Jena Contax

Sorry but Henry is not G*d & I really do not understand the idolization of him that some have around here.

Much of the "information" on his website is inaccurate to the point of deception. He is an acceptable technician but so is Eddie Smolov and I've been quite happy to choose Eddie and a) have my camera back in weeks rather than years b) have it cost something less than the camera did new and c) functions just fine.

Now, Ivan has come into possession of an extremely rare & important historical camera. Unless he intends to use it and it is, in fact, broken it should not be opened up just for the sake of opening it up. A CLA can be quite destructive of history. Frankly a better option for this particular body is donation to a museum.

Just my opinion.

William
 
I didn't say HS was g*d or anything close to that.....in fact I just used Eddy Smolov to CLA and put in new curtains on my Zorki 3 (the one with the slow speed dial on the front). The work was done last month and the camera failed during the first roll of film. He did correct the problem when I sent it back to him and I would use him again.

My point is that HS is a very good tech IMO for Contax RF's but I also use Essex and others as needed. I'm not defending HS or anyone else but I will not let personal slurs stand just because its the internet.

Ray
 
Personally I'm amazed with classic shooters who know nothing of basic camera repair.

Ever been to a classic car show?
How many owners work on cars?
I'd say 95%

I built my collection from broken cameras and either repaired them or purchased them for future parts.

Now given I would not work on a truly rare or expensive piece.
Like some mint leicas / rare contax and such.

But for a grade B contax I have no problems opening that sucker up and doing a CLA, I consider 4 days (afternoons) my turnaround time.
I've repaired countless Rolleicords, Zeiss Ikontas etc.
Cost nothing but a little time.

I just can't imagine waiting over a year for a repair,
no way.
The camera is very simple compared to most designs.
His website is designed to scare people into his service. imo
 
I too used to work on my cars, classic and otherwise, but when it comes to cameras I seem only able to reduce them to tiny heaps of rubble. There are probably more than a few camera owners out there who have that same problem.
 
No doubt, Ivan´s Jena Contax II is a rare bird which deserves special consideration.
IMO, this means to spend one 36 exp. test roll to check if everything is OK or not, and not to do anything else with the camera but shooting, unless it´s really needed.

The only serious problem a Contax II / III or Kiev may have is to have one or both of the shutter curtain ribbons in bad shape needing replacement, which, BTW isn´t an impossible task.

Cheers

Ernesto
 
BTW, and if needed, I guess that there should be some shops in Germany and / or Austria able today to repair a Contax. That means a shorter trip both ways as well as lower cost and faster service.
Let´s wait to see Ivan´s pictures!

Ernesto
 
Funny that some folks seem to dislike HS because he's been successful. I've had good experiences with him. He even serviced a lens that someone on this forum had hacked. The aperture ring was loose and the lens just didn't perform. All was fine after an HS service. God? No, but he does care about his work.
 
first... if that camera is working don't open it... or only for a very conservative and most prudent CLA...
Second it's so rare it should be in a museum (and not travelling around in a normal parcel... anywhere with any company)...

I have the same "repair or not repair" problem with a less valuable but quite rare period lens 2936226 CZJ sonnar 50/2 T which a non russified lens from a batch known as having been "Kraznogorised"... the lens is very nice except the front lens... which has seen better days...
I think it will end on a shelf...
 
The first issue is always.....is it a camera and should one use it as it was meant to be used or is it a slice of history to be preserved. This can become a problem.....and in my case has led to some strange circumstances. I think folks that haunt this site lean towards the latter.

Ray
 
myequation said:
Personally I'm amazed with classic shooters who know nothing of basic camera repair.

...
I just can't imagine waiting over a year for a repair,
no way.
The camera is very simple compared to most designs.
His website is designed to scare people into his service. imo
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I'm with you on this. If you're going to delve into classic cameras, you'd be doing yourself a big favor if you learn to service them.

It's only intimidating the first few times. After that, it's not that difficult. Your biggest investment is time. A few weekends certainly is much less than months and months, not including the cost.
 
First, heartly congratulations to the OP! An amazing find!

This camera, IMHO, is significant enough to warrant extreme caution. My own IIIa came from HS with incorrect screws holding the front plate. It was irking to me, but I happen to repair most of my cameras myself (the IIIa was the first and probably the last to be farmed out), and I know sometimes screwheads do break, or screwdrivers slip and damage the heads. So, while it bothers me, it is not such a big deal-in my humble IIIa. In a Jena Contax it would be catastrophic, again in my humble opinion.

I must again, as I've done lots of times here, side with those that are amazed by the idolatry towards that repairman. Maybe I was very unlucky, but my experience has been... less than satisfactory, perhaps? You be the judge:

I've been using my Contax for over 30 years. Before me, my dad used it since new. In 51 long years, travelling in five continents, many times in harsh conditions, it never malfunctioned in any way at all. It went to the Sahara, to the top of the Matterhorn, many times to the rainforest without missing one beat. I trusted my camera blindly, and it is my sole system. Spare bodies seemed an abusrd idea for me.

Then, a few years ago I had the brilliant idea of having it serviced by who appeared to be the most reputed repairman. When it arrived, I was bothered by small details- the incorrect screws, the red lens-mounting dot paint that peeled at the first use.
With time, it came a second, more serious problem: the new meter cell was dead, and I had to replace it. The 51 year old one never went west- I just had it changed out of "precaution". And now, the shutter is capping at all high speeds. In a camera that worked perfectly during more than 50 years, and was "overhauled" only a few years ago.

It seems to me that I lost a considerable amount of money and time. But more importantly, I lost the confidence in my primary 35mm camera, the one I loved to use during decades.
 
My dear friends, excuse my long silence. I was very busy during the last times.
Thank you for your advices regarding Henry Scherer's extraordinary skills but here in Europe one can find some repairmen, too.
The camera indeed had two major problems, when purchased.
(1) Zeiss bumps on the back. There the key person could be undoubtedly Mr. Scherer. May be in a better life.
(2) Shutter problem, in the first place with slow times. Hypothetical explication: dirt and eventually oxidation (traces of copper sulphate). Now it is fixed by only cleaning and lubricating WITHOUT adjusting, because it seemed unnecessary. The cleaning was effectuated without even disassembling of neither the shutter nor the rangefinder system. The noticeably used original silk ribbons are kept. (I bought new Kiev ribbons needless.) The whole process was happening in my presence. I was documenting the major steps in taking digital photos and noting down the letters and numbers discovered on the interior parts of the camera.
The lens is in perfect state (no cleaning marks or fungus, no oil on aperture blades).
My dear friends, thank you once more for your attention and precious advices.
Happy new year for all of you.
 
Highway 61 said:
I suppose that the back has a plain black leather covering without any Zeiss-Ikon logo embossed. This is defnitely the real McCoy, a 1946-1947 Contax II made at Saalfeld near Jena as a training for the Ukrainian techs. who were working on the "Volga camera project" (this is how the Kiev rangefinder should have be named).

As Paul T. cleverly told you, get in touch with Peter Hennig. Your camera serial number should be registered at the Zeiss Historica database.
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You are right. The back has no logo embossed. On the other hand I have never seen such a rewinding knob. It seems to be unique among Dresden or Jena Contaxes or Kievs. Other thing: I can't contact Peter Hennig. He doesn't answer, or the email address I have is erratic.
 

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wlewisiii said:
Sorry but Henry is not G*d & I really do not understand the idolization of him that some have around here.

I'm an early adopter of HS. Sent him my camera back in the summer of 2003 and he sent it back to me COMPLETELY RESTORED in a week! Those were the days. I'm partly at fault for the long waiting list, as I admit I did sing his praises all over the web. My camera, which had packed up completely after being CLA'd by another repair shop, came back in perfect working and cosmetic shape and has worked flawlessly ever since.
I don't think folks on here overstate Henry's prowess. He has carved out a VERY narrow specialty and his work is top-notch. That's all I'm saying.
Vic
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re-naissance said:
Paul,
It was sold by a Hungarian internet shop as a cheap Zeiss Ikon Contax, but it is marked Carl Zeiss Jena on top. Tomorrow I'll take some pictures. (Here it's midnight now.) Serial nr.: 11868, lens (Sonnar 2/50mm) nr.: 3060407. Numbers are ok for a Jena Contax. Inscription in shoe ok. Lettering style ok. Camera case, lens cap are Jena style originals, too. The camera back has matching number, but it is aluminium, not brass!
Good night.
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Ciao Ivan,
happy new year for you and your family. Anyway the 2008 year is finished very well for you: you purchased a real treasure for a penny!!!
Your Jena Contax is one of first samples, the archive of Zeiss Historica reported (after four-digit seral numbers) as known models the #11758, #11792, #11801, #11814#, #11849#11856, #11857, #11862, #11863, #11864 and 11873. On Sasaki's Book "CONTAX TO KIEV-A REPORT OF MUTATION" the first model listed is #11888. This for tell you the importance and rarity of your camera!

***Please DO NOT dismount or try to repair your camera in ANY WAY!!!*** You already have had enough luck to find it, so do not run the risk to damage it!!! Don't worry for Zeiss bumps on back cover and slow shutter: this could be excused, due the rarity.

I have #14659 with lens 3051152 (listed on Zeiss Historica Society archive); #18059 with lens 3094259; another sample without serial nuber on accessory shoe and numbers erased on body and back cover (logo Contax is very early) with lenses 3003137. Also, I have two Jena-Kiev III.

Many compliments again and greetings from Italy!
Ciao,
Claudio
 
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