Looking for pdf-manual for contax III

[bj_rn_petter_hernes]

Just got my hands on a Contax III and can't wait to start using it, however, I do not

have a manual and it looks like I need it to open the back, select shutter speed etc.

Anyone know of or have a pdf-version of the manual online?

Many thanks in advance,

Bjørn Petter Hernes

[krawczyk]

Try http://www.butkus.org/chinon/

[nicolas_douez]

If you absolutely want a manual you can get the original <a href=http://cgi.ebay.fr/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=30028&item=7530668467>here</a> but it's not worth the expense IMO.<p>You don't need any manual at all ; if you want to know more about the inner side of your toy, you will benefit from reading <a href=http://rick_oleson.tripod.com/index-92.html>this</a> though.<p>Otherwise if you are desperate, I will accept the donation of the camera if you can't find how to use it...<p>:-)

[nicolas_douez]

Alberto, Alberto... read the content of what you advise before advising !!!

 

The website you told the url of (very interesting though) provides the manual for the Contax IIIa and as you know far better than me it's a fully DIFFERENT camera.

[mskovacs]

There is however the Kiev 4 manual <a href="http://www.butkus.org/chinon/kiev-4/kieva-a.htm">HERE</a>, which should be good enough in a pinch.

 

<p>Honestly, there isn't much to the Contax III! Lots of experts around here if you run into trouble. Normally I try to change speeds on my prewar Contax only after the shutter is cocked. You won't break anything but you risk causing spacing/speed issues if you change it uncocked.

 

<p>I wish you luck but be prepared for it to need service. These cameras are all pushing 70 years old!

[mike_elek]

I think I might have one in my stack. I'll check later, and if I have one, I'll scan it and make it available for free.

 

Key points on the Contax III:

 

-- You can only change shutter speeds before or after you've advanced the film but not partly through advancing the film. Shouldn't be a problem.

 

-- Unlock the back by unfolding and turning those small "keys" so that they can't be folded flat. The back should now slide off. You'll need to have a takeup spool. If the camera doesn't have one, you can use a 35mm spool with some tape for now.

 

-- The width of the rangefinder makes it very easy to cover one of the windows with your finger.

[stwrtertbsratbs5]

Always take the lens cover off as soon as you take the camera out of the bag (applies to any rangefinder).

 

Robert

[richard_oleson]

I have a Contax II/III manual in english. If you'd like me to scan it please email me.

 

:)=

[mskovacs]

There is another not obvious trick you can do with a II/III. Push in and turn the release knob to line-up the two dots on bulb and you can lock the shutter open for time exposures.

 

Mounting a non-50mm lens may take some fiddling the first couple of times you try. The lens locks on the out bayonet and rangefinder couples on the 50mm inner mount.

 

Make sure you have a take-up spool. I know two Contax/Kiew beginners suffering from take-up spool related pains.

 

Rewinding is an adventure because you basically have to hold the little button in (unlike on a modern Nikon) and turn (and turn and turn) the rewind knob. If you bulk load, there are special cassettes that were made that you don't need to rewind. Works reel to reel, kind of like using medium format. I haven't tried these.

[richard_oleson]

Okay, here's another trick (I don't see this mentioned above, hope I didn't just miss it):

 

Set the shutter speed to B, and fire the camera with the self timer. This was ZI's way of providing a 1 second shutter speed.

 

Sounds like a home remedy, but it's right there in the manual.

 

:)=

[bj_rn_petter_hernes]

Many thanks for the responses ... I have managed to open it, and there was a spool there phew - found out how to change the shutter speeds. When I tested it, it looked like the curtain was overly slow on the "b" and other slow speeds. To me it seemed like the curtain met resistance, but there is none of this on the faster speeds. Is it normal, or just a function of it being an old camera? All I need to do now before starting to shoot is to figure out the metering system. One other thing I noticed is that the lens can be collapsed. I assume that I should pull it before I start using the camera? Will revert with the first shots once I try it out. In the past weeks I've been using another newly aquired classic (Zeiss Ikonta 532/16 - not friend with it yet, but getting there ...)

 

Regards

Bjørn Petter

[mskovacs]

Yes, I assume the 50/2 Sonnar collapsible which pulls out and locks with a twist. I have one of these but what I don't like about it is that it spins freely if I try to focus one direction not using the focus wheel. If you shoot with it collapsed, your photos will not be sharp. I don't own one but I think there were also collapsible Tessar 50/2.8 lenses made before the war and 50/3.5 after. With the 50/2 Sonnar being so small, I don't really see the point of using a relatively expensive Tessar on the Contax RF. (maybe I am wrong?)

 

The mechanism of the prewar Contax shutter is unique compared to modern designs. The curtains move relatively slowly and the mechanism makes a lot of noise on the slow speeds, which is normal. They are pretty heavy as far as shutter curtains go, being made of brass strips. That's also why the flash synch speed is so slow on the synched copies like the Kiev. I haven't put my '38 Contax II on my new shutter tester yet but its been plenty accurate for use with slide film.

 

I would check carefully to make sure that you see an image through the shutter at all speeds. Also, check very carefully to ensure that the shutter is properly closed when you wind-on to the next frame. I once had a shutter that needed an adjustment on the latch that hosed an entire roll of film when it failed to close, then I rewound the film over an open slit, spoiling the entire roll!

 

Feel free to write if you get stuck. The only thing I haven't dealt with in a prewar Contax body is the meter in the III. You can still buy new selenium cells meant for the Kiev and fitting the Contax from the Russian sellers. In fact, I don't own a III but I tried recently to buy a completely disassembled one from ebay as a puzzle project :)

[mskovacs]

Rick - an email I sent you came back.

 

I'd certainly like a copy of a well-scanned manual. I would be happy to Acrobat format the images into a PDF for you if you lack the capability.