Contaflex super (1959) focus ring problem

I just bought a really nice contaflex super. The one problem with it is the focus ring will not turn beyond five feet. I read that some contaflex's have a focus lock for when you are using flash but I can't see anything and there doesn't appear to be anything in the manual. Its a beautiful camera and I am dying to try it out. Does anyone have knowledge of a secret Zeiss button that I am missing? It is a complex beastie

This is not so much about your particular camera, so it may or may not apply, but on a lot of older manual focus lenses, if you assemble the helicoid the wrong way, it tends to do the exact same thing you're seeing. There's a possibility someone took the lens apart and reassembled it incorrectly.

koraks said:

This is not so much about your particular camera, so it may or may not apply, but on a lot of older manual focus lenses, if you assemble the helicoid the wrong way, it tends to do the exact same thing you're seeing. There's a possibility someone took the lens apart and reassembled it incorrectly.

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I don't think this has been stripped. It worked OK initially but then there was a click and it locked. This thing is so over engineered I figured i may have tripped something

Cerebum said:

It worked OK initially but then there was a click and it locked.

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I agree this doesn't sound like the cause I offered has anything to do with it!

koraks said:

I agree this doesn't sound like the cause I offered has anything to do with it!

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It is a possibility though. Its a lovely thing, there are dials everywhere. If it turns out there isn't a magic button I will get in touch with my go to repair guy. Financially it isn't worth it because they don't sell for much but I want to use it so its worth spending a bit on

koraks said:

This is not so much about your particular camera, so it may or may not apply, but on a lot of older manual focus lenses, if you assemble the helicoid the wrong way, it tends to do the exact same thing you're seeing. There's a possibility someone took the lens apart and reassembled it incorrectly.

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I have a new mantra "Listen to Koraks". I contacted a few repairers and none would touch it so I thought what the hey. I dripped a liddle watch oil down the side of the barrel in the hope it would get into the helicoid, and it seemed to work, then I got a series of clicks and the lens fell off. Underneath were clear marks of rough treatment. It may go back together, but it probably won't! Hey ho. It was only £30 and I have been lucky with purchases of late so it all balances out. Thanks for your thoughts on this, they are always appreciated
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Oh, that's a pity! But perhaps it can be reassembled properly? Sometimes a little fidgeting helps to get things back together again. Maybe there's a youtube video somewhere of someone taking apart the same or a similar lens. It's worth a shot!

koraks said:

Oh, that's a pity! But perhaps it can be reassembled properly? Sometimes a little fidgeting helps to get things back together again. Maybe there's a youtube video somewhere of someone taking apart the same or a similar lens. It's worth a shot!

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That's what I was thinking. Its not costing me anything and I can regrease the helicoids while I am messing about. The dial that controlled the aperture was stiff but now its out, each component is free so I can fix that too its all good fun isn't it. In the meanwhile I have seven or eight lovely film cameras to play with so its all good

There you go; keep calm and carry on having fun, eh?

I've always wanted a Contaflex. Actually, I've always wanted someone who has a Contaflexe to loan it to me in case it breaks (or when it breaks) and requires a team of engineers to fix it.

momus said:

I've always wanted a Contaflex. Actually, I've always wanted someone who has a Contaflexe to loan it to me in case it breaks (or when it breaks) and requires a team of engineers to fix it.

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I have three, a contaflex ii that I bought based on its looks, outside its glorious, inside is a mess of haze and fungus. A contaflex super in three pieces, body, lens and focusing helicoid, that one may go back together. Once again, bought as working, and it did, briefly, and, saving the day, a stunning super BC. I am in for about £75, ouch! but the super BC is such a beautiful thing and it works so well I kinda don't mind. I also bought a 35mm pro tessar with the common delamination issues. It was very cheap and renders beautifully, so long as I avoid bright lights lol. I sometimes wonder if I should stick the useless but pretty ii back on eBay as "untested", but then unlike some, seemingly, I need my conscience clear so I can sleep at night.