IvanL

I just inherited an old Zeis Contaflex with a 45mm 2.8 Carl Zeiss Tessar lens. Any one have any experience or knowledge of this camera? What are the odds of the shutter still working properly?

John_F Loc: Minneapolis, MN

A very long time ago I read an article on lenses that ranked the Tessars as among the finest lenses ever made and there optical properties were superb.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

If you decide to keep and use it, I have a Contaflex Tele Tessar 135mm f4 In very nice condition in the original case that I’ll make you a deal on if you can use it.

BebuLamar

The odds are good that the shutter still work. Accurately I would doubt it but I think if it works the accuracy is reasonable (less a stop off).
Since you inherited it simply test it. It's easy to test such a camera (not easy to fix though if something is wrong).

IvanL

Thanks, but this camera has a fixed sense, not interchangeable lenses.

BebuLamar

That doesn't make any difference. You can still test it to see if it works or not.

Paul J. Svetlik Loc: Colorado

Just put some cheap B&W film in it and gently push the trigger 36 times and focussing on a gray wall.
After that, can you develop film yourself?
Check the density of each of the frame. Sometimes the shutter slows down and overexposes the frame.
Be gentle. The mechanical shutter needs to start moving slowly:
From slow speeds to faster ones. You can also check the selftimer.
If you don't see any problem, you can try another roll but this time a good film.
If the shutter gets stuck during your test, the camera needs cleaning by a reliable camera mechanic.

There is a good chance that your camera is in a good working condition.

n4jee Loc: New Bern, NC

Shooting a roll of film or having a shutter tester is the most accurate way to determine if the shutter is accurate, but you can get a fair idea with your own eye. Set aperture to f2.8, open the camera back, point at a bright wall, while looking at the back start firing the shutter from it's fastest speed down to it's slowest speed. each successive shot should seem to be twice the length of the last. It will probably look pretty good till you get down to the very slow speeds. That's where most shutters are off. If it looks good shoot a roll of film to get a more accurate test.

John_F Loc: Minneapolis, MN

If it has been many years since last use, the shutter lube may have hardened. Might be a good idea to take it to a technician for maintenance.

agillot

if it was mine , i would first work the shutter at LOW speed a few time , then go up .low speeds are gentle on the mechanism .

ORpilot Loc: Prineville, Or

I still have my Zeiss Contaflex 1950's vintage. It was my first 35mm camera. Mine still works fine. All you have to do is wind the top right knob. Click the shutter (button) in the center of right top knob. The shutter will/may fire. You will now see nothing in the view finder. Then wind the knob again and the shutter will cock and the mirror will return to the up position. You can remove the back and see the shutter move during the fireing of the shutter. It is sycrocompur leaf shutter and not focal plane shutter. It is a fixed lens camera. The F2.8 Tessar is one of finest lenses ever made. I had made thousands of fine photos on this camera. Somewhere I still have the owners manual. Since it hasn't been used in a while you should run through all the shutter speeds several times to loosten it up. This camera is strictly mechanical. No batteries. I have used mine in -40 canadian winters and +120 southwest deserts without a hiccup. It is a classic 35mm like an Exacka VX. They take a licking and keep on ticking.

IvanL

Thanks, ORpilot. I'm anxious to try it out.

ORpilot Loc: Prineville, Or

For those that have no Idea what a Contaflex is.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Exactly which Zeiss Contaflex did you inherit?

There were a number of different models made from 1953 to 1972.

You mention that it has a Zeiss 45mm f/2.8 Tessar lens, which appears to narrow it down to the earliest model I or II, both of which have non-interchangeable lenses (can't use the 135mm TriX mentions above). ORpilot's camera, shown above, appears to be one of these non-interchangeable lens models (accessory slip-on lenses were available for wide angle, tele and macro).

A Contaflex 126, which uses Kodak's type 126 "Instamatic" cartridge film and was made from 1966 to 1971, was available with a Zeiss 45mm f/2.8 Color-Pantar lens. The Contaflex 126 is clearly marked as such, right on it's pentaprism. This camera does use interchangeable lenses, unusual among 126 film cameras. Focal lengths from 25mm to 200mm were offered, but they are a completely separate series than the 35mm film Contaflex used. There was a 135mm f/4 Tele-Tessar offered for this unusual camera (but it looks different from what TriX shows above: https://www.pacificrimcamera.com/pp/zicontf135tes126.htm). The 135mm f/4 lens for the Contaflex 126 will not fit onto the 35mm film cameras.

The 35mm film Contaflex are more difficult to tell apart... There were nine or ten different models, but most aren't clearly labelled with a model name or number. They use interchangeable "lens heads", rather than fully interchangeable lenses. Among these, there were two camera series that don't share lens heads:

First, there were several budget/entry-level Contaflex models.... Alpha, Beta and Prima... use a lower-priced "Pantar" series of lens heads: 45mm f/2.8 , 30mm f/4 and 75mm f/4. These lens heads are not usable on any of the other Contaflex models.

Second, the higher-end models Contaflex III, IV, Rapid, Super, Super B, Super New, Super BC and S models all use "Pro-Tessar" lens heads. There were two series of those: "old" style 50mm f/2.8, 35mm f/4 and 85mm f/4, as well as "new" style 50mm f/2.8, 35mm f/3.2, 85mm f/3.2 and 115mm f/4.

These lens heads are all interchangeable. The rear elements and aperture of the lens remain permanently affixed on the camera... only the front elements are changed out. There was no 135mm lens offered for these cameras.

In fact, one of the unique things about the Contaflex is that they use a leaf shutter, instead of focal plane shutters like most other 35mm SLRs. Leaf shutters are able to sync with flash at all speeds, among other things.

Another neat thing is that it's really easy to load the film in them. The entire camera back is removed as a unit, the film is installed in it, then it's reinstalled in the camera. There was a version of the film back available that allowed safe removal mid-roll, so that film type could be changed out if needed.

There also was a stereo image attachment available for some Contaflex. I'm not entirely certain what cameras it worked on.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if the camera you inherited works fine. If it's a model with a light meter, that may not work but the camera is fully usable without it.

You might find these sites helpful for general information about Contaflex and to help identify which model you've got:

https://www.pacificrimcamera.com/pp/zicontaflexsh.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contaflex_SLR
http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Contaflex_(SLR)

Once you know the model, you may be able to get a manual for it here:

https://www.butkus.org/chinon/zeiss_ikon.htm

(Free... but donations are welcome!)

Personally I have a Contaflex Super B with two film backs, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm and 1:1 Macro lens heads.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Alan, as always, you are correct. The Zeiss Tele Tessar I mentioned is indeed apparently for the Contaflex 126 (see below).

Cheers