Macro Lens on a Contaflex Super?

[alec_weir]

I'm taking a photography class in college right now, using my Contaflex Super that I've had

for five years or so, and I have some questions about my camera. I do very much love this

camera, but there are some shots that I've tried again and again to capture, but never

succeeding to my satisfaction.

 

Specifically, I there are some shots of certain leaves on campus that I want to take very

close up, but haven't managed to focus evenly enough while filling the frame sufficiently. I

think a macro lens would solve my problem, but I'm unsure of whether or not this is

possible.

 

Is there an adapter of some sort that I can use to employ modern lenses, or should I try

looking around for an attachment contemporary to the camera itself? Or should I just try

to use a different camera for the shot?

 

Thanks, any help would be much appreciated!

[richard_oleson]

The Contaflex cannot take typical "modern" lenses, you can only interchange the front element. Available lenses ranged from a 35mm wide angle to a 115mm telephoto. The close focus limit with the standard 50mm lens is 1 meter; not very close.

 

There was a macro lens made for the Contaflex: it was called the "1:1 Tessar", and it interchanged with the standard Tessar front element. However, it did not provide continuous focusing to infinity like modern macro lenses, and it is quite rare and expensive today. In fact, all Contaflex lenses are pretty expensive for the performance they offer compared to more conventional cameras.

 

The usual way to get closer than 1 meter with a Contaflex is with an add-on "Proxar" close-up lens that goes on the front of your regular lens. With a +1 lens, the camera will focus from 20" to 40" (1/2 to 1 meter); with a +2 lens you can focus from 13" to 20" (1/3 to 1/2 meter), and with a +3 you can focus from 10 to 13 inches (1/4 to 1/3 meter).

 

You might find it more economical to pick up a cheap, conventional focal-plane shuttered camera with a common lens mount like a screw mount Pentax..... this will accept a huge variety of lenses for all purposes, many of which you can find very cheap. You will probably also find that photos taken with an old conventional macro lens are sharper than those taken with a close-up lens on your Tessar.

[dan_fromm1]

Pro Tessar?

[marbing]

Yes, it is the Pro-Tessar M1:1

[david_bedell]

You can find the Proxars easily and for usually reasonable prices. They're probably your best bet if you want to stick with the Contaflex for this kind of shot.

 

The true macro lens mentioned is too rare, inflexible, and expensive to be a real option.

[david_m]

A macro lens will have no effect on focus except allowing you to get closer. I have no idea if they made such a lens for your camera, I doubt it, but if they did it would be horrendously expensive. Are you using a tripod and very small aperture? Extension tubes are the best alternative to a macro lens if you can get them, failing that you can get screw-on close-up lenses that mount on the filter threads.

[richard_oleson]

Hi David:

 

You can't put extension tubes on a Contaflex: only the front element of the lens is interchangeable, there's no place to put an extension tube.

 

:)=

[pensacolaphoto]

For how much do such Pro-Tessar 1:1 macro lenses go these days? $50?

[richard_oleson]

There's one with a "Buy it Now" price of $150, which doesn't seem unreasonable:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Contaflex-M-1-1-Pro-Tessar_W0QQitemZ7519922953QQcategoryZ30077QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[pensacolaphoto]

I bought a few years ago a set of 35mm/4 and 85mm/4 lenses that came in a little container which included the Pro-tessar macro M1:1 and a Proxar and a polarizer. I dropped the polarizer and now there are stripes covering the front.

[titrisol]

the proxar lenses are a cheaper option, get the 28.5mm push-on type.

I got a set of 4 for about $15 2 or 3 years ago.

[pensacolaphoto]

If anybody wants to buy from me the macro M 1:1 Tessar lens, just email me offline.