Zeiss Ikon Contax Camera Repair

A home for your Zeiss Ikon Contax, Contarex or Super Ikonta camera!

Services For The Contax Pre-War Model II and III

The following services are offered for these particular models:

Contax II and III Services
Service Cost
1. Complete camera body overhaul $335.00
2. Five Year Touchup Service $124.95
3. Shutter Tape Replacement:
     Previously overhauled camera shutter tape replacement $95.00
     Regular Shutter tape replacement $175.00
4. Rangefinder CLA $75.00
5. External Cosmetic Servicing $65.00
6. Complete Shutter Overhaul $255.00
7. Critical Camera Alignment $125.00
8. Leather Bump Removal $75.00
9. Repair Estimate $35.00
10. Russian Parts Identification $25.00

Notes:

  1. Complete camera body overhaul: This service includes complete disassembly of the entire camera body and shutter, replacement of the shutter tapes with new silk Zeiss specification tapes, ultrasonic cleaning and lubrication of all parts and a precision alignment of the shutter and rangefinder. It also includes removal of any Zeiss bumps in the leather and leather restoration along with exterior cosmetic servicing and self timer overhaul.
  2. Five Year Touchup Service: If your camera has been previously overhauled here it is elegible for this special low priced service. If you use your camera regularly it is always a good idea to have it examined, cleaned, lubricated and adjusted a maximum of every five years. This will ensure that critical parts will not wear excessively, any developing problems are corrected early, and that it continues to give you accurate and reliable service for at least another five years. This service includes replacement shutter tapes at no additional charge if they are excessively worn.
  3. Shutter Tape Replacement:

    There are two levels of shutter tape replacement service. If your Contax II or III camera has been completely overhauled here and it is out of warranty and one or both of the shutter tapes have worn out the the price of a shutter tape replacment is much less.

    1. Previously overhauled camera shutter tape replacement: $95.00.
    2. Regular Shutter tape replacement: $175.00. This service is the same as a "shutter overhaul" when performed by other repair shops. This servicing consists of replacement of the shutter tapes with new tapes and adjustment of the shutter spring tension to obtain the most accurate possible 1/125 sec. speed. This is the basic service that will get your camera going. To read more about it, use this hot link: What Are Shutter Tapes? . The shutter is externally cleaned and oiled as necessary. This service depends upon undamaged shutter curtains and undamaged shutter springs. Shutter curtain replacement is a rare situation. I haven't yet found a shutter with curtains so bad they couldn't be used, but I have to account for the possibility. Shutter springs may be a problem if the camera has been worked on by an amateur.
  4. Rangefinder Cleaning/Adjustment: This servicing consists of cleaning of all the optical components, recementing of the variable position lens, cleaning/re lubrication of all mechanical components in the range finder mechanism, and range finder calibration. It will return the action of the range finder to like new feather light silky smoothness and positive action and accuracy. Damaged components may be replaced at additional cost. To read more about it use this hot link: Why is a Range finder Overhaul Necessary?
    1. Rangefinder Prism Replacement: If your prism has deteriorated to the point where it is no longer possible to view through it, factory replacements are available for $175.00 each. Prism replacement is only possible in conjunction with a full rangefinder overhaul.
  5. External Cosmetic Servicing: This servicing consists of the following:
    1. All external chrome is ultrasonically cleaned to restore the original luster.
    2. All internal camera and component surfaces are hand solvent cleaned to remove all traces of migrated old lubricant.
    3. "Zeiss bumps" under the leather are removed.
    4. The film pressure plate and internal components are re polished by hand to original luster.
    5. Engraving paint is touched up as necessary.
    6. Trim paint is touched up as necessary.
    7. External screws with deterioration of the visible surfaces are repolished and replated.
  6. Complete Shutter Overhaul: This is a complete disassembly of the shutter with shutter tape replacement. If you want the total performance the Contax shutter was designed to provide, this is the only way to get it all. All shutter components (including film advance components) are removed from the shutter assembly and ultrasonically cleaned. All bearing journals are polished to a one micron finish. All shafts are polished to a one micron finish. New synthetic Swiss and French watch and clock greases and oils are used to lubricate the shutter upon assembly. The shutter curtain leathers are replaced if such is required. A shutter receiving this servicing will be better than when it was new. The shutter will be precision adjusted and a shutter speed report is provided with the camera. If new shutter curtains are required the cost of shutter curtain replacement is an additional $150.00. To read more about the shutter overhaul use this hot link:

    Why is a Shutter Overhaul Necessary?

    To see a detailed and illustrated explanation of the workings of the Contax II and III shutter use this hot link: The Illustrated Contax Shutter.

  7. Critical Camera Alignment: This service is provided for cameras that have been dropped, abused or disassembled by others not having the use of an autocollimator. It is included in all repair work performed by me that disturbs the lens mount and is included in the Range finder Service, Complete Shutter Overhaul Service and the Complete Camera Overhaul. To read more about camera alignment use this hot link: Camera Alignment .
  8. Leather Bump Removal: The formation of the well known "Zeiss Bump" is the result of a chemical reaction between the tanning chemicals used in the leather, and the exposed copper in the exposed brass rivet heads used to hold the back pieces together. Bumps can also form on the front of the camera where brass screws have been used to fasten the self timer cover. These bumps can be removed, but it is also necessary to cover the brass rivet tops and screws with an insulating material to ensure the bumps will not reappear. This service removes the bumps and treats the rivet heads so that the bump removal is permanent.
  9. Repair Estimate: This is the cost to disassemble the camera, determine the extent of repairs necessary, and reassemble the camera. If the suggested repairs, consisting of one or more of the above listed services are approved, the estimate is at no additional cost. An estimate is usually required when the problem is not obvious, or if the necessary fix is due to damage from dropping, wetting, or other situation not remedied by a standard service from this schedule.
  10. Russian Parts Identification plus return shipping: This service will let you know if the beautiful Contax II or III you just bought is actually a kiev in disguise. Many unscrupulous criminals are making a fast buck by replacing the Kiev face plate with a Contax face plate or they are replacing the original German Contax shutter with a cheap kiev copy shutter. A genuine beautiful Contax II sells for about $500.00 and a beautiful kiev sells for about $30.00. It's not hard to see how this can happen. This identification service is not subject to the waiting list and the turnaround time will be no more than 5 days. You will be provided with a letterhead printed invoice containing a complete and accurate description of the authenticity of your camera.

Customer Supplied Parts Bodies

Occasionally a customer will include an additional camera body along with the one to be worked on so that I can use it as a source of "free" parts. There are several problems that can arise with this approach. It is also more work for me.

  1. Zeiss made many internal changes to the Contax as it was made between the years of 1951 to 1964. While Contax cameras look identical from the outside, they can be vastly different inside. Many Contax camera are being sold these days that contain russian made parts which will generally not work in a German Contax. For these reasons it is possible that the parts body may not contain parts compatible with the one to be overhauled.
  2. The needed parts in the parts body may be worn out.
  3. The Contax is hand made out of hand made parts which were hand selected by the assembler when the camera was manufactured. There are very wide "as manufactured" tollerances on parts and it is possible that a replacement part from the parts body may be oversized or undersized to the mating parts in the body being overhauled.
  4. The ovehauled body may not, and they usually do not need replacement parts.
  5. I have a full assortment of parts bodies of all variations on hand already. I am always very reasonable about parts prices when they are needed in a body being overhauled.
  6. I have a full organized assortment of all parts of all body variations from previously dissassebled cameras on hand and ready for use.
  7. Nothing is really free. If you insist that I use parts from your parts body first before using my parts on hand there will be a labor charge to extract the parts from your parts body and to clean and inspect them before use. This charge will vary depending upon how deeply the parts body must be disassembled to get the necessary parts out of your parts body.

This charge will be $75.00 per hour even if it is found the parts in your body are not useful, are broken, out of tollerance, or incompatible with the design of the body being overhauled.

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