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Contarex Madness
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 11, 2010 8:44 pm    Post subject: Contarex Madness Reply with quote
I've noticed prices of Contarex cameras go rocket high. I was sure they are out of my league but i had some luck today: Click here to see on Ebay.de. I am really interested what do you think is it worth that money?


PostPosted: Mon Jan 11, 2010 9:19 pm    Post subject: Re: Contarex Madness Reply with quote
Pancolart wrote:
I've noticed prices of Contarex cameras go rocket high.


They've always been high.
Many people consider the Contarex lenses to be the absolute best Zeiss lenses for SRL.
This is a disputable opinion in my view (if for nothing else, for the coating), but surely they are precious beautiful lenses. The fact that they were produced in small to very-small numbers compared e.g. to Contax lenses made them true collectioner's items.
As for the cameras: they are no-compromise cameras. Sturdy as a rock and very precise mechanism. Unfortunately the earlier ones use selenium cells for metering and these rarely are still working today.

Pancolart wrote:
I was sure they are out of my league but i had some luck today: Click here to see on Ebay.de. I am really interested what do you think is it worth that money?


For that price, if the camera is working, it is simply a STEAL !


PostPosted: Mon Jan 11, 2010 10:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I'll second Orio, this is german camera makers know how at the climax - no better was ever done! If it fully works you'll enjoy many years of use and it will even keep or increase its value! Congrats!!


PostPosted: Tue Jan 12, 2010 10:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thank you Klaus and Orio. I will wait for the package with great anticipation.
Jure


PostPosted: Tue Jan 12, 2010 11:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I have always understood that the Contarex line was a work of art from a mechanical point of view, to the point of over-engineering. This does not necessarily mean that the Contarexes are user-friendly... But I would definitely not mind owning one Wink


PostPosted: Tue Jan 12, 2010 12:46 pm    Post subject: Re: Contarex Madness Reply with quote
Pancolart wrote:
I've noticed prices of Contarex cameras go rocket high. I was sure they are out of my league but i had some luck today: Click here to see on Ebay.de. I am really interested what do you think is it worth that money?


Well ... now you need to get some lenses and another magazine back so you can swop between different sorts of film when testing the lenses. This could be an exciting voyage of discovery! And perhaps a drain on your bank account Very Happy


PostPosted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 12:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
That simply can't happen - my bank account is already drained Smile. I'll try to hunt cheap lens that wouldn't devalue the camera too much. Can anyone suggest what is my best choice? For display purposes only.


PostPosted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 4:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
A classical machinery just for display only?? You are not really serious I hope..


PostPosted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 4:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Surely. I admit i don't feel obliged to use classical machinery. I do like to feel it, test it and then most probably sell it further. I didn't have much difficulty to choose my obsession between camera hardware and use of optics.


PostPosted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 4:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Pancolart wrote:
That simply can't happen - my bank account is already drained Smile. I'll try to hunt cheap lens that wouldn't devalue the camera too much. Can anyone suggest what is my best choice? For display purposes only.


for cheap, the Tessar 2.8/50
for display, the Planar 1.4/85 with its huge front glass...


PostPosted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 4:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thank you Orio, i'll put these two in "wanted" list.


PostPosted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 4:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Keep in mind that "cheap" in contarex world is between "normal" and "expensive" in contax/yashica world...


PostPosted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 5:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Back when I was an active camera dealer, the Contarex Bullseye was a popular collectible camera and usually sold for quite a lot. I see that this one's auction closed at about 153 euros. Compared to what they used to sell for here in the US some 20 years ago, this is actually very cheap.

A nice camera, but they were never my 'cup of tea'. Of the Zeiss cameras, I've always preferred their Super Ikonta series.


PostPosted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 6:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
cooltouch wrote:
Back when I was an active camera dealer, the Contarex Bullseye was a popular collectible camera and usually sold for quite a lot. I see that this one's auction closed at about 153 euros. Compared to what they used to sell for here in the US some 20 years ago, this is actually very cheap.


Yes but this was really an exception. If you go to any used camera dealer here, the minimum price at which you can get the bullseye is 600 Euros. More often, around 800 Euros.


PostPosted: Sat Jan 16, 2010 9:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
The linked page is required reading for anyone contemplating the purchase of a Contarex, either a camera body or a lens:

http://www.zeisscamera.com/services_overhaul-contarex.shtml

Read very carefully and take heed!

Veijo


PostPosted: Sun Jan 17, 2010 8:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
vilva wrote:
The linked page is required reading for anyone contemplating the purchase of a Contarex, either a camera body or a lens:

http://www.zeisscamera.com/services_overhaul-contarex.shtml



The best information about the Contarex I've ever read, including the "fan books" from Kuc. Unlike the others it prevents from buying one.

I always had the clue the camera was a mechanical nightmare even when new. Ask 100 engineers to create a camera with no supervision at all, and this is the result, which may - if management don't correct decisions - ruin the whole company. That's why Zeiss Ikon isn't making cameras anymore, just door locks.

A reason not to admire, but to hate this camera.


PostPosted: Sun Jan 17, 2010 11:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
taunusreiter wrote:
That's why Zeiss Ikon isn't making cameras anymore, just door locks.


Zeiss Ikon closed down in 1972...


-


PostPosted: Sun Jan 17, 2010 11:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Orio wrote:
taunusreiter wrote:
That's why Zeiss Ikon isn't making cameras anymore, just door locks.


Zeiss Ikon closed down in 1972...-


The follower of this company, Ikon, still making door locks


PostPosted: Wed Apr 11, 2012 3:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Hello,

as a Contax(RF)/Contarex fan, I need to say that the Contarex SLR is a very fine camera, still perfectly usable.

I have two Contarex "Bullseye" (2nd type) and both have a still working selenium cell. More I have a Contarex Super (also 2nd type) and it's an excellent piece also (it only needs to get used to its spot-type light measure).

Definitely, it isn't a user-friendly camera, but if one doesn't like to take super-action pictures, it will give extremely fine results. The lenses are really at the top, never forgetting to mount a lens shade.

The Contarex is a very heavy camera, but compared to the average digital SLR of nowadays, it isn't anymore THAT heavy.

I think that the Contasaurus Rex, besides being a milestone in optical technology, is still a magnificent camera to be used.

Best wishes,

E.L.


PostPosted: Wed Apr 11, 2012 5:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Nice to see you here E.L !

I look forward your experience and pictures!


PostPosted: Wed Apr 11, 2012 6:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Elmar Lang wrote:
The lenses are really at the top, never forgetting to mount a lens shade.



That's an understatement if I ever saw one -- the best numbers for a lens I've seen in vintage camera mags here:

http://forum.mflenses.com/1968-contarex-super---50-2-planar-quotcamera-35quot-rev-t45838.html


PostPosted: Wed Apr 11, 2012 6:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
That 2/50 Planar numbers are amazing, only ones I can think of in the same range were for the original Zenitar M Russian 50mm. I saw a chart of resolutions for some Russian RF lenses the other day and the J-8 2/50 (Sonnar) was only something like 32-28, the sharpest was the Industar-50 3.5/50 (Tessar)was the sharpest as something like 38-32. The Contarex 2/50 Planar is twice the resolution of the I-50 and owning two I-50s and several other Tessars, they are damn sharp lenses, so the sharpness of the Planar is quite amazing. Then again, the resolution of 35mm films was probably not able to exploit it back then so again, you have to question Zeiss' thinking. Obviously they realised they have over engineered the Contarex line and it was too expensive because they went to Japan to make the Contax line.

I suppose the reason why Contarex lenses are so expensive is not so much how good they are but more their scarcity because they were never sold in great numbers due to being so expensive and designed for a camera that wasn't very ergonomic or simple to use and cost a fortune.

Nesster, you don't happen to have an old magazines with reviews of Konishiroku or Konica cams and lenses, I'd also love to see some Topcor ones because the early Konishiroku and Topcon lenses I have are stunning?


PostPosted: Wed Apr 11, 2012 7:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Quote:
Nesster, you don't happen to have an old magazines with reviews of Konishiroku or Konica cams and lenses, I'd also love to see some Topcor ones because the early Konishiroku and Topcon lenses I have are stunning?


I'll take a look and post what I can find. I take it you'd be interested in the pre-autoexposure Konicas?


PostPosted: Wed Apr 11, 2012 7:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Any of the Hexanons really. Particularly the earlier Konishiroku ones and the EE Konicas, especially the wides - 4/21, 2.8/24, 3.5/28.


PostPosted: Thu Apr 12, 2012 9:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
That 2/50 Planar numbers are amazing, only ones I can think of in the same range were for the original Zenitar M Russian 50mm. I saw a chart of resolutions for some Russian RF lenses the other day and the J-8 2/50 (Sonnar) was only something like 32-28, the sharpest was the Industar-50 3.5/50 (Tessar)was the sharpest as something like 38-32. The Contarex 2/50 Planar is twice the resolution of the I-50 and owning two I-50s and several other Tessars, they are damn sharp lenses, so the sharpness of the Planar is quite amazing. Then again, the resolution of 35mm films was probably not able to exploit it back then so again, you have to question Zeiss' thinking. Obviously they realised they have over engineered the Contarex line and it was too expensive because they went to Japan to make the Contax line.

I suppose the reason why Contarex lenses are so expensive is not so much how good they are but more their scarcity because they were never sold in great numbers due to being so expensive and designed for a camera that wasn't very ergonomic or simple to use and cost a fortune.


You shouldn't [just] go by the numbers . . . Very Happy They never tell the whole story. With the Contarex lenses I actually used, the results were even better than the numbers suggest.

Films like Kodak Panatomic-X were indeed able to exploit the lenses' performance, especially when processed in developers like Kodak High Definition and Acutol. And Kodachrome was also able to show just how much better were "excellent" lenses compared to "very good" ones. Like other contemporary top-grade lenses, the Contarex lenses had a subtlety of image that's hard to quantify but instantly recognizable when you actually see the results. Such a shame that they were never mounted for the Nikon camera, eh?
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