king's ransom, anyway). In the meantime, I'll move onto the Voigtlander....