melek
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Posts: 87
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Post by melek on Jun 3, 2017 7:24:47 GMT -5
This model Contina was one of my early Zeiss Ikon cameras. While not as cute as the folding Continas, I think these are nice cameras. The meters often still work.
I appreciate the entire range of the Zeiss Ikon lineup. I have a decent number of Zeiss Ikon cameras: Box Tengors, folding Contina/Ikonta and Contessa, Ikoflex, the later plastic Continas, Contaflex 126 (I really wish Lomo would revive this format) plus the Contax. I have the Contarex SLR - nice camera but unnecessarily large.
My favorites are the Contax IIa and a very old 530/2 Super Ikonta C.
I imagine that every model that Zeiss Ikon produced would require quite a large room to store them!
I have a Sony A7 II, and I shoot a Rollei QBM Planar, which is my favorite 50mm lens.
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melek
Senior Member
Posts: 87
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Post by melek on Jun 2, 2017 14:22:46 GMT -5
It's difficult to say whether it was produce in the Exakta mount or if it was a custom refitting. I would check eBay for value of an item. It will give you a ballpark price.
If you can't find the item on eBay, then you're left to make your best guess.
The price of film gear is down overall. You never get as much as you think it's worth. That's my experience.
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melek
Senior Member
Posts: 87
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Post by melek on Jun 2, 2017 14:18:07 GMT -5
This is very interesting. I didn't realize that Zeiss Ikon had used such a simple lens on the Ikonta.
And the results are very good for this lens.
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melek
Senior Member
Posts: 87
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Post by melek on Feb 21, 2014 21:28:58 GMT -5
As I recall, I soldered a light spring to the battery cap and used two lithium CR2 batteries. I have another Electro on the way, and I'll probably do the conversion for this one, too.
It only took a couple of minutes to do this.
I've also built battery sleeves, using the sides of a plastic milk container (washed, of course).
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melek
Senior Member
Posts: 87
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Post by melek on Feb 20, 2014 23:06:55 GMT -5
When I look back at the cameras that I plan to purge one day, I've decided that I'll keep my Agfas.
For many reasons, I like them. Partly, it goes back to my affection for Agfachrome 64, one of my favorite films during the 1970s.
And I just like their cameras.
I have several Agfa Karats, from the first "art deco" model to the final Karat 36, the Solinette II and Super Solinette, several Silettes, the Isolette III and Super Isolette and the Agfa Record III. I also have used the Optima Reflex and have the half-frame cameras with the Optima-Parat being one of my Top 5 cameras of any makes.
There are some others. The early SLR, which probably is the heaviest 35mm SLR that I've ever picked up.
They are all worthy cameras.
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melek
Senior Member
Posts: 87
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Post by melek on Feb 20, 2014 22:22:32 GMT -5
I also have an Exa, and I tried a prism finder on it. I concluded that the camera is too small for use with a prism finder. I think it has something to do with the left-handed shutter release. My little Exa has a Tessar that requires you to preset the aperture. And the "shift-lever" control for the shutter speeds also makes it better for using the waist-level finder. Here's my Exa: (Sorry about my name on the photo. I did that to try to stop eBay sellers from stealing my photos. It didn't work, and eBay has never backed me on any of my complaints.)
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melek
Senior Member
Posts: 87
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Post by melek on Feb 19, 2014 16:44:53 GMT -5
The original specs for the px640 cells are 1.4 volts each, I believe.
I read that some people have refitted their cameras so they could use a 3-volt lithium cell.
I'm thinking of doing the same thing with my Hi-Matics.
I've done it successfully with Yashica Electros and the Zeiss Ikon Contessa S310. But with those, I already had a cylindrical battery chamber. I need to give this a little bit of thought.
That's a very clean example, by the way.
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melek
Senior Member
Posts: 87
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Post by melek on Jan 20, 2014 12:04:59 GMT -5
The pentaprisms on the Contaflex SLRs also are held in place by black tape and often by a foam that by now has disintegrated and turned into a fine dust that quickly gets on to the viewing screen.
By the way, if you ever have a bad prism in an Icarex 35S, you can use a pentaprism from the Voigtlander Bassamatic.
No kidding. It works just fine. I did this with an Icarex 35S that had a bad pentaprism.
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melek
Senior Member
Posts: 87
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Post by melek on Oct 6, 2013 16:55:42 GMT -5
Lomography is selling color print and black and white film. I've picked up a bunch of b/w film for the Pentax and for a little Rollei 110 that I own.
Pentax put a lot of marketing effort into this little SLR system in the late 1970s. Minolta also had two SLRs for the 110 format.
Lomoraphy also has a negative mask for scanning and offers processing, too.
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melek
Senior Member
Posts: 87
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Post by melek on Sept 17, 2013 13:53:28 GMT -5
Generally, when I service a camera, I will use some saddle soap on bellows with leather covering. And then follow up with a bit of shoe polish.
I use the same treatment for the exterior for older cameras with Moroccan leather. After more than a decade, there has been no problem.
And I fully agree that damp conditions can cause damage in a short amount of time -- to a camera, its case and especially lenses.
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melek
Senior Member
Posts: 87
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Post by melek on Sept 16, 2013 23:20:43 GMT -5
I was given a Spartus 127 folder and a Kodak Instamatic X-15. I'm not sure which came first. Later, I bought a Cosmorex SE (rebadged Zenit) with my paper route money.
No one in my family was interested in photography, so no family members who had a decent camera to pass on to me.
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melek
Senior Member
Posts: 87
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Post by melek on Jul 30, 2013 0:07:24 GMT -5
I have several of these, including the so-called art deco model, as well as one with a Solinar and Compur shutter. The Solinar is the best of the bunch. However, the limiting factor is that you can only shoot 12 photos at a time. Still, they are fun cameras to tote around.
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melek
Senior Member
Posts: 87
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Post by melek on Jul 17, 2013 20:59:25 GMT -5
The Praktica MTL5 is a nice camera. Nothing fancy and no multimode, matrix blah, blah. Just your basic match-needle exposure system with a classic lens ... the Tessar.
The Vitessa T isn't quite as cool as the barn-doors Vitessa. But it's still a cool camera with the plunger film advance and a very solid camera overall.
I don't know enough about the Kodak Vest Pocket cameras, except to say that I love the 127 format.
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melek
Senior Member
Posts: 87
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Post by melek on Jul 17, 2013 7:50:53 GMT -5
I have a nice collection of these little cameras, including the East German Tenax and Taxona with both Novar and Tessar. The Tenax II with the Sonnar is the best of the bunch, while the East German Tenax with its Tessar is a fine performer.
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melek
Senior Member
Posts: 87
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Post by melek on May 29, 2013 21:40:07 GMT -5
Marco, welcome and thanks for the information. This is when the Internet works best - sharing great information about cameras with folks from around the world.
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