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[chuck_foreman1]

On 12/6/2023 at 7:49 PM, gary green said:

@chuck_foreman1 Hi Chuck.  The only modification that Hillary reportedly made was to the film advance release lever on the back of the camera under the viewfinder.  You can see a picture at this LINK (scroll down).  Evidently, this was the only modification required for him to fully operate the camera with gloves on.  Amazing.

Thanks for sharing that... I had seen this before, but couldn't remember what all he had done and to which camera  😉
 

@AJG.. wow what a nice looking specimen, I have read that not too many are/were operable... shutter curtains  fail ..no parts etc... This seems to prove that's not really so... Please do share results and more pics of the camera.

[AJG]

If the weather here were better I would be out shooting with it right now...  I did just make an interesting discovery about it which is that with external mount lenses like the 85 f/2 Sonnar that you have to release the infinity lock near the shutter release for the focusing to function.  I was afraid that these external mount lenses didn't couple to this camera but I was wrong.  This is one time when I wish that my fingers were smaller--there is barely room between the 85 f/2 Sonnar and the winding knob to actually wind the camera.  Other lenses should be easier to work with since their barrels are narrower.

The Contax I is notoriously unreliable, and obviously repairs are thin on the ground and expensive when you can find them.  I'm hoping to get a few rolls through it before it becomes a (handsome) shelf queen. When I get my first roll developed I will post some of the results.

[AJG]

Some camera porn:

[chuck_foreman1]

Thanks for that AJ! Happy time with new camera!! 

[gary green]

I bought this Zeiss Super Ikonta 532/16 6x6 rangefinder at a local shop mostly on a whim.  Of course, I recognized the camera and had read about its amazing build quality, but I wasn't really familiar with its controls.  Had I been, I would have realized before I purchased it that the "automatic" frame counter/winder mechanism was not working correctly.  Otherwise, the camera was in excellent condition barring the usual issues that are remedied by a CLA.

After removing the top cover and inspecting the linkage between the winding crank and the frame counter, I discovered that the small brass pinion gear beneath the crank wheel was stripped.  Evidently, some previous user, unfamiliar with the wind interlock, torqued a little too hard on the crank and stripped the gear..

Unfortunately, there's no easy workaround for the stripped gear because the frame counter window on the back door is positioned for 6x9 images and is only intended for winding to the first frame and then letting the automatic frame counter take over from there.  In its current condition, the only reliable way to wind the film is to use the 6x9 frame counter window which only allows 8 frames per roll (instead of 12).

This is an early version of the 532/16 model which was reportedly introduced in 1937.  The lens serial number dates to 1936 and the body serial number is prefixed with a "C" which indicates a 1936/1937 build date (I was unable to find a more accurate description of body serial numbers).

After cleaning the lens, shutter, and viewfinder, and calibrating the focus and rangefinder, I took it out for a test run.  I wasn't sure what to expect from the uncoated 80mm f2.8 Tessar since I'd read that its design was over-ambitious and that only the later, post-war reformulated Tessars gave good results.  However, after developing the negatives, I was more than satisfied with the results.  Here is an example of a close focus shot with a fairly wide aperture.  I focused on the chain and padlock.  First is the full image followed by a crop of just the focused area.

 

I'm not sure if it's possible to get the stripped winding gear replaced or not.  If not, I probably won't be doing much shooting with this camera.  Note that  even when working perfectly, the Zeiss designers could only get the automatic frame winder mechanism accurate enough to provide 11 frames per roll. 

[bruce_z._li2]

Hi Gary @gary green, nice sharp image from the prewar uncoated Tessar 80/2.8. It is well worth your restoration effort.

One idea is to drill a hole in the middle of the back and through the pressure plate, where 6x6 frame numbers will show. Add a piece of red plastic and webcam security shutter, and it should give you a working albeit butchered solution. 

[Rick_van_Nooij]

I've restored a 532/16 with the same problem a year ago. It had stripped gears under winding knob because someone forced the film advance. Luckily I had a spare parts camera with the parts I needed to fix it.
But, personally, I find the VERY worst part on these to service/clean and recalibrate are those two wedges in the RF eye up on the lens.

[chuck_foreman1]

I've read too that the RF wedges are a major pain. IIRC Henry Scherer discussed this 11 frame winder on his page describing in detail why you won't be able to get 12 frames...even if you offset the start...ie the counter won't go beyond 11. 

LONG BORINBG (SAD) STORY FOLLOWS...

I have(had ) a likely pre-war 532/16. The Compur shutter needed work ..it would sometimes fail to close completely leaving a pinhole that fogged the pictures.. it didn't happen all the time, but enough to make you mad. I lent this to a friend...who returned it some years later. I decided I would exercise the shutter to try and overcome this problem (bad idea BTW) . I was rapidly cycling through the firing, when suddenly the shutter jammed.  
I had recently made friends with a Russian man, who repaired cameras so I passed this to him. ... I have periodically tried to get this returned... The poor man is totally overwhelmed with life and can't seem to wrest control. Years have gone by and finally after a period of 2 years for the RF on my Contax IIa (3rd time he had the camera) I did something a bit mean. He would not reply to calls, email or even written post. This man hasn't a mean bone or was trying to deceive me, he just can't get it together. Oh, it's probably important to mention, that although I offered to pay, it seems he "wanted" to do it for free, but.. paying jobs took front and center. Probably the reason for procrastination and failure to move forward.

I mentioned, what I did was mean??  I knew where he worked, (repairing cameras) so I wrote to the proprietor explaining we had children in the same school and I had lost touch with him and could you point me in a direction to find him ... some of this was BS of course. Worked like a charm. He contacted me the next day. He wasn't too happy.  I likely embarrassed him,...and I think he wanted me out of his life.. He was also in possession of a Contax RTS which he wanted to fix the the changeable screen. So we met up and he brought both the IIa and the RTS.. He had renewed the seals and the rf ..very dim was there if you looked close enough. He also "gave me" a Mamiya 645 Super with an 80mmm and 150mm lens. Probably out of guilt etc . I told him I didn't need or want the Mamiya, when I asked about the 532/16 he realized he'd forgotten that...been looking at it for years.  I had over the 10+ year period ..simply asked that it be returned.  Ss I haven't been in touch with him at all. I like to think that one day cleaning his bench he's going to contact me to return it. 

I digress

BTW the Mamiya gives only 15 of the 16 frames you'd expect with a roll of 120.

 

[gary green]

@bruce_z._li2 Hi Bruce.  I like your proposed solution and had considered it myself.  It just seems sacrilegious to drill through such a classic camera.  However, I may reconsider since this approach allows all 12 frames to be used.

[gary green]

@Rick_van_Nooij I would love to have a parts camera to salvage from.  Maybe I'll look for a cheaper 530/16 model that's being sold for parts.  The problem is trusting the seller to disclose the real condition of the camera.  It seems most of them feign ignorance when it comes to the operating condition of old cameras.

Regarding the prisms, I was fortunate that mine only needed their external surfaces cleaned and I was careful to not disassemble/disturb them during the cleaning.

[gary green]

@chuck_foreman1 Wow Chuck, that is a sad story!  I think there's a lesson in there as well ... i.e., keep relationships professional when handing over valuable equipment for repairs.

I hope you eventually get your 532/16 back but it doesn't sound promising.

[chuck_foreman1]

Here's the link to Henry (Contax God ) Scherer's discussion on the framing problems for the Super Ikonta

 

http://zeisscamera.com/articles_spacing.shtml

RE: Gary Green advice.. Well said, professional instead of friends... I appreciate your reply! 

 

Edited March 4 by chuck_foreman1

[gary green]

11 minutes ago, chuck_foreman1 said:

Here's the link to Henry (Contax God ) Scherer's discussion on the framing problems for the Super Ikonta

 

http://zeisscamera.com/articles_spacing.shtml

RE: Gary Green advice.. Well said, professional instead of friends... I appreciate your reply! 

 

Thanks Chuck.  I hope I didn't sound condescending.  I guess there's a risk anytime you loan valuable equipment to friends that they'll either lose it, break it, or forget to return it.  I currently have a camera on loan to a friend who borrowed it for a vacation last autumn.  I still haven't received it back and, while I'm not in any real need of it,  it puts me in the uncomfortable position of having to ask for it to be returned.  I'm fairly certain if I don't, I'll never see it again.