Just won a Contax 137MA with Zeiss Planar Lens

[Poolhall]

I got the leather from www.cameraleather.com very quick service to uk too. It was the cheapest one as well and looks fine. I think its called "vh black" or "hasselblad black", but they have a lot of different types for Contax and Yashica. There is also an E-bay shop called Aki-asahi that does similar leather though I got some light seals from him that did the FX-3 and my TL Electro, also very reasonable in price and quick delivery.
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Digital:Samsung GX-10 Dslr
Film: Pentax and Yashica's and a Minox 35gt
Lenses: Mostly M42 Pentacon and far too many Russian, Some Yashica,Pentax and some AF.

[F16SUNSHINE]

Hello William Congrats on the nice grab. You got this one for the lens price. The 137ma is a kind of odd duck from Contax. The camera is Aperture priority Auto only with only center weighted metering offered (maybe it is matrix?). If you want my opinion I would not put any money into it. The old Yashica/Contax shit leather issue is not so bad in my opinion. I have a FX3 that I have used for years without replacing the cover. Once you get all that sticky old fake crap off. The material underneath is nice and grippy to hold. It kind of reminds me of denim actually. The 137 could make a nice back up cam and street shooter. My FX3 serves that purpose. It is kind of ugly and does not draw much attention as such. Welcome to Contax Junkies club!
I am afraid the only cures comes when you start pushing up flowers
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Current Kit
Canon 5D, 40D
Contax 4/18, 1.4/50, 1.4/85, 2.8/85, 2/100, 3.5/100, 2.8/180, Rollei HFT 1.4/35, 1.4/85, Zuiko 2/21, 2/24, 2/28, 2/35, 2/80, Yashica ML 3.5/21, 2.8/24, Helios 40 protype, Trioplan 2.8/100, Tair 11A,
Epson R D1(s), Bessa L, Bessa R2m, Leica CL, CV 4.5/15, 4/25, 1.4/40, Zeiss ZM 2/35, Yashinon1.8/50, CLE 4/90, Zeiss Opton 4/135 T, Electro GT, Electro GX, Electro CC

[bob955i]

Planar 1.4/50 here we come.....
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"The badger winks twice before the cheese explodes!"


DSLR: Canon EOS 5D
SLR: Ihagee Exa (V4), Exakta VX, Exakta Varex VX, Exakta Varex IIa, Exakta Varex IIb, Exakta VX 1000, Pentacon F, Pentacon FM, Pentacon FBM, Praktica BC-1, Voigtländer Bessaflex TM black
Medium Format: Mamiya RB67 Pro-S, Pentacon Six TL, Yashica 635
Rangefinder: Rank-Mamiya 4B
Bridge: Minolta DiMage 7i
P&S: Olympus XA-3
Lenses by the following makers:
Carl Zeiss Jena, Carl Zeiss Oberkochen, Hanimex, Mamiya, Meyer Optik Görlitz, Pentacon, Prakticar, Schneider-Kreuznach, Sigma, Super Paragon

Gear junkies look here

[Katastrofo]

[Katastrofo]

[nemesis101]

Hi,

I too have one of these - in fact I nearly bid for that one just for the lens, then managed to get the 1.4 Planar on a buy it now elsewhere! Anyway.. bit of advice:

DO NOT USE THAT WRETCHED REMOTE SHUTTER RELEASE !!!

There is an electronic type for that unit (also works on similar Yashicas) and using any normal type will likely screw up the shutter... there are also dire warnings to that effect both in the manual (downloadable from http://www.butkus.org/chinon/contax/contax_137/contax_137.htm) and on various forums. A scare tactic.? As someone who paid 95 dollars back in the day to have one fixed after 'knowing better' sadly,... no!

Doug.
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Lenses and cameras:
http://forum.mflenses.com/viewtopic,p,51339.html#51339
Photo sites:
www.pbase.com/nemesis101/

[nemesis101]

Hi.. noticed that you have just got a T3? Hmm so I have a 137MA - and you get one, I have a T3 and you get one... lol

I wondered if you need lenses for the Konica as I have an embarrassment of riches in that department. If you wants some before I sell elsewhere then give me a private mail?

Doug.
_________________
Lenses and cameras:
http://forum.mflenses.com/viewtopic,p,51339.html#51339
Photo sites:
www.pbase.com/nemesis101/

[Katastrofo]

Doug, I got the 28/3.5 for $10 off ebay recently, and arrived in great
shape. About the T3, the viewfinder is not as bright as the T4...Bill him
don't like that so much...not quite the Canaan I thought it would be. The
split prism is also smaller than the T4. I like the fact that it is a weighty
thing, but I have no focus issues with the T4, and it is all black and cooler
lookin'. So I dunno, I think ebay beckons...if I see another T4, I'm going
to snap it up, I like that cam a lot. Camelot. Is there a connection? NO.

Bill

[nemesis101]

There's always the newer models, the FS1 and the FT1 ... the FS1 can suffer melting of the rubber insulators inside the camera (beneath the top-plate) which contaminate the electrics, and the FT1 is a bit problematic if the batteries have been allowed to leak.. in fact a spare battery compartment (it just clips on) sold today for more than a nice 2nd hand FT1... but either in good condition is a fine camera with a really superb and bright screen. If you like the T4 / TC then I have 4 and I can let you have one very very reasonably as I am horribly overcome with new purchases and have no spare cabinet space!

Doug.

[Katastrofo]

Doug, I'll be emailing you about the T4...

[F16SUNSHINE]

Any report on this kit? I'm really curious about what you think of the camera.

[Katastrofo]

[F16SUNSHINE]

Nice it all came in snappy. Glad the FRII is nice I forgot you got that one too. Gotta love that FR line. That funky denim is pretty livable stuff in my book also

[peterqd]

[Katastrofo]

Peter, Pliobond glue comes highly recommended for this sort of thing.


BIll