Thank you for sharing your knowledge. And totally agree: Really a nice display item. Only if these little ones' lenses could be adapter to mirrorless...
I dont know what happened, but one minute I could turn the film advance and click the shutter, and the next moment, I could not get the shutter to open and close when clicking the shutter release. I might have moved the timer to V, I have pout it back to x with some difficulty but get nothing still when pressing the shutter release, not can I see through the viewfinder, as the focal plane shutter isn't releasing either I guess. what have I done and what can I do to relase the shutter
Do you know where I can find a good video explaining all the ins and outs of a film camera? I just got this camera passed down to me and I know nothing about what any of the numbers or exposure means. Thanks very much great video!
I just noticed that your serial number is very close to my father's one, he bought it in Sweden, in the spring of 1958 and has 3347645 on the lens, you had 3347416. Do you have any idea of where yours was first sold?
i got a zeiss ikon contina iii. and i didnt figure out how to use the lens. i have the same model of lens as yours and same.mounting system with that tab. i just didnt figure out how the focus range works. good video, great tutorial. i like all of your videos BTW,
Are you sure this IS a Contaflex II? I believe that model had a Tessar lens, with 1/500th fastest speed. The Beta has the Pantar lens with 1/300th, and the Prontor Reflex shutter, like the one in this video. cf. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contaflex_SLR#Contaflex_Alpha_and_Beta I got interested when I was faced with identifying a Contaflex that I bought myself ! -;)
John Ladd I think your right! Good catch. The models are pretty similar and I did a google search and this was the same model. I don't have this camera anymore so I'll have to go off of what's in the video.
No but it's fairly straightforward. First open the meter window. There is going to be a matchstick meter to the right of the top left dial you want to line up circle with wherever the line,"matchstick", is. Then adjust your ISO to the film speed you have, do this by moving the ring on the left dial. It has ASA/DIN on it, use the black lines on the open sections to select. The dial will now show a set of usable exposures like 5.6/12. So adjust the f-stop to whatever you prefer and adjust the speed to match the dial. In the 5.6/12 example the lens should read 5.6/125. Let me know if that is clear.
I have a Zeiss Ikon with a Tessar 2,8/50 lens, I don't really understand all the features of the camera and how they work though, I don't seem to find any camera or lens online that looks exactly like mine, I'm dying to learn more about it but don't seem to find any info on it, I also have one of those folding Zeiss Ikon's with a nettar lens, I like that one more just because it is so simple ;)
+Stijn Beeckman Wow I just found out I can fold up the rubber ring around my lens, that way I can also take it off and under there it says some stuff about the camera itself, it's a Contaflex Synchro-Compur-X, and the lens is a Tessar 2,8/50
+Stijn Beeckman Aha now I found the same camera as mine online :) I think mine works with an old kind of battery for the light meter and the flash, still don't find any with the same lens as mine though, none have the rubber ring around it like mine has
nicely made video! But the explanation is not correct. On the left dial, the figures at the very outside show you what figure you have to choose at the lenses right bottom. Those figures relate to each other. Then you will get the shutter speed and aperture ('f') that are possible to use in your current (light-) situation. You really confused me ;-) I shooted 16 picture, some according your explenation, some with my the ideas of a friend and myself. The result is, that with your system all the pictures are too bright, with our system they are just great. Maybe you should try it out yourself. (we also compared what a modern DSLR would choose, aperture- and shutter speed-wise, and it was closer to our system than to yours. Sorry to say ;-)
High quality camera, as you say, built to last.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge. And totally agree: Really a nice display item.
Only if these little ones' lenses could be adapter to mirrorless...
Thank you. Now I know a little more of my contaflex
Gracias!
I dont know what happened, but one minute I could turn the film advance and click the shutter, and the next moment, I could not get the shutter to open and close when clicking the shutter release. I might have moved the timer to V, I have pout it back to x with some difficulty but get nothing still when pressing the shutter release, not can I see through the viewfinder, as the focal plane shutter isn't releasing either I guess. what have I done and what can I do to relase the shutter
Do you know where I can find a good video explaining all the ins and outs of a film camera? I just got this camera passed down to me and I know nothing about what any of the numbers or exposure means. Thanks very much great video!
I would check out David Hancock. He does really in depth tutorials. Understanding the exposure triangle is a good start.
Just bought one off eBay for a dirt cheap price. Every works but it's missing the take up spool. Can I just use the spool inside the film roll?
Yes that should work if it is functional
Great Video. I have a 1967 Contraplex with a Tessar Lens. Ive shot a bit with 200 speed film Yet Im now trying to figure out how to clean Her...
I also work on Fix Old Cameras and this has been explained to me as one of the most difficult cameras to work on. So tread lightly.
Indeed. A complex shutter to aperture to meter linkage, but still a gem of a camera.
I just noticed that your serial number is very close to my father's one, he bought it in Sweden, in the spring of 1958 and has 3347645 on the lens, you had 3347416. Do you have any idea of where yours was first sold?
Not sure, purchased this from a thrift store in America. No idea of lineage.
i got a zeiss ikon contina iii. and i didnt figure out how to use the lens. i have the same model of lens as yours and same.mounting system with that tab. i just didnt figure out how the focus range works.
good video, great tutorial. i like all of your videos BTW,
+Xiaonan Song thanks! Glad you enjoyed it.
Are you sure this IS a Contaflex II? I believe that model had a Tessar lens, with 1/500th fastest speed. The Beta has the Pantar lens with 1/300th, and the Prontor Reflex shutter, like the one in this video.
cf. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contaflex_SLR#Contaflex_Alpha_and_Beta
I got interested when I was faced with identifying a Contaflex that I bought myself !
-;)
John Ladd I think your right! Good catch. The models are pretty similar and I did a google search and this was the same model. I don't have this camera anymore so I'll have to go off of what's in the video.
Hey.. good video. But Do you have a video to show an example how to use the meter guide setting correctly? I am very confused!!!!
No but it's fairly straightforward. First open the meter window. There is going to be a matchstick meter to the right of the top left dial you want to line up circle with wherever the line,"matchstick", is. Then adjust your ISO to the film speed you have, do this by moving the ring on the left dial. It has ASA/DIN on it, use the black lines on the open sections to select. The dial will now show a set of usable exposures like 5.6/12. So adjust the f-stop to whatever you prefer and adjust the speed to match the dial. In the 5.6/12 example the lens should read 5.6/125. Let me know if that is clear.
I have a Zeiss Ikon with a Tessar 2,8/50 lens, I don't really understand all the features of the camera and how they work though, I don't seem to find any camera or lens online that looks exactly like mine, I'm dying to learn more about it but don't seem to find any info on it, I also have one of those folding Zeiss Ikon's with a nettar lens, I like that one more just because it is so simple ;)
+Stijn Beeckman Wow I just found out I can fold up the rubber ring around my lens, that way I can also take it off and under there it says some stuff about the camera itself, it's a Contaflex Synchro-Compur-X, and the lens is a Tessar 2,8/50
+Stijn Beeckman Aha now I found the same camera as mine online :) I think mine works with an old kind of battery for the light meter and the flash, still don't find any with the same lens as mine though, none have the rubber ring around it like mine has
+Stijn Beeckman Glad you figured it out.
thanks for reviewing dude
Great video but my viewfinder still won't open
Bummer. You may want to try fixing it, but I'm guessing minimum of 50+ dollars.
nicely made video! But the explanation is not correct. On the left dial, the figures at the very outside show you what figure you have to choose at the lenses right bottom. Those figures relate to each other. Then you will get the shutter speed and aperture ('f') that are possible to use in your current (light-) situation.
You really confused me ;-) I shooted 16 picture, some according your explenation, some with my the ideas of a friend and myself. The result is, that with your system all the pictures are too bright, with our system they are just great. Maybe you should try it out yourself. (we also compared what a modern DSLR would choose, aperture- and shutter speed-wise, and it was closer to our system than to yours. Sorry to say ;-)
En español por favor. Gracias.
Me hablo poquito español porque puedo tratar.