First roll with my Contax III

[bj_rn_petter_hernes]

First of all - many thanks to all who responded to my first posting on this forum. All

very helpful

 

I promised to post the first images I took with the Contax III - that is after I needed

some help in finding out how to open the camera, load the film, and get the meter

going ... (the thread was "Looking for pdf-manual for contax III".

 

Anyhow, I was very pleased with the result - found it to be some work, and I am not

sure if the shutter (at slow speeds at least) is accurate. Many of the pictures were

overexposed, particularly on slower speeds, so I guess that is what happened.

Suppose I will have to compensate in future. So, I am sorry Nicolas, no need to donate

the camera just yet ;-)

 

I have posted the images here

 

http://homepage.mac.com/bjoernph/PhotoAlbum2.html

 

Needless to say I am very excited about this. I have always liked old cameras, but it is

only recently that I have taken the plunge looking some up on e-bay. the past two

months have earned me a Zeiss Ikonta (521/16) a Super Ikonta (533/16) and the

Contax III. I was not too pleased with the first one, but there also some exposure

problems so I went and got hold of an Ikophot meter, there the slow shutter speeds

are definitively off. I have still to see the results of the first from the Super Ikonta, the

meter is not working, but the shutter seems better than on the other two. I have also

for the past few years played a bit with a Yashicamat EM ...

[thanz]

Bjorn,

I am taken by both the sharpness and smooth bokeh (out of focus areas) of your

images, very nice. Which lens were you using, I had a contax IIa with the 50/1.5 that

was very nice but I was building a Leica outfit at the time so I traded it for a 90

summicron.

 

Keep posting more examples, good work!

 

Todd

[andre_reinders]

Great shots and cute kids! Looks like you got that camera working well. Thanks for sharing.

[lesged]

Enjoyed seeing your photos and lovely children, Bjorn. Their images are a flash back for me of my children, but our sons are now in their 40s and 50s. Your pics remind me I have yet to use color film with my pre WW2 1.5/50 Zeiss Sonnar.

 

I don't have a Contax, but have its FSU non-pedigreed descendants: Kiev 4A & 4AM. Fortunately, we have 3 1/2 year old twin grandkids, Ben * Maggie, for second generation children as subjects.

 

The photos you take now when your kids are young, will have extra dividends decades later. Save your photos; they are precious.

[mskovacs]

Nice kids - I can relate having some small one's myself. Which film?

 

I think that you need to make sure that you use a meter that is proven accurate. If that means the Ikophot, that's too old to be reliable until properly confirmed. Same goes for the Contax III meter. My Nikon F3 meter is my benchmark because I know exactly how to expose slides with it. All of my meters are adjusted relative to this one.

 

The prewar Contax shutter really needs a proper shutter tester to measure the speeds. It is such an odd-sounding shutter that I don't trust estimating even the 1/2 second time by ear. The leaf shutters that you own can be easily timed at the slow speeds using a PC, sound card, microphone and sound analysis software, e.g. Audacity (free!). Generally a Compur shutter will run fine at all but the highest speeds if the 1 second is properly set. The high speeds can be subject to slowing from a weak mainspring.

[bj_rn_petter_hernes]

Thannks for the comments ... I used Reala film, and the lens is a 50/2. I have checked with a stopwatch for the long exposures for these cameras (not the super ikonta yet) and they are off by quite a bit (at least on the 1 sec and 1/2 sec. What I noticed about the Compur shutter is that there is a lot of resistance setting it on the highest speed. As for the meter, I thought I was all set with the Ikophot. Suppose I could check vs. my Contax S2, but that is only a spot meter, so it may be difficult to measure against. The meter in my Yashicamat EM has done well for me with slides, so that is a good reference point. That is also regarded as a classic no? From what I read it is from about 66.

 

After using these classics (and the S2 again lately) shooting with my Sony digital has lost some of its attraction.

 

Bj�rn Petter

[stwrtertbsratbs5]

Careful, you are on a slippery slope. I started off with a Contax IIIa and 50/1.5. Now I have added a 35mm Biogon, 85 mm Sonnar, and a 135mm Sonnar.

 

Great cameras!

Robert

[mskovacs]

what's wrong with checking against a spot meter, as long as you know what its pointed at? (grey card best)

[bacsa]

Great shots, Bjorn. As to the highest speed setting on the Compur shutter, that's normal. Most of compurs and compur-rapids have an extra spring that gets engaged only when you use the top speed. Both setting the speed dial to the top speed and cocking the shutter at top speed can need more torque.

[mskovacs]

Yes there is another, thick coil spring that slides into the speed ring at top speed. NEVER select the top speed with the shutter cocked or you risk breaking something.