A bout the Contax 1

[rolleistef]

hello all,
out of pure interest i'd like to have informations about THE contax, the black thing with a a big knob on the front :) . of course, I read the article on cameraquest, but i'd like to know whether there are poor fools still using this camera....
I think it's so cute!
Stéphane

[dexdog]

I am one of those poor fools who actually use a Contax 1. They are a lot of fun to use once you get someone to fix the inevitable problems with a 70 year old camera, usually needs new shutter tapes, and a thorough cleaning of the rangefinder. The camera is very compact, and easy to carry in a coat pocket when mounted with a 50mm or smaller lens. A couple of the camera features are either a bit awkward, such as the front-mounted film wind knob, or not especially user-friendly, such as the rather squinty separate viewfinder and rangefinder windows, or remembering to use the "Contax grip" to avoid blocking the rangefinder window. I really like the top-mounted focusing wheel that is typically used with the 50mm lens. Seems a little strange at first, but easy to get the hang of.

That said, it is one of my favorite cameras, and is capable of taking great pictures. I usually use mine with the uncoated black/nickel lenses, although I will also use the post-war coated lenses too.

[wlewisiii]

Search for Honu-Hugger and Contax 1 here and you'll learn all about the use of them :D He's got some glorious tales here.

William

[Honu-Hugger]

In regular service... :) and love using them, especially when they are mistaken for new digital cameras (honest).

[dexdog]

Honu-Hugger, those are without a doubt the prettiest Contax 1s that I have ever seen. Mine are nice, but not near as shiny new as that pair!

[Little Prince]

I have long been impressed by the ONE and thought about finding one. I think it's a very handsome camera too. Not on the cards anytime soon though.

[Honu-Hugger]

Honu-Hugger, those are without a doubt the prettiest Contax 1s that I have ever seen. Mine are nice, but not near as shiny new as that pair!
Thank you, I feel fortunate to have found them. With all the horror stories of eBay these are a couple of instances where things went better than expected. The one on the left is the nicer of the two; it had a part installed wrong from the factory and never worked -- we surmise the owner put it away rather than have it repaired. Henry Scherer reworked it and said it was like new in every respect. The other I bought from the original owner's grandson and it was always cased. I'm pleased to see other Contax I users surfacing -- should we form a support group to commiserate ;)?

[harry01562]

I have to add my admiration for the pic of those 2 exquisite cameras. I don't think I've seen a model 1 as nice as those.... and you have a pair!! Fortunate indeed to have beautiful classics to take your non-digital shots with.
Thank you for sharing with us.

Harry

[Mike Kovacs]

One of these days ZIAS demands that I pick one up :) An online acquaintance of mine has one apart now for service and I'm looking forward to his opinion from a repair standpoint.

I surmise that the front mounted knob effectively lends to a shutter design very much like a horizontally travelling shutter, but turned on its side. It would seem to be half Leica, half Contax II/III in execution. Remember, at the time they were scrambling to put a camera in direct competition with the Leica.

I also understand there are MANY variations of the Contax I - a collector's dream for sure.

[Honu-Hugger]

Here are a few more...the single camera is now owned by another RFF member and is used regularly (he's nick-named it "Mud and Guts"); as far as we can tell it has never been serviced.

[jan normandale]

So it' s safe to say you like the Contax... with 7 (count 'em) and counting.. ;- )


Here are a few more...the single camera is now owned by another RFF member and is used regularly (he's nick-named it "Mud and Guts"); as far as we can tell it has never been serviced.

[Joerg]

Seems you are missing a IIIa :D

Joerg

[CameraQuest]

one of the interesting things about the Contax I is trying to find the correct black lenses for it. of course at this date only 7 decades after their manufacturer, most are sure to need cleaning. IF you do find a working sample, wind it GENTLY. the exquisite original leather cases are quite a trip, as are the many Contax I finders and accessories. You need a glass exposure back? Not a problem for your Contax I !!

the black paint finish looks better than the later II and III to me, but the later shutters are more dependable. Even so, most II and III's I encounter now could use a CLA to get the shutter working right.

Stephen

[wlewisiii]

Ah, someday I'll have a I and a matching unmodified black collapsible 50/3.5 Tessar. Then I could take it and my Argus C-3 and see who notices... :D

(It really does strike me that Argus had someone who loved the lines of the Contax I in it's shop...)

William

[Honu-Hugger]

Seems you are missing a IIIa :D

Joerg
And I always will be :) (with no offense to III and IIIa owners); metered cameras are not my cup of tea in any brand. I have a few metered Alpas but only because of their scarcity -- they are not my favorite cameras of that marque and see very little use (I should sell them). I've picked up a few more IIa's since these pictures were taken, the last one was one of the last 300 made by Zeiss in 1961 -- I'm not sure of that means anything to collectors but according to Henry Scherer all of the shutter speeds test out very accurately, so it is a camera I use a lot.

[dexdog]

I have both Contax III and IIIa cameras, but they don't get much use, even though the meters are very accuarate after being overhauled by Henry S. I prefer the unmetered versions such as the II and IIa, and the Contax 1. Handling is much better w/o the light meter.

[rolleistef]

hello,
thanks a lot for your quick replies, it's nice to see that, even at our digital-time people are still using such pieces of jewellery. Honu-Hugger, what a collection! 4 Contax1! And what I like on the first picture is that the curtains in the foreground look like... a contax shutter! =)
Stéphane

[bondo]

Hi dexdog,
What other lightmeter does Henry S. work on and do have his Email address?
Thanks

[Honu-Hugger]

Stéphane,
That's a great observation -- I'll never look at those blinds the same way again :). Good luck if you decide to go with a Contax I; they are a neat piece of history, fun to use, and Zeiss glass!!!

Cheers,

[Honu-Hugger]

Hi dexdog,
What other lightmeter does Henry S. work on and do have his Email address?
Thanks
Bondo,
Forgive me for answering for Dexdog (and Henry Scherer :D)but as far as I know he does not do light meter work except for the Contax III and IIIa. Henry's e-mail is <superwide@earthlink.net>, you can check with him to be sure.

For light meter work George Milton at Quality Light Metric is excellent (georgepmilton@worldnet.att.net or 323-467-2265). Hope this helps...

[dexdog]

Thanks Honu-Hugger! :)

[rolleistef]

Unfortunetely I wont be able to but a contax I, but "only" a Kiev III or 4 (cf my previous posts on the russian rf page)... But i admit that contaxs always atracted me and before buying my current Rolleiflex T, the Contax was on the list of the cameras I may have bought. But I've now got an over-great Tessar (66 pl/mm at 11 in the middle!) so there is no point complaining :p
Stéphane

[ErnestoJL]

For many people (of course me included) the Contax is a cult object. My obsession started when I was 15 y.o. and I got my first one at 52. There was a mid time training in using a Contax when I bought a Kiev 4 in 1982, but even being almost the same camera, it wasn´t the real thing. Anyway, being myself at that time an SLR shooter, the Kiev gained the position of my favourite camera disregarding the Contax grip, the slow knob winding, and the speed selection which IMO are by far the most uncomfortable features the Contax had.
Mine is a II from 1937 with a collapsible Tessar 2.8 50 mm, of which I was in doubt of being the best lens choice (to be honest I was looking for a Sonnar 2/50 or 1.5/50). The camera had the shutter defective, fogged RF, about 70 years of dirt inside and out, self timer jammed, lots of Zeiss bumps, and the chrome in the lens barrel was partially worn off. No doubt signs of extensive use. I´ve just payed USD 50 for it, so no complaints after seeing the asking price for others which were from USD 700 to 1250, both cameras fitted with Sonnars.
It took me about two months of patient restoring work, but now everything it´s OK (but the self timer).
Once the first shots came from the lab, no more doubts about the lens nor the camera. The most important thing I can say about the Contax design is that after 70 years, the shutter accuracy is still good (I don´t know if the ribbons were replaced or not). The only I have to remember is to extend the lens before shooting.
Now I´m looking for another Contax II but this time with a Sonnar 2. For the asking price it has, I can imagine another time for restoring practices.
No doubt they are excellent cameras, and they were one of the two best cameras of their time.
Go for the Kiev, it´s an excellent camera, and a good pre Contax training. Later you can raise the funds for a Contax.
Good luck.

Ernesto

[darkkavenger]

For many people (of course me included) the Contax is a cult object. My obsession started when I was 15 y.o. and I got my first one at 52. There was a mid time training in using a Contax when I bought a Kiev 4 in 1982, but even being almost the same camera, it wasn´t the real thing


I think I see very well what you mean... I worship my Kiev-2A, my "poor man's Contax" ... even if it's not a Contax, it's a loyal friend and nice user camera :)

My obsession with the Contax started when I was 26 (about a year ago).. I'm now 27 and I've some years ahead of me to save up for a Contax system. :)

[ErnestoJL]

Massimiliano:
I´m, using either the Contax with the J8 or Tessar, or sometimes the opposite way, but no doubt the Kiev is a lot of fun to use (of course, the Contax too). Sometimes I´m shooting with both cameras.
But I needed to have a Contax II!!!!

Ooooohhhhh.....nice descending way into hell!!!

Best regards and good luck!

Ernesto

[Mike Kovacs]

What's wrong with your self timer? You have to pull the shutter module out then you have easy access to the self timer gearing. Most just need a cleaning.

You have to cock the ST to reinstall the shutter module, or the tripping arm for the ST will get in the way. Pretty easy to follow instructions on Kiev survival, if you've already been inside a Contax before.

[Honu-Hugger]

That's a great story Ernesto. I'm going to see that this post of mine self-destructs after 30 seconds, ala "Mission Impossible" style so the evidence can not be used against me (:D). Frankly, I'm sure I would have been happy with any of the popular rangefinder cameras from the "Golden Era" (Leica, Nikon, Canon, etc.). I was forced into Contax because my Grandfather, Dad, and both of my brothers shoot with Leica -- that's the way I've been all my life and still am, and not likely to change now :). No way in hell was I going to use the same camera they did -- I had to find something different so Contax it is for me. They all drive Mercedes, I have a Land Rover...they're back East, I'm out West -- so it goes (maturity seems to elude me :D).

[ErnestoJL]

Mike:
Thanks for the answer. I didn´t get inside the ST as I didn´t need it too much, however I want it working properly. I agree with you, it probably needs some extensive cleaning inside (which I didn´t yet) and relube. Hope to do it soon as in fact I want the camera fully workable

Honu-Hugger:
My story is a bit different.
Once when seeing a Contarex in 1966, my father said: son, this is the best camera in the world. Hope to have one, but is unaffordable for me now.
Later, he also told me about the Contax, that was the best RF in his opinion.
At the time a friend of mine showed me his dad´s camera, I thought: OMG!!! I need one! It was a Contax III.
And I waited some time to get my dirty hands on one of those fine jewelry pieces made by Zeiss.
My father also hated japanese cameras (for them thought of being cheap and low quality copycats of any decent german made camera), but not too surprisingly, most of my cameras are japanese made. Perhaps I´m differently minded than him, but all of my choices were of cameras that sported some specific and very particular capabilities, and all of them were bought under a simple specification: either cameras to be used inmediately, or something that lies within the limits (if there are some of it) of my obsession. Of course, no regrets for my choices.
Anyway, what a nice obsession it is!!!

Best regards gentlemen, and thank you!

Ernesto

[Christian B]

[i'd like to know whether there are poor fools still using this camera....
I think it's so cute!
Stéphane[/quote]
Good evening and bonsoir, I'm new to this forum and my english is quite poor, but I'm glad to meet you all.
I'm using a Contax1 (1934) since 1967, and I try to keep it working well at least three or four times a year... It has never been serviced (no repair letter, nothing unscrewed), still looks nice, and I have had a lot of pleasure with it. May be i'm lucky ? Cross my fingers ! May be I should have it cleaned by H.Scherer...
I use it with it's Tessar 2,8/50, a Sonnar 4/135 and some other goodies (even a Magniphot enlarger...).
Nice to meet you all