Contax IIa and FSU lenses

[Spider67]

Hi,

As much as I know the Contax IIa cannot be used with a J 12 because of the rear lense element. How is it with the Jupiter 8, Helios 103, J 9 amd J11?
Is there a problem with backfocus?
Thanks folks I just saw a really tempting offer

[FrankS]

Those lenses are fine on the post war Contax IIa.

[Roberto]

Buy a Kiev, they work better than Contax IIa, I have both of them and I wish I didn't buy the Contax..
R.

[giovatony]

I`m always tempted to try a Contax to see for myself the difference but my 2 Kievs are working so good that there isn`t much point in it.
I just got through evaluating the Leica IIIf I bought and I wasn`t impressed . I expected more.
The marginal differences between it and my perfect functioning Zorky 2C wasn`t worth anywhere near the 10X the cost.
I`ve concluded that a good working FSU with a decent lens is quite capable and comes close enough to a Leica for my requirements.
And my Kievs exceed that.
John

[FrankS]

Buy a Kiev, they work better than Contax IIa, I have both of them and I wish I didn't buy the Contax..
R.

Roberto, I don't think you can draw a general conclusion about all Contaxes and Kievs based on the specific experiences you have had with a very limited number of these cameras.

[Roberto]

Roberto, I don't think you can draw a general conclusion about all Contaxes and Kievs based on the specific experiences you have had with a very limited number of these cameras.

It's matter of design, Contax IIa are very touchy and high speed will easily give you troubles.. the shutter capping at 1/1250 is a usual issue with these cameras..
Contax II (or Kiev) are heavier, but more reliable..
R.

[steamer]

I've had just the opposite experience, my 2 kievs are rooted and my IIa, IIIa and II are going strong. Still that's a pretty small sample to draw any broad conclusion.

[Roberto]

I've had just the opposite experience, my 2 kievs are rooted and my IIa, IIIa and II are going strong. Still that's a pretty small sample to draw any broad conclusion.

Let me try to corroborate my thesis :angel:

:p

http://rick_oleson.tripod.com/index-62.html


http://rick_oleson.tripod.com/index-95.html

[ZorkiKat]

I've had just the opposite experience, my 2 kievs are rooted and my IIa, IIIa and II are going strong. Still that's a pretty small sample to draw any broad conclusion.


Me too. Just one Contax (a IIa) and about 6 dead Kiev. The Contax IIa is far more reliable and least likely to snap its ribbons or jam its shutter at the least wanted moment.

J-8, J-3, J-11, and J-9 will mount and work on the IIa. Ditto with the Helios-103 which does a really great job.

Jay

[Spider67]

Thanks for the answers folks!
As I already have 3 Kievs ...the rather price of that IIa is rather tempting way less than a Leica.....besides as I have one Leica it would also be nice to have its competitor.

[Roberto]

Thanks for the answers folks!
As I already have 3 Kievs ...the rather price of that IIa is rather tempting way less than a Leica.....besides as I have one Leica it would also be nice to have its competitor.

Seems like you took your decision ;)
Let us know once you'll have the first roll developed and scanned
Rob.

[lkgroup]

I have used the following lenses on my Contax IIa, J-8m, J-3, J-11, and J-9. Also the Helios-103. they all worked well.

I use my Contax Opton 1.5 with it mostly to keep the set together.

I wish I had a 35mm as the J-12 doesn't mount correctly.

Leo

[Spider67]

Thanks again!

A piece of personal memory:

In the (communist) Bulgaria of the 80's most of the Russian cameras were berated "What do you want with that piece of trash?!" by the same people who now have sometimes a let's say "nostalgic" way of seing things and suddenly say "The gear was quite OK". Seems that at this time repair sevices were as difficult to find.
To their defense It was their reaction to westerners who suddenly knew everything better and who on their part berated everything because it was eastern and not because it was particulary communist.

[micromontenegro]

I have my father's IIIa. He got it new in 1953, shot the daylights out of it, and then gave it to me some 30 years later, already showing quite a bit of brassing. I also shot the living daylights out of the darn thing until it turned 50. Then, as a celebration, I sent it for a well-deserved CLA. The day it went out to service, every little thing was working perfectly (even the meter), except the self timer was a bit slow. The 50-1.5 Sonnar was dirty, as was the viewfinder. That was it.
Today, five years since the CLA-you've gussed it- it is still my most used camera. Curiosly, the only failure I've ever had was the new meter cell, instaled at CLA time out of fear that the old one would soon fail.
50 years, no malfunctions, never a single screw removed. I think this goes to show that cameras were ment to be used.