How to open back on Zeiss Contaflex Super B

[jil_tardiff]

Hi all,

 

So I am sitting here with a camera that holds profound sentimental value -- My late father's Zeiss

Contaflex Super B . It was one of his prized possessions -- a law school graduation gift and the final

piece of convincing he used to persuade my mother to purchase such an expensive piece of gear was *my*

impending birth.

 

I learned to shoot with this camera as soon as I was old enough to hold it.

 

Nearly 40 years later it is now mine and it seems to be in pristine condition cosmetically. The shutter still

fires smoothly. I would love to run a roll of film through it to see what shape it is in mechanically, for the

life of me, I cannot remove the back. It is the version with the darkslide. I even have an owners manual

that simply says to fold the catches upwards and turn them in the opposite direction. To no avail and I

obviously do not want to force it.

 

I have the feeling I am missing something--- can anyone help out?

 

Thank you,

 

Jil

[franklin_h1]

with my super b, i turn the catches on the bottom as you describe, then the whole back slides down off of the camera but isn't so tight i'd have to force it.

The back should slide down along the outer edges of the camera.

[Troll]

Is the darkslide in place (there is an interlock to prevent accidental exposure)? The two keys have to be turned in opposite directions. It it's still stuck, use a little extra force (thump it a few times, but don't actually use a prybar), because clearances are very tight on Zeiss cameras. Once you do get the back off, I recommend that you replace it with the non-interchangable one which came with the camera, if you still have it.

[Matthew Currie]

Make sure too that the latches are screwed together correctly, that they turn all the way but don't over-rotate. My contaflex seemed a bit hard to open until one day one of the latches came apart. It had been loose enough that the inner part wasn't turning fully when I unlocked it, and it took some wiggling. Now that it's together properly, it works better. The back can be pretty tight, though. The sliding surface is pretty extensive, and the fit is close. It might take some wiggling. Try pushing the back further on as you turn the latches, to take some of the strain off.

[jil_tardiff]

Thank you guys--- definitely gave me a reasonable course of action.

 

Unfortunately it seems that the right side of the back (under the shutter release) does not

"unlatch" fully when the latch is turned, the left side releases normally. My guess is that

the built-in "canister" on the right side of the back is jammed or has expanded. It is not

budging. And my initial testing of the shutter/aperture suggests that the blades may be

sticking.

 

I think the best approach is to put my old friend front and center in my camera display

case and start a repair fund. I know there are good Zeiss repair guys out there.

 

Thanks again,

 

Jil

[Troll]

Oh great! I thought that I'd check out my CSB with the interchangable back (which I've not used for 30 years) just to see if I could help in some way. First, i discovered that to attach it the shutter has to be cocked. Then, I took the darkslide out and clicked the shutter. Like you, I couldn't get it off, and the shutter wouldn't cock! Finally I figured that it might be the interlocks causing the problem. The shutter can only be cocked with the darkslide out, and the back can only be removed with the darkslide in and the shutter cocked. Then it came right off!

 

<p> Try it again this way, and I hope you have good luck with it!

[jil_tardiff]

Bill!

 

A virtual beer to you, sir --- that did it. Pretty bizarre sequence, I must say.

Unfortunately for me it looks like the only backs I have are with darkslides. But now at

least as soon as I figure out how to load the darkslides (hits forehead with heel of hand)--

I will be able to run some film through!

 

Thanks so much, you made my day.

 

Jil

[franklin_h1]

Seems there can be problems with the slower speeds mechanism on these cameras, mine sticks at settings below 1/30 sec higher speeds seem fine.

[stwrtertbsratbs5]

I used to have a Super B - it's a very nice camera, but I sold it because I had too many cameras. I had mine servied by WW Umbach. He did a very nice job - the shutter speeds were fine after service.

[Rcatta1]

Does anyone know how to load film into the Zeiss Ikon Contaflex S-matic camera?

 

[Sandy Vongries]

Free Manuals

https://www.butkus.org/chinon/zeiss_ikon.htm

[Rcatta1]

Thank you for that link. Figured it out. What a quirky camera. Cheers!