Difference between revisions of "Contax rangefinder"

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Unfortunately, the Contax I lacked in fit-and-finish, and it suffered from many reliability problems.  This is evidenced by its heavy weight, and because of its harsh corners and box-like shape, as well as the various revisions that indicate a frantic company trying to manage its reputation.
 
Unfortunately, the Contax I lacked in fit-and-finish, and it suffered from many reliability problems.  This is evidenced by its heavy weight, and because of its harsh corners and box-like shape, as well as the various revisions that indicate a frantic company trying to manage its reputation.
  
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{{Flickr_image
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|image_source= http://www.flickr.com/photos/phollectormo/5471044944/in/pool-camerawiki
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|image= http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5296/5471044944_242c008551_m.jpg
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|image_align= left
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|image_text= Contax II
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|image_by=phollectormo
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|image_rights=with permission
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}}
 
From its introduction in 1932 to 1936 when the Contax II was introduced, the Contax I was a work in progress. There are no fewer than six iterations based on external features only.  This is actually an underestimate.  There were also many non-visible internal changes such as the location and physical layout of how the angular displacement of the lens couples to the rangefinder system.  Other changes were meant to make the rangefinder system stay within specifications better.  Later versions actually provided better focusing feedback to the user.  These were not small changes, and many of the still-working models are actually later revisions.  These revisions were incorporated in the Contax II, a much more reliable camera that went through fewer iterations.
 
From its introduction in 1932 to 1936 when the Contax II was introduced, the Contax I was a work in progress. There are no fewer than six iterations based on external features only.  This is actually an underestimate.  There were also many non-visible internal changes such as the location and physical layout of how the angular displacement of the lens couples to the rangefinder system.  Other changes were meant to make the rangefinder system stay within specifications better.  Later versions actually provided better focusing feedback to the user.  These were not small changes, and many of the still-working models are actually later revisions.  These revisions were incorporated in the Contax II, a much more reliable camera that went through fewer iterations.
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{{Flickr_image
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|image_source= https://www.flickr.com/photos/bo31555/16190168886/in/pool-camerawiki
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|image= http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7513/16190168886_2c3ce22ed3_m_d.jpg
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|image_align= right
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|image_text= Contax III (1936)
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|image_by= Bernard O.
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|image_rights= nc
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}}
  
  
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It was the first camera with a rangefinder and viewfinder combined in a single window. Its chief designer was [[Hubert Nerwin]].
 
It was the first camera with a rangefinder and viewfinder combined in a single window. Its chief designer was [[Hubert Nerwin]].
 
The [[Nettax]] was meant to be a cheaper alternative, it was a derivative of the Super Nettel with a rigid body and interchangeable lenses with a specific bayonet and a very limited range of lenses.
 
The [[Nettax]] was meant to be a cheaper alternative, it was a derivative of the Super Nettel with a rigid body and interchangeable lenses with a specific bayonet and a very limited range of lenses.
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The [[Contaflex (TLR)|Contaflex]] was a derivative of the Contax I. It was a 35mm twin lens reflex with the same kind of shutter and a built in exposure meter. It was an extremely expensive camera, that tested some of the features that would later appear on the Contax II and III. It had interchangeable lenses with a specific lens mount.
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 +
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The '''Contax III''', also released in 1936, was a Contax II with an exposure meter. It was one of the first cameras with a built-in exposure meter.
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{{Flickr_image
 
{{Flickr_image
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|image_source= https://www.flickr.com/photos/dimatsvetkov/5518123431/in/pool-camerawiki
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|image= http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5016/5518123431_1031ee8f23_m_d.jpg
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|image_align= right
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|image_text= Kiev
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|image_by= Dima Tsvetkov
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|image_rights= wp
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}}
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===Ukrainian relaunch as [[Kiev-2]] by [[Arsenal]]===
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After the war, the Soviet Union captured the tooling and drawings of the Contax as war booty, and transfered them to the city of Kiev, where they began the production of the [[Kiev rangefinder]] camera, as such a continuation of the Contax.
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{{brr}}<br/>&nbsp;{{Flickr_image
 
|image_source= http://www.flickr.com/photos/rst90274/400804045/in/pool-camerawiki
 
|image_source= http://www.flickr.com/photos/rst90274/400804045/in/pool-camerawiki
 
|image= http://farm1.static.flickr.com/140/400804045_9fa13fbe7d_m_d.jpg
 
|image= http://farm1.static.flickr.com/140/400804045_9fa13fbe7d_m_d.jpg
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|image_by=rst12
 
|image_by=rst12
 
|image_rights=with permission
 
|image_rights=with permission
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}}{{Flickr_image
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|image_source= https://www.flickr.com/photos/jarmandophotos/6280455008/in/pool-camerawiki
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|image= http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6058/6280455008_38c5b90814_m_d.jpg
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|image_align= left
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|image_text= Contax IIa
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|image_by= Josue Armando Serrano
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|image_rights= wp
 
}}
 
}}
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===West-German relaunch by [[Zeiss-Ikon#West_Germany:_Zeiss_Ikon_AG_Stuttgart|Zeiss-Ikon AG]]===
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At the same time, the Western part of the Zeiss Ikon company, based in Stuttgart, completely redesigned the Contax and launched the '''Contax IIa''' in 1950 and '''Contax IIIa''' in 1951.
 
{{Flickr_image
 
{{Flickr_image
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|image_source= http://www.flickr.com/photos/phollectormo/5471044944/in/pool-camerawiki
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|image_source= https://www.flickr.com/photos/s-demir/5332698557/in/pool-camerawiki
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|image= http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5296/5471044944_242c008551_m.jpg
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|image= http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5202/5332698557_cdb6fc684f_m_d.jpg
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|image_align= right
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|image_text= <small>Contax IIIa</small>
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|image_by= Süleyman Demir
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|image_rights= wp
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}}{{Flickr_image
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|image_source= https://www.flickr.com/photos/s-demir/5332694297/in/pool-camerawiki
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|image= http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5003/5332694297_d04f162733_q_d.jpg
 
|image_align= right
 
|image_align= right
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|image_text= Contax II.
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|image_text= <small>Contax IIIa</small>
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|image_by=phollectormo
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|image_by= Süleyman Demir
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|image_rights=with permission
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|image_rights= wp
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}}
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}}{{br}}
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The [[Contaflex (TLR)|Contaflex]] was a derivative of the Contax I. It was a 35mm twin lens reflex with the same kind of shutter and a built in exposure meter. It was an extremely expensive camera, that tested some of the features that would later appear on the Contax II and III. It had interchangeable lenses with a specific lens mount.
 
−
 
 
−
 
 
−
The '''Contax III''', also released in 1936, was a Contax II with an exposure meter. It was one of the first cameras with a built-in exposure meter.
 
−
 
 
−
After the war, the Soviet Union captured the tooling and drawings of the Contax as war booty, and transfered them to the city of Kiev, where they began the production of the [[Kiev rangefinder]] camera, as such a continuation of the Contax.
 
−
 
 
−
At the same time, the Western part of the Zeiss Ikon company, based in Stuttgart, completely redesigned the Contax and launched the '''Contax IIa''' in 1950 and '''Contax IIIa''' in 1951.
 
  
 
== Bibliography ==
 
== Bibliography ==
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== Links ==
 
== Links ==
−
 
 
In English:
 
In English:
 
* [http://antiquecameras.net/zeisscontaxrflens.html Zeiss Ikon Contax Rangefinder Lens Information Guide]
 
* [http://antiquecameras.net/zeisscontaxrflens.html Zeiss Ikon Contax Rangefinder Lens Information Guide]

Revision as of 12:09, 15 March 2015

8296193362_5a8e3e1a75_m.jpg
Contax I with 13.5 Sonnar
and folding albada viewfinder
image by Geoff Harrisson (Image rights)
5015263886_8fe803f7b3_m.jpg
from Zeiss collection
image by Uwe Kulick (Image rights)

The Contax I was a high end 35mm rangefinder camera made by Zeiss Ikon to compete with Leica models. It was released in 1932. The Super Nettel was based on the Contax I, with the same kind of shutter, but a folding body, a fixed lens and a short based rangefinder. It was intended to be a cheaper alternative.

The Contax I was Zeiss' answer to Leica's offerings in the 35mm market, one Leica effectively controlled since it helped create it in 1925. An examination of the Contax I points to a perhaps frantic company rushing a technically superior product to market. It had a large number of technology advantages as compared the Leica. It had a longer effective rangefinder triangulation base for better focusing. It had a bayonet lens mount (see Contax rangefinder lenses) instead of Leica's screw mount. It also had a removable back for loading film instead of Leica's blind hole film loading system. To go up against Leica's horizontal travel fabric shutter (max. speed 1/500th), the Contax had a vertical travel articulated metal shutter (max. speed 1/1000th). It was less vulnerable to sun burn as well.

Unfortunately, the Contax I lacked in fit-and-finish, and it suffered from many reliability problems. This is evidenced by its heavy weight, and because of its harsh corners and box-like shape, as well as the various revisions that indicate a frantic company trying to manage its reputation.

5471044944_242c008551_m.jpg
Contax II
image by phollectormo (Image rights)

From its introduction in 1932 to 1936 when the Contax II was introduced, the Contax I was a work in progress. There are no fewer than six iterations based on external features only. This is actually an underestimate. There were also many non-visible internal changes such as the location and physical layout of how the angular displacement of the lens couples to the rangefinder system. Other changes were meant to make the rangefinder system stay within specifications better. Later versions actually provided better focusing feedback to the user. These were not small changes, and many of the still-working models are actually later revisions. These revisions were incorporated in the Contax II, a much more reliable camera that went through fewer iterations.

16190168886_2c3ce22ed3_m_d.jpg
Contax III (1936)
image by Bernard O. (Image rights)


The Contax II was released in 1936 and was the successor of the Contax I. It was the first camera with a rangefinder and viewfinder combined in a single window. Its chief designer was Hubert Nerwin. The Nettax was meant to be a cheaper alternative, it was a derivative of the Super Nettel with a rigid body and interchangeable lenses with a specific bayonet and a very limited range of lenses.

The Contaflex was a derivative of the Contax I. It was a 35mm twin lens reflex with the same kind of shutter and a built in exposure meter. It was an extremely expensive camera, that tested some of the features that would later appear on the Contax II and III. It had interchangeable lenses with a specific lens mount.


The Contax III, also released in 1936, was a Contax II with an exposure meter. It was one of the first cameras with a built-in exposure meter.

5518123431_1031ee8f23_m_d.jpg
Kiev
image by Dima Tsvetkov (Image rights)

Ukrainian relaunch as Kiev-2 by Arsenal

After the war, the Soviet Union captured the tooling and drawings of the Contax as war booty, and transfered them to the city of Kiev, where they began the production of the Kiev rangefinder camera, as such a continuation of the Contax.

 

400804045_9fa13fbe7d_m_d.jpg
Contax IIIa.
image by rst12 (Image rights)
6280455008_38c5b90814_m_d.jpg
Contax IIa
image by Josue Armando Serrano (Image rights)

West-German relaunch by Zeiss-Ikon AG

At the same time, the Western part of the Zeiss Ikon company, based in Stuttgart, completely redesigned the Contax and launched the Contax IIa in 1950 and Contax IIIa in 1951.

5332698557_cdb6fc684f_m_d.jpg
Contax IIIa
image by Süleyman Demir (Image rights)
5332694297_d04f162733_q_d.jpg
Contax IIIa
image by Süleyman Demir (Image rights)


Bibliography

  • Barringer, C. and Small, M. Zeiss Compendium East and West — 1940–1972. Small Dole, UK: Hove Books, 1999 (2nd edition). ISBN 1-874707-24-3.
  • Dechert, Peter. The Contax Connection. Historical Camera Publications, 2007. Available for download in PDF at Peter Dechert's Corner

Links

In English:

In French:

In Japanese:

Zeiss Ikon Classic Cameras
Contax | Contaflex (TLR) | Super Nettel | Nettax | Tenax II | Tenax I | Ikoflex | Super Ikonta

Contax S | Contaflex (SLR) | Contarex | Icarex | SL706

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