[rollei_list] Re: Zeiss SLRs

  • From: David Seifert <dseifert@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Thu, 26 May 2005 19:04:18 -0700

Yes, your recollection is right about the Contaflex. It had a 50/2.8 
Tessar with the slower interchangeable fronts.

The Contarex was a whole other thing.   The Contarex had probably the 
most complex mount ever imagined for a 35mm SLR.  It had a lot of 
innovative stuff too.  The original "Bullseye" model had a fully coupled 
selenium meter with a most unusual coupling mechanism.  The lenses did 
not have aperture rings.  Aperture was selected via a finger wheel  
which fell under the user's right index finger.  Interchangeable backs 
(I understand Ansel Adams actually used and liked the camera) were 
standard, reasonably priced accessories.   It also featured bayonet 
mounted filters and lens hoods (threaded inside, bayonet outside).  The 
Super Electronic was the first SLR with an electronically timed focal 
plane shutter.  Curiously the design is almost identical to the one used 
by Leica in the M7.  With the right accessories it could do aperture 
priority auto-exposure.  Fit it out with the motor drive (which fit any 
of the standard bodies) and 250 exposure back and you had yourself quite 
a machine.

Oh, and did I mention heavy?  Impossibly heavy!  You mention expensive, 
you are right.  Unimaginably expensive.  But intriguing and beautiful, 
nonetheless. 

Oh, and if all that weren't enough Z-I also produced the Icarex line at 
the same time.  Focal plane shutter, bayonet mount (unique, of course) 
TTL metering. This model was inherited from Voitlander and also ended up 
with Rollei at the end.  These were curious in that they had the 
self-timer mounted upside down.  But I digress......

David

Peter K. wrote:

>Well, the AE1 was aimed at the consumer market too. However, it sold well.
>I am not familiar with the Zeiss SLRs, so please excuse me if I appear
>ignorant here. WHat I remember years back was seeing some Z-I SLRwith
>leaf shutter lenses that were interchangeable and had 1/500 secs top
>speed. They were all slow like 50mm 2.8, 135mm F4 os something like
>that.
>All I remember is they were Zeiss and out of business. I canno
>remember the Contarex. Perhaps that was a good camera, but I bet it
>was not inexpensive.
>
>Peter K
>
>On 5/26/05, David Seifert <dseifert@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>  
>
>>Peter,
>>=20
>>That is a quite unfair comparison.  The Contaflex was squarely aimed at
>>the consumer market.  It had interchangeable front sections much like
>>the Retina IIIc rangefinder camera.  The rear group of the Tessar stayed
>>in place behind the shutter and the front sections were replaced with
>>either the 35 or 85 Pro-Tessars.  Not pro grade at all, although very
>>nicely finished cameras.
>>=20
>>The Contarex was the be all and end all of the Z-I camera line.  It had
>>a focal plane shutter, instant-return mirror (interestingly though, not
>>fully automatic diaphram).  The lens line was complete (with many quite
>>fast lenses), to say the least.  The 85/1.4 Planar was originally
>>produced for the Contarex.   The Contarex lens line are the exact
>>designs produced for the Rollei SL35 cameras.  The third generation
>>Contarex design was sold to Rollei at the end and became the SL2000.  It
>>wasn't any attachment to leaf shutters that kept Z-I from competing with
>>Canon and Nikon, it was price and ergonomics.
>>=20
>>For a full description I recommend Marc's book on the post war
>>Zeiss-Ikon cameras.
>>=20
>>David
>>    
>>

---
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