I have the Contax II with the 50mm f2 Sonnar lens and it’s a superb camera. Used famously by Robert Capa taking his d-day pictures. I also have on my camera body a flash connection socket. Great review and thanks for posting. A few points to highlight. The addition of other lenses requires using the outer bayonet. Also you must always adjust the shutter speed dial BEFORE turning the dial to wind the film on. Excellent point about the differences on using the Nikon lenses. ( of course the F1 had the back take off as it was a copy of the Nikon rangefinder - which was a loose copy of the Contax ) Worth mentioning about the advantages of the shutter - the extra shutter speed 1/1250 rather than the Leica’s 1/1000 maximum. Also no Leica pin holes with that camera’s flimsy shutter material - caused by the sun ! When you do the next review on the post war Contax IIa it might be worth mentioning about how to hold the camera - the famous Contax grip - to avoid blocking the rangefinder.
Nice review of this historically important camera! And a very detailed comparison with a Leica of the same vintage. I've shot a Contax II with the collapsible Sonnar 5cm f2 and the results are very good for such an old camera! FYI, Oleg is located in Slovakia now. I hope I won't be needing his services soon but am relieved that there is someone who can work on these for a reasonable price!
Danke für das Video. Die Contax war bei ihrem Erscheinen technisch der damaligen Leica gegenüber technisch überlegen (Verschluss, Sucher, Optik). War selbst von einer gebraucht erworbenen Contax endtäuscht und legte mir später eine Contax G2 mit allen Objektiven zu, von der ich begeistert bin.
This is a very well timed video! I’ve just bought a III and gifted a II from a gentleman via a friend in the same week and there aren’t a huge amount of longer videos about them!
I learned the basics in the early 1970s using my father’s Contax IIa. I have this, with 50 f1.5 Opton Sonnar. Still going strong. I also have the II, but it needs repair, glad to have your recommendation on OK camera, very few techs will work on these.
I have a Contax iia Red dial with four lenses. Red dial means that there is a pc connecting port instead of the Contax flash sink port. I can also use the 35mm lens on my Nikon S rangefinder camera. I've had no problem with it. But I'm lucky that one of my best friends is a camera repair expert specializing in Contax and Rollei.
There are quite a bit of misinformation here. First this is a Pre-war Contax II. It 's not conceived and built after WWII. I am not sure about Operation Paperclip involving any Zeiss Ikon personnel. It was mainly targeting the German rocket scientists. Those Zeiss Ikon employees who escaped to the West rebuilt the Contax from scratch as all the engineering drawings were left behind or lost. It's the Contax IIa with a few major design changes. Those who stayed were captured by the Soviets and helped rebuild the Contax as Kiev; You can check the facts from Zeiss Historical Society. Second, the lens you have there is a Zeiss Tessar not a Sonnar. Third, Oleg was based in Russia and last I checked he has now resettled in Slovakia. I have used his CLA service for my post-war Contax IIa.
I wish so badly that I could love these cameras, but the focus throw is just miles long. It's crazy. If they had a normal 90 degree throw, I could get used to them focusing the wrong way. But good golly it takes 45 seconds to get from one end of the focus ring to the other. That said, they're beautiful and very good cameras.
I have a Kneb IVa and it's a pain to use, mostly the rangefinder window on the right gets obscured by right fingers. And the viewfinder - absolutely awful! Just P+S now. A storied camera though - they did their best!
Canon unlikely to release any type 1 camera ever again, phones have killed that market. I suggest buying a small phone tripod and mic and using that to create content.
German dipthongs ei and ie arebasically pronounced by the 2nd letter. Ei says aye as in my, as in Leica, that is lye-ca, not lay-ca. please make a note of it.
It’s pronounced “L EYE ca”, not LAYca. Made me cringe every time you said it. No, not my opinion. If you go to Leica in Germany, it’s pronounced the way I said.
He's gone over this many times. He uses the pronunciation used in Japan, where he lives. If you want to complain about that, remember that Europe and the United States don't use the Japanese pronunciation of Nikon.
A classic! I never could get used to gripping it though. Great info!
I have the Contax II with the 50mm f2 Sonnar lens and it’s a superb camera.
Used famously by Robert Capa taking his d-day pictures.
I also have on my camera body a flash connection socket.
Great review and thanks for posting.
A few points to highlight.
The addition of other lenses requires using the outer bayonet.
Also you must always adjust the shutter speed dial BEFORE turning the dial to wind the film on.
Excellent point about the differences on using the Nikon lenses. ( of course the F1 had the back take off as it was a copy of the Nikon rangefinder - which was a loose copy of the Contax )
Worth mentioning about the advantages of the shutter - the extra shutter speed 1/1250 rather than the Leica’s 1/1000 maximum.
Also no Leica pin holes with that camera’s flimsy shutter material - caused by the sun !
When you do the next review on the post war Contax IIa it might be worth mentioning about how to hold the camera - the famous Contax grip - to avoid blocking the rangefinder.
I also have the Contax II with the Sonnar 50mm.
It is in need of a full service so I'll hang on to it till I can afford it.
Nice review of this historically important camera! And a very detailed comparison with a Leica of the same vintage. I've shot a Contax II with the collapsible Sonnar 5cm f2 and the results are very good for such an old camera! FYI, Oleg is located in Slovakia now. I hope I won't be needing his services soon but am relieved that there is someone who can work on these for a reasonable price!
Danke für das Video. Die Contax war bei ihrem Erscheinen technisch der damaligen Leica gegenüber technisch überlegen (Verschluss, Sucher, Optik). War selbst von einer gebraucht erworbenen Contax endtäuscht und legte mir später eine Contax G2 mit allen Objektiven zu, von der ich begeistert bin.
I have the IIIa. Wish I knew about Oleg a few years ago, could have saved a lot on the CLA I had done in the USA. Nice review!
This is a very well timed video! I’ve just bought a III and gifted a II from a gentleman via a friend in the same week and there aren’t a huge amount of longer videos about them!
I have 2 Contax IIa and I really like mine a lot. With the Zeiss lenses they take really great photos.
I learned the basics in the early 1970s using my father’s Contax IIa. I have this, with 50 f1.5 Opton Sonnar. Still going strong. I also have the II, but it needs repair, glad to have your recommendation on OK camera, very few techs will work on these.
I have a Contax iia Red dial with four lenses. Red dial means that there is a pc connecting port instead of the Contax flash sink port. I can also use the 35mm lens on my Nikon S rangefinder camera.
I've had no problem with it. But I'm lucky that one of my best friends is a camera repair expert specializing in Contax and Rollei.
Lake-uh? Give me a break!
There are quite a bit of misinformation here. First this is a Pre-war Contax II. It 's not conceived and built after WWII. I am not sure about Operation Paperclip involving any Zeiss Ikon personnel. It was mainly targeting the German rocket scientists. Those Zeiss Ikon employees who escaped to the West rebuilt the Contax from scratch as all the engineering drawings were left behind or lost. It's the Contax IIa with a few major design changes. Those who stayed were captured by the Soviets and helped rebuild the Contax as Kiev; You can check the facts from Zeiss Historical Society. Second, the lens you have there is a Zeiss Tessar not a Sonnar. Third, Oleg was based in Russia and last I checked he has now resettled in Slovakia. I have used his CLA service for my post-war Contax IIa.
The Contax cameras are not chrome plated, but plated with Iridium.
it's also should be noted that shutter speed adjustments should be performed only after shutter is wind, otherwise it will break the camera
Yes, same with FED/Zorki/Zenit etc. I learnt that from my mothers' knee.
I wish so badly that I could love these cameras, but the focus throw is just miles long. It's crazy. If they had a normal 90 degree throw, I could get used to them focusing the wrong way. But good golly it takes 45 seconds to get from one end of the focus ring to the other.
That said, they're beautiful and very good cameras.
I have a Kneb IVa and it's a pain to use, mostly the rangefinder window on the right gets obscured by right fingers. And the viewfinder - absolutely awful! Just P+S now. A storied camera though - they did their best!
Canon unlikely to release any type 1 camera ever again, phones have killed that market. I suggest buying a small phone tripod and mic and using that to create content.
German dipthongs ei and ie arebasically pronounced by the 2nd letter. Ei says aye as in my, as in Leica, that is lye-ca, not lay-ca. please make a note of it.
It’s pronounced “L EYE ca”, not LAYca. Made me cringe every time you said it. No, not my opinion. If you go to Leica in Germany, it’s pronounced the way I said.
He's gone over this many times. He uses the pronunciation used in Japan, where he lives. If you want to complain about that, remember that Europe and the United States don't use the Japanese pronunciation of Nikon.
@@marksieving7925what is the Japanese pronunciation of Nikon?
@@SachaSommer NEE-kon