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Contax II (1938) and IIa (post-war)
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PostPosted: Sun Nov 21, 2010 4:10 am    Post subject: Contax II (1938) and IIa (post-war) Reply with quote
Contax II with collapsible Sonnar 5cm f/2. Both built in Jena in the first months of 1938:



Contax IIa with Sonnar 50mm f/1.5 Opton. The lens was built in Stuttgart on or shortly after 1951. The camera (also Stuttgart) should be of similar years:



Both together, Contax II on the left, Contax IIa on the right:


Photos taken with Leica Macro-Elmarit-R 2.8/60
Illumination: Interfit Cool-Lite 9 Electronic Daylight lamps.


PostPosted: Sun Nov 21, 2010 4:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Nice product photos of a handsome pair! Very well done with the lighting.


PostPosted: Sun Nov 21, 2010 4:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Very nice.
I love these old Contax RF's. Amazing condition yours are in m Smile
Sadly my iiia has begun to "shutter capping". I would like to fix it but, it's more expensive than the value of the camera.
For now I use my Contax lenses with an Amedeo adapter.


PostPosted: Sun Nov 21, 2010 4:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Katastrofo wrote:
Nice product photos of a handsome pair! Very well done with the lighting.


It's amazing how professional quality lights can make a difference. One would think that any light can do, maybe outside yes, but in studio... no.

And, these are without the large octobox, which I was not able to mount. Once I put the octobox on, results can be even more glamorous.


PostPosted: Sun Nov 21, 2010 4:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
F16SUNSHINE wrote:
Very nice.
I love these old Contax RF's. Amazing condition yours are in m Smile
Sadly my iiia has begun to "shutter capping". I would like to fix it but, it's more expensive than the value of the camera.
For now I use my Contax lenses with an Amedeo adapter.


I got the Contax II recently. Went through some troubles because the first time it arrived here, the shutter did not work, so I returned the camera, which turned out to be alright, so they did resend to me, now I checked the shutter and it seems ok, but I need to make a test roll before saying anything conclusive.

The most amazing thing about the pre-war model is, it's more solid than the post-war one. The prewar Contax II has a nearly indestructible shutter and the viewfinder is practically impossible to go out of alignment, something that happens easily with the post-war Contaxs (mine has vertical misalignment, while my pre-war one is precise as if it was computerized).
As a result, as absurd as it may seem, today there are more pre-war Contaxs in total working order, than there are post-war ones.


PostPosted: Sun Nov 21, 2010 6:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Orio, if you need a professional CLA the best man is Gabas (info@gabas.it), he was head of Zeiss technical support in Milan in the 60s then opened his own repair shop. He now retired and works from home only on cameras he likes, he's an exceptional person and also pretty cheap.

Your Contax II is beautiful, I have one with a collapsible Tessar but in much worse condition, and it needs new shutter ribbons too.

Edit: if you care about your camera for the next decades you might want to get some spare ribbon for the shutter, as it's the typical point of failure for the II and it might get difficult to find in the future; Oleg at OK Photocameras has a stock of the original Arsenal ribbon used in the Kievs, it's cheap and he's a great guy too.


PostPosted: Sun Nov 21, 2010 7:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Wonderful cams, Orio.
The more you show of your collection here, the more I feel a yearning to visit you. Wink


PostPosted: Sun Nov 21, 2010 12:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
ludoo wrote:
Orio, if you need a professional CLA the best man is Gabas (info@gabas.it), he was head of Zeiss technical support in Milan in the 60s then opened his own repair shop. He now retired and works from home only on cameras he likes, he's an exceptional person and also pretty cheap.


Thank you. Do you know if he's able to fix the vertical alignment? I talked to a German (or was he Swiss?) technician once and he said it's the most difficult thing to do.

Quote:
Your Contax II is beautiful, I have one with a collapsible Tessar but in much worse condition, and it needs new shutter ribbons too.


I will take it with me in Bergamo. Smile Let's just hope there will not be the deluge as we have today!

ludoo wrote:
Edit: if you care about your camera for the next decades you might want to get some spare ribbon for the shutter, as it's the typical point of failure for the II and it might get difficult to find in the future; Oleg at OK Photocameras has a stock of the original Arsenal ribbon used in the Kievs, it's cheap and he's a great guy too.


Thanks, are the Kiev ribbons sure to be compatible then?


PostPosted: Sun Nov 21, 2010 12:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
LucisPictor wrote:
Wonderful cams, Orio.
The more you show of your collection here, the more I feel a yearning to visit you. Wink


Whenever you're ready Smile


PostPosted: Sun Nov 21, 2010 12:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Orio wrote:
Thank you. Do you know if he's able to fix the vertical alignment? I talked to a German (or was he Swiss?) technician once and he said it's the most difficult thing to do.


I never asked him, but if it's possible he surely knows how to do it. Send him an email, but know he might be slow in answering.

Orio wrote:
Thanks, are the Kiev ribbons sure to be compatible then?


Yes, it's the same material (and apart from tolerances and manufacturing precision, the shutters are the same).


PostPosted: Sun Nov 21, 2010 2:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Orio, I'm looking forward to seeing the light set up.


PostPosted: Sun Nov 21, 2010 2:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Himself wrote:
Orio, I'm looking forward to seeing the light set up.

+1

Congrats for both of them!
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