Contina
Ikonta 522/24 image by Alf Sigaro (Image rights) |
During WWII Hubert Nerwin of Zeiss Ikon began planning for a new 35mm folder. His concepts were developed after the war to become Zeiss's first completely new postwar product. This series soon carried the name Contina.
Development
The first model introduced in 1948 had the Zeiss designation Ikonta 522/24. As Zeiss was unable to produce sufficient Tessar lenses (due to war damage to their production facilities), this is one of the few Zeiss models ever to feature a non-Zeiss (Schneider Xenar) lens. The model was continued in 1953 as Contina, as one of the first cameras of the new Contina series of 35mm viewfinder cameras (one was a rangefinder). After the initial series of folders, later models were rigid-bodied. Some had linked shutter/aperture rings, using the Light-value system. The folding models had knob wind, frame counter and rewind fitted to the bottom; the later ones had top-mounted 180° lever wind, knob rewind and frame counter around the shutter release.
Specification
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- Manufacturer: Zeiss Ikon
- Origin: Stuttgart, Germany
- Introduced: 1951 (folder); 1954 (rigid)
- Film: 35mm
- Shutters: Prontor-SVS, 1sec-1/250 or 1/300 with X & M sync & self-timer, Prontor-SLK or Synchro-Compur
Models[1]
Name | Date(s) | Cat no. | Lens | Features | ||
Ikonta 522/24 | 1948-53 | 522/24 | Novar, Tessar, or Schneider Xenar 45mm/2.8 |
Folding | ||
Contina I | 1951-55 | 522/24 | Novar 45mm/3.5 or Tessar 45mm/2.8 |
Folding | ||
Contina II | 1952-53 | 524/24 | Opton-Tessar 45mm/2.8 or Novar f3.5 |
Folding, Rangefinder
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Contina Ia | 1954-55 | 526/24 | Novar 45mm/3.5 | Rigid | ||
Contina Ia | 1955-57 | 526/24 | Novicar 45mm/2.8 | Rigid | ||
Contina Ia | 1958 | 526/24 | Pantar 45mm/2.8 | Rigid | ||
Contina "Ib" | c.1956 | 526/24 | Novicar 45mm/2.8 or Pantar |
not labelled as "Ib" | ||
Contina Ic | 1958-60 | 10.0603 | Pantar 45mm/2.8 | name in script on front | ||
Contina II | 1956-58 | 527/24 | Novar f3.5 or Novicar f2.8 |
Light meter | ||
Contina IIa | 1954-56 | 527/24 | Novar 45mm/3.5 or Novicar f2.8 |
have a twin range light meter, identifiable by a slot machined through the meter cover, and a colored meter dial. | ||
Contina III | 1955-58 | 529/24 | Pantar 45mm/2.8 | Light meter + convertible lens | ||
Contina | 1962-65 | 10.0626 | Color Pantar 45/2.8 | updated, rounder styling; crank rewind, second viewfinder window for bright-line | ||
Contina J | 1964-65 | 10.0604 | Color Pantar 45/2.8 | no self-timer | ||
Contina L | 1963-65? | coupled meter
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Contina LK | 1963-65 | 10.0615 | Color Pantar 45/2.8 | coupled meter
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Contina-matic II | 1958-59 | 10.0613 | light meter | |||
Contina-matic III | 1959-60 | 10.0622 | Pantar 45/2.8 | meter |
Notes
- ↑ After McKeown, James M. and Joan C. McKeown's Price Guide to Antique and Classic Cameras, 12th Edition, 2005-2006. USA, Centennial Photo Service, 2004. ISBN 0-931838-40-1 (hardcover). ISBN 0-931838-41-X (softcover). Pages 1046-48.
Links
In English:
- Contina IIa at Chris's Camera Pages
- Contina II (not a IIa as stated) among classic cameras on Karen Nakamura's Photoethnography
- Contina II (not a IIa as stated) on The Camera Site by Reijo Lauro
- Contina II page at Camera Portraits
In French:
- Pages on www.collection-appareils.com by Sylvain Halgand:
In Spanish:
- Zeiss Ikon Contina Ia, by Daniel Jiménez, at Del infinito al plano focal