[rollei_list] Re: OT: 35mm RF system (summary)
- From: "Jeffery Smith" <jls@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 23 Apr 2006 10:39:46 -0500
If you ever get a chance to handle a Soviet Contax copy (Kiev), notice how
DIFFERENT they are in quality.
And I have to disagree with Marc on the brightness of the viewfinder. Mine,
at least, is much dimmer than all of my other rangefinders except the Leica
IIIf. But it is very usable.
Here is a shot from a few weeks ago using the Contax IIa with 50/1.5 Sonnar.
http://www.400tx.com/Phillip.html
The lens quality is there.
Jeffery Smith
New Orleans, LA
http://www.400tx.com
-----Original Message-----
From: rollei_list-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:rollei_list-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Thor Legvold
Sent: Sunday, April 23, 2006 8:53 AM
To: rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cc: rolleiusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [rollei_list] OT: 35mm RF system (summary)
Thanks again for all the great suggestions, experiences, information
and opinions.
It's a good thing there are so many systems to choose from, as everyone
seems to have their own personal favourite. Everyone has their own way
of working and some cameras will obviously be 'better' than others when
seen from each user's point of view.
The deal isn't done quite yet, but probbaly later today or tomorrow
I'll be the owner of a Contax IIa with 50mm Sonnar 1.5. For less than
the price of a nice Nikkor 50/1.2. If I'm lucky I'll manage to pick up
a Zeiss-opton Biogon 35/2.8 at the same time.
It seems to me that the reasonable and intelligent thing to do would be
to pick up a used Leica M3 or new Bessa R3a (or the immenent R3m),
allowing me to access the largest range of high quality glass
available, from Leitz, Cosina, Zeiss as well as Nikon and Canon.
But there was something about the Contax, that appeals more to my
intuition than reason. And as long as I'm getting it for a reasonable
price, the worst that can happen is that I don't like it and can resell
it. Since this is a camera for 'potting about' and fun, I really don't
want to spend a whole lot of money for it, at least not initially (have
to wait and see if I like working with RFs). I've found a local
(European) repairman, who specializes in Contax CLA's. While his work
is not of the calibre of Henry Scherer (and he freely admits it), he's
more interested in getting the cameras up and running and out in the
field as users, not as collectables (ref. Henry's complete strip down
and rebuild to bring the camera back to "as new" or "better than new"
condition). So while he does clean, lube and adjust, he does not
rebuild, re-chrome, re-engineer each and every part like Henry.
The cameras I've found all come with a MBG, so if they are obviously in
poor condition I will simply return them and find another. The one's
I'm concentrating on have a known history (i.e. one or two owners, look
clean and well cared for). Apparently IIa's have not been butchered in
the same way the II has (i.e. many II's apparently have been fitted
with Kiev shutters instead of having the original one repaired or
overhauled, and the Kiev shutter is subtly different in size and form),
and offers several niceties making it more appropriate as a shooter.
The fact that it's a post-war model also means the glass is coated,
making it more suitable for colour transparency work.
I'll let the list(s) know when I actually get a camera, and when the
first roll has been processed.
Any other tips/advice is still (as always) much appreciated.
Cheers,
Thor
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