bj_rn_petter_hernes

While it may not be classified as a classic camera in being launched before 1970, Contax S2

or S2B may be an option. Both manual, but with a light meter, and some excellent Zeiss

lenses to fit. I also think there is a Yashica all manual camera SLR in the same mount, which

should be very cheap.

Many thanks for the responses, I will do the test once I have finished the film I have in it now. The sound on the black dial is soft on all speeds, and for the colour dial it is snappy all the way.

Just thought I would attach an image taken with my Colour Dial it is with the Zeiss Opton 50/2 lens, film Fuji 160N<div></div>

I just got another IIa off fleabay - this time a black dial, there is

a noticeable difference in the shutter sounds between the two cameras,

the Colour dial I have (which was serviced in Germany this summer) is

quite kind of hard, whereas the one I now got is soft as a belly. I

have not been able to test the speeds of the second one, the first one

(with the hard sound) seems to work fine at all speeds. The black

dial one seems OK on the slow speeds, but it is hard to tell with the

faster speeds. The sound is so soft that I can hardly hear it.

 

I have not read anywere that there was a change in shutters between

black dial and colour dial Contax IIa, so I assume that one of my

cameras had a dodgy one which needs servicing, or is there that much

of a difference from camera to camera ...

 

Any ideas.

 

Bj�rn Petter Hernes

Many thanks for your answers

No, no markings on it. When I turn the know it "times" back, but there does not seem to be any action happening. Perhaps I am missing a piece to go with it.

Hello:

A colleague of mine came with a self-timer which she says that her father used for his

Zeiss Ikon (I think it may have been an Ikonta). I have enclosed a photo of it. Anyone

who has more info about this piece (which cameras it can be used with and how)

 

Many thanks.

 

Regards

Bj�rn Petter<div></div>

It has improved ... meaning that the shutter sound is better now, it was probably a little raw after the repair, I do not know. One other thing though I was suprised about is the lack of frame counter ... the Contax III has it also the II, but not the IIa (unless I have not noticed it). If not, it is kind of odd if you ask me. I love the camera though, loaded it with my first film today and brought it into the woods to accompany me and the family on a berry picking trip.

Bj�rn Petter

Purchased on fleabay ... I had worked my expectations very high for this camera, read

lots on photo.net, Rangefinderforum and anywhere else on the net I could find stuff. I

was however, a little disappointed in the shutter sound, I found it very hard compared

to my Contax III, also the back plate seems a little "loose" or not as sturdy as the older

version. The overall impression is that the pre-war contax were of a more solid build.

 

Anyhow, I look much forward to trying it out. It was serviced and repaired only a

month ago, so it should have a few clicks in it still.

 

Regards

Bj�rn Petter

Hmm, perhaps there is a need to have the focussing adjusted ...

 

I posted them automatically with the use of iPhoto, the program's capability to resize is not always the greatest, I find it varies a lot. The scanning could probably also have been at a higher quality or resolution (most images were about 4-600k).

 

I printed the first one on A4 paper and it came out very nicely I thought.

 

I still need more practice with the camera though /poor me) - this was only my second roll.

 

Bjørn Petter

Just making the link active, sorry ...

 

http://homepage.mac.com/bjoernph/PhotoAlbum3.html

My recently aquired Contax III has been with the family all summer, I have posted a

small selection of images on http://homepage.mac.com/bjoernph/PhotoAlbum3.html

The light meter on the camera is gone, so the metering has been a combination of

guesswork, checking the values for ISO100 on my sony digital, and using an old

Ikophot which is quite accurate. The images are mostly untouched, but on two-three

of them I increased the saturation a little, guess that comes from lack of coating.

 

If the mailman is good to me, I will receive a Contax IIa with a Zeiss opton 50/2 next

week !

 

Bj�rn Petter

It is 2401776.

Hello Richard:

Many thanks for the answers, just out of curiousity, will the centre of the regular viewfinder also be the centre of the image with the tele-lens? The front is not loose, it just unscrews easily, will have to see how my first images turn out.

Regards

Bj�rn Petter

Just came across and bought a Sonnar 2/85, and a have a number of questions about

it. I am uncertain what kind it is. My guess is that it is an uncoated prewar. There is

no "T" or opton marking on it, only Carl Zeiss Jena. It is also not aluminium, so I do not

think it is an East German version, it also says Made in Germany.

 

I suppose that I will also need a viewfinder, any advice you can provide on this? Are

the Russian ones on E-bay just as good as the original Zeiss ones? The price difference

is considerable.

 

The lens looks fine, but with a small mark (deep scratch) on the front element, I hope

this will not make a difference. There is a lot of resistance in the focussing ring

though, so I am not able to use the focussing wheel on the camera (or at least without

shredding my finger to blood). The entire front element also "loose" in that it can be

unscrewed (not totally though). Is this normal?

 

Regards

Bj�rn Petter

Thannks for the comments ... I used Reala film, and the lens is a 50/2. I have checked with a stopwatch for the long exposures for these cameras (not the super ikonta yet) and they are off by quite a bit (at least on the 1 sec and 1/2 sec. What I noticed about the Compur shutter is that there is a lot of resistance setting it on the highest speed. As for the meter, I thought I was all set with the Ikophot. Suppose I could check vs. my Contax S2, but that is only a spot meter, so it may be difficult to measure against. The meter in my Yashicamat EM has done well for me with slides, so that is a good reference point. That is also regarded as a classic no? From what I read it is from about 66.

 

After using these classics (and the S2 again lately) shooting with my Sony digital has lost some of its attraction.

 

Bj�rn Petter

First of all - many thanks to all who responded to my first posting on this forum. All

very helpful

 

I promised to post the first images I took with the Contax III - that is after I needed

some help in finding out how to open the camera, load the film, and get the meter

going ... (the thread was "Looking for pdf-manual for contax III".

 

Anyhow, I was very pleased with the result - found it to be some work, and I am not

sure if the shutter (at slow speeds at least) is accurate. Many of the pictures were

overexposed, particularly on slower speeds, so I guess that is what happened.

Suppose I will have to compensate in future. So, I am sorry Nicolas, no need to donate

the camera just yet ;-)

 

I have posted the images here

 

http://homepage.mac.com/bjoernph/PhotoAlbum2.html

 

Needless to say I am very excited about this. I have always liked old cameras, but it is

only recently that I have taken the plunge looking some up on e-bay. the past two

months have earned me a Zeiss Ikonta (521/16) a Super Ikonta (533/16) and the

Contax III. I was not too pleased with the first one, but there also some exposure

problems so I went and got hold of an Ikophot meter, there the slow shutter speeds

are definitively off. I have still to see the results of the first from the Super Ikonta, the

meter is not working, but the shutter seems better than on the other two. I have also

for the past few years played a bit with a Yashicamat EM ...

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

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