contax IIIa and retina IIIc

[jon_shumpert1]

Hello, I bought these two cameras at a thrift store a few days ago and would

like to here some opinions on what to do. The contax body is in beautiful

condition, but the meter doesn't work and the lens has a little fungus. I also

have a retina II and retina reflex S that produce nice photos. I would like to

use the contax, but I'm not sure if I want to spend a lot to get the shutter

working properly. The lens that came with the contax is the Zeiss 50/2 sonnar

and as mentioned, has some fungus. The retina IIIc (small c) seems to be in

better mechanical condition in that the shutter speeds seem to be close to

normal, but the lens has some slight fungus also. I only paid $25 for each

camera and found someone who would repair the contax for approximately $120.

In your opinion is it worthwhile to put that much into the camera. I would

also like to get another lens if the 50/2 can't be cleaned. What are some good

lens choices for this camera. Thanks for the help. Jon

[dan flanders]

Unless you intend to obtain more Contax lenses it would seem that bringing the Retina up to scratch would produce the most bang for the buck!

[tony_lockerbie]

The shutter of the Contax is it's achilles heel and if you can find someone to repair it for $120.00 I would go for it.

 

The 50mm Sonnar can usually be obtained from Ebay at not too high a price, or if your budget allows, the 50 mm 1.5 is very nice.

 

An alternative is a Jupiter from a Kiev, most of them seem to perform quite well and there are a lot about.

 

Tony

[roseberry guitars]

Good find Jon! The Contax is well worth getting fixed up. I have both a IIa and a IIIa and use them on a regular basis. Excellent cameras that, once reconditioned, just keep on going and taking wonderful photos.

 

The meter on my IIIa works fine, and it is original believe it or not, but I never use it except when I start to feel guilty for not. So I'd think it is not necessary that it works if you have other means to judge exposure. There is one person that I know that will repair the meter and he can be found here: http://www.zeisscamera.com/first.shtml but for myself I'd not bother.

 

The repair price sounds reasonable but do a bit of research in photonet and the web to get some feedback on any persons work before you send it off. There are a number of people out there that do a fine job on Contax cameras and can be totally trusted and a few you might want to pass over. Just do your homework.

 

The lens should be easily fixable but having said that, remember that they have been around for 50 odd years and most likely never having been serviced. My 50/2 was/is sealed tight and to date has been a problem for anyone trying to clean the haze out of it. So there are exceptions to my earlier comment.

 

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[luis triguez]

As Scot say, if you find a Sonnar, perfect. The similar (aluminium) Jupiter 8 is a great lens, but not so easy to find for Contax.<div></div>

[robert_marvin]

You could probably find a Jupiter 8 for a pretty low price with a Kiev 4 body thrown in--then you'd have an extra body.

[classcamera]

Hello all,

 

Having worked on a number of Contax and Retina cameras, here is my opinion of both:

 

The Contax IIa/IIIa cameras are simply, the finest cameras ever made. Not one corner was cut, not one cheap part went in, the exterior was only half as pretty as the interior. Every part inside is plated, every casting is smooth, the screws fit perfectly and the shutter will be accurate for years to come. In 35mm range finder cameras the Leica (SM) are the chevys, the Nikons are Buicks, and the Contax is the Isotta Franchini (yeah it's better than a Rolls). The camera in good working order is worth between 250-300 dollars on the open market, so get it fixed by a professional. I can do them, but I would recommend you send it to Henry Shearer at the link above--he is the best at Contax.

 

As for the Retina IIIc they are nice little cameras but they suffer from one flaw, the cocking rack is prone to failure. A new rack is 25 dollars and every camera I have ever worked on needed one. Aside from this problem they are very nice folding cameras, and will give years of service, making excellent images. Don't bother getting the other lenses for it, the use of them requires a very heavy work load, and is really not worth it. Here is how they work: Focus, dial in distance, on the ring, read new distance, set camera for new distance, take picture. Try that on the street?

 

Get the Contax fixed first, get some good lenses, used or new (the Cosina lenses are a great bargain, and mine work great), and then you can tell every person that asks, is that a Leica? "No it?s a Contax." Yea, what is the difference? "Contax is 100 times the camera!"

[james_baker6]

A Retina is not even close to being in the same class as a Contax...

[pensacolaphoto]

I agree with what James said above. A Contax is a very special camera that was built based on the highest levels of camera designs and with equally high levels of quality control for precision.

[ellis_davison]

My experience is limited to one camera, but based on that I would not agree that the Contax IIIa shutter is particularly unreliable. I have my father's IIa (same camera except the IIa has no built-in meter). He bought it in Germany in about 1955 and when I inherited it the only problem was a slight capping at 1/1250th. I had it CLA'd by Ken Ruth (Photography on Bald Mountain) and it has been fine. Ken's turn-around time is not fantastic, but he does good work. As with any antique, the lubricants will gum up over time. Henry Scherer (who now has a Contax II of mine, and they do have shutter issues) also does lenses, but it seems better to get another one without fungus, because fungus can cause etching of the glass which is probably not worth repairing.

By reputation (again, neither of my Contaxes have meters) the selenium meter could be the hardist to get working. Ken Ruth did a Canon 7 for me, that also has a selenium meter, and it is now faily accurate. (Camera is also "newer," by a decade or so.)

The Retina will be a bit faster to operate, with the lever wind, etc., and I believe is also worth fixing. In both cases you end up with top-notch optics and good reliability (after overhaul) for not a lot of money.

[james_baker6]

To put the two cameras into better perspective. This from my 1955 Montgomery Ward photographic catalog. Retina IIIC--$185; Contax IIIa--$412. A 21mm Biogon lens went for $249. The Retina was a top notch tourist camera while the Contax was a Pro grade camera and was much to expensive for most people in 1955. But by this time even the Contax had been left behind by the newer Leica M3 w/f2 Summicron which went for $447 that year. In 1955 dollars these were really expensive cameras indeed.

[luis triguez]

Jon,

 

you have a J8 for Contax in eBay item:120171586213

[carbon_dragon]

The Contaxes were wonderful cameras when they were made, but it's a lot harder to find a good repair person for the Contax IIs and IIIs than it is to find good Leica repair persons (and hey Leica will still repair at least it's M's).

 

Some repair people use Russian Kiev parts to repair the Contaxes too, and that doesn't result in a camera that works like it once did.