Home

Please support mflenses.com if you need any graphic related work order it from us, click on above banner to order!
SearchSearch MemberlistMemberlist RegisterRegister ProfileProfile Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages Log inLog in

Anyone know a US repair source for Contax Rangefinder lens?
Post new topic   Reply to topic
Home   Manual Focus Lenses
View previous topic :: View next topic  


PostPosted: Sun Aug 07, 2016 7:13 pm    Post subject: Anyone know a US repair source for Contax Rangefinder lens? Reply with quote
I have a post-war West German Zeiss Triotar 4.0/85. It is in excellent condition cosmetically, the glass is very clean, aperture moves easily and the 17,462 blades are clean and dry. BUT the helicoid grease has dried so focusing is stiff. Does anyone know of a US source of cleaning/repair for this lens?

Thanks


PostPosted: Sun Aug 07, 2016 7:39 pm    Post subject: Re: Anyone know a US repair source for Contax Rangefinder le Reply with quote
newst wrote:
I have a post-war West German Zeiss Triotar 4.0/85. It is in excellent condition cosmetically, the glass is very clean, aperture moves easily and the 17,462 blades are clean and dry. BUT the helicoid grease has dried so focusing is stiff. Does anyone know of a US source of cleaning/repair for this lens?

Thanks


Steve,
aren't you really long enough here to know that we have s special section for that here http://forum.mflenses.com/equipment-care-and-repairs-f6.html
or use the search function...?

I have listed a US company there offereing such services a while ago.


PostPosted: Sun Aug 07, 2016 10:30 pm    Post subject: Re: Anyone know a US repair source for Contax Rangefinder le Reply with quote
kds315* wrote:
newst wrote:
I have a post-war West German Zeiss Triotar 4.0/85. It is in excellent condition cosmetically, the glass is very clean, aperture moves easily and the 17,462 blades are clean and dry. BUT the helicoid grease has dried so focusing is stiff. Does anyone know of a US source of cleaning/repair for this lens?

Thanks


Steve,
aren't you really long enough here to know that we have s special section for that here http://forum.mflenses.com/equipment-care-and-repairs-f6.html
or use the search function...?

I have listed a US company there offereing such services a while ago.


Thank you Klaus, just two things:

1. I have terrible luck using the forum's search function. It doesn't hold close to the search terms at all, bringing up all manner of extraneous information. Then, dummy me just gets lost following all the fascinating rabbit holes and I never get anywhere.

2. I am well aware of Youxin Ye, he does great work and has already worked on four lenses for me. He only does Leica mount lenses however, no help in getting a contax lens CLA'd.


PostPosted: Mon Aug 08, 2016 9:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Maybe have a look at http://www.zeisscamera.com/first.shtml . . .


PostPosted: Mon Aug 08, 2016 9:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Henry Scherer (www.zeisscamera.com) restored my Contax III and a rare coated civilian war-time Sonnar 1.5/5cm very well. Although it was quite expensive, i never did regret it. Certainly a good man to work on your lens.

Stephan


PostPosted: Mon Aug 08, 2016 11:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
scsambrook wrote:
Maybe have a look at http://www.zeisscamera.com/first.shtml . . .


Thank you. The Zeiss website says they don't repair the old lenses any longer but will provide a list of technicians who do. I have already requested that list, just haven't received any reply.


PostPosted: Mon Aug 08, 2016 11:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
stevemark wrote:
Henry Scherer (www.zeisscamera.com) restored my Contax III and a rare coated civilian war-time Sonnar 1.5/5cm very well. Although it was quite expensive, i never did regret it. Certainly a good man to work on your lens.

Stephan


Thanks,

I just sent him an email. I have been to his site a couple times but haven't been able to get any of his contact links to work, either in Chrome or Microsoft Edge. This time I just pulled his actual email address off the contact me link and sent him a direct email. We'll see what happens.


PostPosted: Mon Aug 08, 2016 3:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
kenrockwell mentioned a repair shop he loves to send stuff to.


PostPosted: Mon Aug 08, 2016 6:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Found a repair source and have mailed the lens off. Will provide an update when I get it back.

Thanks to everyone who helped out.


PostPosted: Sun Aug 14, 2016 9:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Please do post your findings after you get the lens back - I have one in need of CLA too.
Henry Scherer did good work for me, but have heard since that he now has "hand problems" so may be out of the lens CLA business altogether. If that is indeed the case, it's sad news indeed.


PostPosted: Sun Aug 14, 2016 10:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
l9magen wrote:
Please do post your findings after you get the lens back - I have one in need of CLA too.
Henry Scherer did good work for me, but have heard since that he now has "hand problems" so may be out of the lens CLA business altogether. If that is indeed the case, it's sad news indeed.


Lochlann,

I sent the lens to Clarence Gass for lubrication. Mr. Gass responded almost immediately to my email, was quite pleasant on the phone, but wouldn't speculate on a cost to lubricate/repair the lens until he could inspect it, and I can respect that.

He told me he had been in the camera and lens repair business for over 60 years, had recently closed his shop but was working out of his home.

I sent him the lens and he called me three days later. Apparently this external mount Contax rangefinder lens doesn't use a helicoid for focus as other lenses do, but some type of spring loaded helicoid alternative that he didn't want to disassemble because he didn't want to cause more harm than good, but he had lubricated the lens so that the focus ring was working easier than it was when he received it.

We agreed on a price of $30 for work and postage (actually he asked for $25 but I went with $30 anyway so that he could keep something worthwhile after postage). I mailed him a check while he mailed me the lens which I received two days later. The focus ring turns much easier now so I am very happy with the result.

If you want to contact him his details are...

Clarence Gass

guitar2007@embarqmail.com

http://gasscamerarepair.com/?page_id=17

P.S. The only other responding shop that would agree to look at the lens charged a flat fee of $135.00, plus parts cost, for any work on the lens so I am quite happy to have taken the chance with Mr. Gass.


PostPosted: Mon Aug 15, 2016 3:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thanks!


PostPosted: Sat Sep 03, 2016 6:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
HI all,

Here's another testimonial for Mr. Clarence Gass (Gass Camera Repair - Egerton, Kansas - USA). This should probably be moved to another part of the forum - sorry for the breach of protocol.

Just got two 1937 vintage Zeiss lenses (Contax RF mount) back from Mr. Gass. Beautiful work! The lenses needed a complete CLA as they were both very hazy and had sticky focus and aperture mechanisms. The lenses were both heavy chrome versions of the 85mm f/2 and 135mm f/4 Sonnars. Both were uncoated and both look and feel like new. I am very pleased with his work, and he has a wonderful backlog of stories and experiences. He is working now on repairing the diaphragm of my Argus mount Bausch & Lomb 75mm f/5.6 telephoto.

His rates are reasonable and his turnaround time is very fast.

Better move fast, though, he is closing on 80 years old and is contemplating retirement!

This is his contact info:


MR. CLARENCE GASS
19285 EDGERTON ROAD
EDGERTON, KANSAS 66021
USA


email: guitar2007@embarqmail.com

Phone: 913-893-9670

Best,

Paul
Post new topic   Reply to topic
Home   Manual Focus Lenses
Page 1 of 1