Zeiss Ikon Contax Camera Repair
A home for your Zeiss Ikon Contax, Contarex or Super Ikonta camera!
Of Interest...
Welcome, Contax Lovers, to our new website!
Zeisscamera.com is the premier site for restoration, repairs, maintenance, custom modifications, advice and information about your Zeiss Ikon Contax cameras, lenses and accessories. Custom machining and repair parts are available in conjunction with service and overhaul work performed here. In depth information about the operation and inner workings of the Contax cameras is freely available.
I provide the highest possible quality services to the Zeiss Ikon Contax line of cameras. These services range from cosmetic repair to complete overhauls. Your service needs for your camera can be completely fulfilled here. You will find the highest possible quality and service available anywhere in the world for your valuable Zeiss Ikon Contax cameras, lenses and accessories.
Whatever service you need for your ZEISS IKON Contarex, Contaflex TLR, Nettax, Contessa, Contina, Colora, Ikonta, Super Ikonta, Nettel, Super Nettel, Contax I, II, III, IIa, IIIa Black Dial or Color Dial Model, Bessamatic or Ultramatic and Contaflex SLR- you will find it here. Contax, Contessa, Contina, Super Ikonta and other Zeiss Camera Lightmeters overhauled and new photocells are available.
Camera Repair Scam Warning
Many of your will doubtless remember the $35.00 camera overhaul scam that was targeted on the USA through the Internet by "Cheerful Oleg" in russia a year or two ago. Actually, it was not cheerful nor was it Oleg. It was a criminal gang stealing money and cameras sent to them by innocent victims. The money got put into their pockets and the cameras wound up on tables at camera shows in Europe. The whole thing collapsed when people stopped getting answers to their emails asking where their cameras were. The same criminal gang is back operating the same scam in Europe and are now offering a phony 50.00 Euro camera overhaul. It's going to end the same way so save your money and save your cameras and lenses. The old saying that if a deal seems too good to be true it probably is too good to be true is being proven here again. My guess is that "Cheerful Oleg" and his buddies will soon tire of Europe and decide to come back here. If you have a camera friend in Europe he'll be grateful to you if you pass on this warning.
Update: Since posting this warning I've started to receive a daily dose of malicious emails containing viruses. It looks like you good friends are reading this warning, passing it on, and it is doing its work. Please keep up the good effort to let others know..
New
Ultra-high precision Lens separation and recementing for all lenses, regardless of cement type (epoxy or balsam) or manufacturer. To learn more about it see our lens overhaul page using this link:
Free Internet Language Translation Service:
If your language is not English and you want to email me or transact business with someone in a foreign country you can use the Yahoo Babelfish Internet Translation Engine. It can be used to translate just about any language into plain English that can be cut and pasted and then emailed to me. Here's the link to this valuable and free service:
Yahoo Babelfish Translation Engine
Zeiss Ikon Contaflex SLR Service and Parts:
The Contaflex SLR camera model line has not been serviced here in the past. The reason for this is that this camera is such a good picture taker having such great reliability it tended to get used to the extent that by the time it got sent here replacement parts were necessary to restore it to original factory standards. Parts were not available and because of this the camera was not serviced here.
I have recenlty taken delivery of the complete final inventory of Contaflex SLR parts, over 200 pounds of them, sold to me by the final owner of the Carl Zeiss factory service center in Canada. This person maintained this Contaflex SLR parts collection complete and entire for all Contaflex models to support his personal collection of Contaflex SLR cameras. No parts were sold out of this collection from the day Zeiss went out of the camera busienss until now.
Reservations are now being accepted for Contaflex SLR camera restorations. If you would like to reserve a spot on the waiting list contact me using this link:
Parts are not being sold individually but will be used, as necessary, only in conjunction with overhauls performed here.
New Service: Package Forwarding from Europe to the USA
There are many sellers on Ebay in Europe and particularly on Ebay Germany and Ebay Switzerland who refuse to ship outside of Europe or Germany. I have seen many delightful photo goodies sell cheaply because only bidders with a Germany shipping address could bid on them. In order to fix this problem I've entered into a contract with a package forwarding company in the City of Berlin, Germany. With them it is possible to buy items available for delivery only in Germany or the European Union and have them forwarded directly to you by express delivery. If you are interested in this service please use this link:
Shipping Service: Germany or Europe to the USA
Camera Source Warning
Please DO NOT buy any camera of any kind such as a Leica, Contax I, II, III, IIa or IIIa camera being sold on Ebay out of the Netherlands....ever and, in particular, from a seller named "petrakla".. These cameras are russian fakes in disguise at best, with Contax or Leica front plates and are worth no more than $25.00. At the worst they are totally junker Contaxes or Leicas that have been very expertly airbrushed with cheap paint so that they look good on a medium resolutoin jpeg. If you would like to see an actual invoice for the most recent Netherlands FrankenContax to arrive here please use this link:
FrankenContax Restoration Invoice
Every camera or lens that I have seen over the past five years whose source has been the Netherlands has been a wreck inside. They have all been carefully prepared with very expertly applied fresh (russian made) exterior paint and expertly made modern plastic leatherette to look very good on a Jpeg. But inside they have been ruined. There have been absolutely no exceptions including, and most especially, cameras, accessories or lenses sold on Ebay. I have also noticed a very peculiar coincidence that whenever I am forced to tell a camera owner about the actual internal condition of the camera, and the extra charges for necessary repair parts, the next thing that happens is that my email in-box is bombarded with malicious email originating from russia. Please take my advice and DO NOT under any circumstances, no matter how good it may appear, buy a camera, lens or accessory from any source in the Netherlands. My experience is that a great many of these cameras and lenses are actually sourced out of russia where they have been butchered. This advice also applies to sending your camera to russia for repairs. I have seen enough of these victim cameras to know that any camera sent to russia for a cheap repair is butchered. These cameras are extremely difficult to repair, are frequently impossible to restore completely, and are just not worth all the time, trouble and expense involved. Just DO NOT DO IT. Please keep in mind that Shills and Touts working for russian camera repair outfits operate regularly on the Internet and most especially on the Rangefinder forum. If you are in doubt just ask me and I'll tell you what I think about a source.
Please understand that if you buy a camera from the Netherlands, and you send it here to be repaired when it fails, it is extremely likely that the additional charges for necessary repair parts will be extrordinarily high.
The camera models I have seen from russia and the Netherlands are the Contax I, II, III, IIa, iIIa and Super Ikonta along with the Contarex Bullseye and Super.. All of these cameras were inaccurate, inconsistent, and unreliable. They all looked good on the outside and had been wrecked on the inside. I've also seen oiled separated lenses along with scratched and hazed lenses "improved" with clear lacquer applied to the front element surface. The simplest rule is DO NOT BUY ANTYHING FROM THE NETERHLANDS.
Zeiss Explains Lens Resolution and Contrast
This four page Zeiss Technical Publication was originally printed in 1976. It was found in a collection of Zeiss papers that were recently purchased. It explains and demonstrates the Zeiss position on lens contast and precision in four pages with such clarity and completeness there is no doubt that once you have read it you will understand everything about this topic. This document contains pictures that are crucial to the understanding of this article and so it has been scanned in very high resolution Jpeg format so that they will reproduce on your computer with sufficient clarity.
Zeiss Explains Resolution and Contrast
All Your Macro Questions Answered:
While doing some surfing for photo pleasure I ran across this wonderful web site about all things macro put together as an act of love of macro photography by Dr. Kalus Schmitt. It is a German web site in English that answers more of your questions concerning macro lenses, cameras, accessories and manufacturer's than you'll ever find answered anywhere else. It's highly organized, richly illustrated, authoritative and overall a very complete site and very useful. I'm putting it here, even though it's not strictly Contax because it is just so good:
The Best Service for your Japanese Made Contax SLR, G or T Camera or Medium Format 645 Camera and Lenses:
I get a lot of inquiries about a good souce of service for these fine cameras even though I don't repair them.. Kyocera licensed the Contax name from Zeiss and made a great variety of Contax named cameras in Japan. Recently they discontinued making these cameras and have turned over the servicing of them in the USA to the ToCam Co. But if you want original factory service it is still available, but in Japan. My opinion is that this is the best possible service and if you want the best for your Kyocera Contax the Kyocery company factory service center in Japan is the best place to send it. If you would like to contact them about how and where to send your camera here is a link to the web site that provides this information:
Kyocera Contax Service in Japan
The Early Illustrated History of Carl Zeiss by Carl Zeiss
Recently a very rare postcard printed by Carl Zeiss in 1921 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of its founding came onto the market and was obtained by Zeisscamera. It is so unusual in its information and printing quality that high definition scans of its illustrations have been provided for you to enjoy. The postcard was intaglio printed from an engraving in the same manner as U.S. Currency and the quality is amazing. Please use the provided link to go to the Zeiss Postcard Page.
Carl Zeiss 1921 75th Anniversary Postcard Detailed Pictures
The Best USA Photo lab For Black and White and Kodachrome
It has become common practice for regular (drug store type) photo finishers to print black and white negatives onto color paper. The results of this image degrading practice is dull and lifeless prints that do not have that Zeiss sharpness, contrast and zip. If you shoot true black and white film, want your film properly hand processed in black and white chemistry, and printed onto genuine black and white paper at a reasonable price try Dwayne's Photo. They are also the last Kodak certified Kodachrome processor in the USA and are the best place to send your precious Kodachrome. Their prices are very reasonable, their service is fast and extremely good and so I highly recommend them if you don't want to set up your own darkroom or if you want to continue using irreplaceable Kodachrome. Here's a link to their site:
Dwayne's Photo Processing Service
They are a good old fashioned full service shop that does just about anything and deserve your custom.
Contax Camera Leather Recovering, Personalization and Gold Stamping is Now Available
I have recently obtained a supply of the highest possible quality bookbinding leather for use in recovering Contax, Super Ikonta and other Zeiss Cameras. The leather is the finest quality available in the world. It is hand vegetable tanned goatskin available in many colors and surfaces. There is also hand vegetable tanned calfskin and thinly pared sheep available in black. This leather is equal to or exceeds the quality of the original and is totally luxurious. Custom made Zeiss Ikon stamps are here so that the replacement leather will bear original Zeiss Ikon stamping embossments. Because cameras vary slightly in size from batch to batch, the leather must be hand fit very precisely, and because it is extremely expensive and must be purchased in entire skins, it is not possible to sell the leather separately. With many colors to choose from you can customize your camera with a covering that is factory original in every respect, and you can have the stamping made in 23 kit gold and your name or other identifications can also be permanently embossed in gold into the leather anywhere you desire. Here's a link to the leather color palette if you are interested:
If your Contax back leather has been ruined by being cut, slit and butchered to temporarily remove the Zeiss bumps it can be recovered and completely restored to original new condition. When this is done the Zeiss bump problem will be permanently and properly cured so that it never returns. If you have a back that needs attention contact me using this link: Mail To Superwide.
Back recovering is done quickly and is not subject to the waiting list. Just about anything is possible and so if you have a question of any kind about leather, stamps, personalization please ask.
Here's a link to a page containing pictures of a Contax IIa back that has been recovered:
Contax IIa Leather and Recovering
How It Was in 1955
An original full page New York camera store advertisement from 1955 containing many Zeiss items recently became available and its posted here for you to see and remember the good old days. If you want to view this advertisement full size (1 Mb) just click on the picture of it to pull up the full size view.
Lens Cleaning Cloth Warning
The popularity of "micro fiber" lens cleaning cloths is not a good thing. These cloths hold the dirt they pick up and become lens sand paper over time. It seems that every generation of new photographers gets marketed some lens cleaning solution which is lens ruination in disguise. If you want to clean your lenses properly use dust off or a fine sable hair brush to remove loose particles. Then, if this is not enough, gently use a new cotton swab moistened with clean water containing a small amount of soap or detergent. If you want a deluxe solution to the lens cleaning problem obtain a Zeiss lens cleaning kit and keep it close. DO NOT USE MICROFIBER CLOTH - IT IS LENS RUIN IN DISGUISE.
The New Carl Zeiss Contax Mount ZM 50mm f1.5 Sonnar Investigated
I purchased several of these wonderful lenses and have performed a very detailed and thorough examination with the conclusion there has been a big factory mistake and they are not Nikon lenses as advertised, but have been made for the Contax camera.
Limited Edition Carl Zeiss 50mm f1.5 T* ZM Sonnar In Contax Mount
New Custom Hand Made Leather Contax Cases Now Available:
Arrangements have at last been made with a custom leather case manufacturer to provide new extremely high quality leather cases for the Prewar Contax II and III and the Postwar Contax IIa and IIIa camera models. Both half and full cases are available and all cases come with a leather strap. The strap attaches to the case and not to the camera lugs. The cases are internally lined with soft velvet and fit the camera just like a glove.. Cases are available in black and brown leather. Because each case is individually hand made to your order delivery will be approximately three weeks after the order has been placed. Shipping will be from the United States and so shipping costs will be very reasonable. If you are interested in ordering a case please send me an email using this link: Mail To Henry Scherer, Here are pictures of the front and back of the case:
Cases for the Contax I are now available in black or brown and come with a strap. Half and full cases are available:
New Lens and Camera Body Painting Available
I have recently been able to compound and hand manufacture two paints which are in all respects the equal in appearance and characteristic of the paints used by Zeiss to paint the Contax I, II, III, IIa and IIIa cameras. These paints are not modern but are of a very old classic formula used before WWII. One paint is high gloss black and the other is the very fine matte finish black. Both finishes are hard, chip resistant and solvent proof. These paints are very difficult and expensive to produce so it will not be possible to sell them individually, they can only be applied here. Both paints require a three day elevated temperature baking schedule to fully cure and so painting will only be available as part of a regular complete overhaul of the equipment involved.
If you have a Sonnar lens or any black painted lens by any manufacturer with a black painted front end that has been dented the chances are very good it can be repaired without any sign it has ever been damaged.
If your desire is to have your Contax I repainted please keep in mind that when Zeiss engraved the camera body it engraved through the paint. This means that when the camera is repainted the original engravings into the metal, which are very shallow, may be over covered.
Tricked up lenses warning
I have been seeing a substantial increase in Sonnar lenses with Surface Defects and Internal Separation that have been tricked up with wax to temporarily hide surface defects and oil to temporarily correct internal separation. Find out all about how to protect yourself against being cheated by someone selling a tricked up lens.
What a CLA leaves out
The recent upsurge of interest in the German made Contax camera has resulted in confusion regarding the kind of service needed to allow these rare and unique cameras to be put back into regular operation without running the risk of damage caused by insufficient lubrication.
I have been asked numerous times recently what is the main difference between a complete overhaul and a CLA and why an overhaul costs more and is more time consuming than a CLA.
Since this article was first written it has become the practice of many operators who sell their Contax camera services on Ebay and elsewhere to use the word "overhaul" to describe the things they do to a camera at a lowball price. I've seen several of these "overhauled" cameras along with their receipts. The receipts have the word "overhaul" repeated all over the page, but inside the cameras all I found was work constituting a cheap, fast and superficial CLA.
The one sure sign of a real complete overhaul where the worker has true confidence in the correctness and thoroughness of his work is a ONE YEAR WARRANTY. If you can't get a ONE YEAR WARRANTY don't have the work done there. The key is confidence. Why should you have confidence in work where the worker has none in what he has done? A nice long no-none sense quick turnaround warranty is the certain and sure sign of real craftsmanship, thoroughness and care.
Service For Modern Kyocera Japanese Made Contax SLR Cameras:
I've been getting a lot of inquiries about modern Japanese made Contax SLR cameras. I don't service these cameras but here is the contact information for the factory successor servicing company for these cameras:
ToCAD America Inc.
300 Webro Road
Parsippany, NJ 07054
Phone: 973-428-9800
Fax: 973-887-2438
Web Site: www.tocad.com
