Contax Aria won't focus to infinity

quixotic · Nov 16, 2019

I know it's the body, since the lens focuses perfectly on my Contax AX.

I saw on a thread somewhere that it might have something to do with the mirror rest cushioning, but the Aria's rest looks identical to the AX's rest (ie, no visible cushioning on either).

Any suggestions greatly appreciated. Otherwise, I'll start looking for an S2.

Larry Cloetta · Nov 16, 2019

If my assumption about the issue is correct, the lens itself will go to infinity as seen and felt on the lens barrel itself, but the image on the focusing screen is not fully in focus at infinity (?). Yes?
I am no expert, but had an ST in which the entire mirror box had shifted out of alignment; symptoms were similar, negatives were never really in perfect focus. It’s fixable. I have had pretty much every Contax body except the Aria, so I don’t know if there is some inherent problem with Arias, though as many people as there are that love them, I would tend to doubt it.

naaldvoerder · Nov 17, 2019

The only explanation can be the mirror(box) being out of alignment.

quixotic · Nov 17, 2019

naaldvoerder said:
The only explanation can be the mirror(box) being out of alignment.

That sounds like a job which might cost more than another Aria. I assume the camera has to be taken apart, and then someone with knowledge and specialized tools would have to fix it.

Anyway, I attached a small piece of electrical tape to the back of the mirror where it hits the mirror stop. Now, the camera seems to focus well on something 500 yards away.

reddesert · Nov 17, 2019

The Contax AX is a fairly unique camera that has back focus within the camera body, that has 10mm of travel. I have never had one and don't know the limits of the system; for example I don't know if it can bring the film closer so that it focuses a lens "past infinity." However, this extra degree of freedom means that one could have a lens that has some focus offset that the AX compensates for, but the Aria cannot. More detail is needed to diagnose the problem - what disagrees, the lens focus scale, the ground glass, the focus at the film plane? What focal length lens? Can it be focused at 1 or 2 meters but not at infinity? and so on.

BobD · Nov 17, 2019

Does this help?

quixotic · Nov 17, 2019

reddesert said:
The Contax AX is a fairly unique camera that has back focus within the camera body, that has 10mm of travel. I have never had one and don't know the limits of the system; for example I don't know if it can bring the film closer so that it focuses a lens "past infinity." However, this extra degree of freedom means that one could have a lens that has some focus offset that the AX compensates for, but the Aria cannot. More detail is needed to diagnose the problem - what disagrees, the lens focus scale, the ground glass, the focus at the film plane? What focal length lens? Can it be focused at 1 or 2 meters but not at infinity? and so on.

Well, with the lens on the Aria -- and with the electrical tape "fix" mentioned above -- a test with a tape measure, and the lens set at 0.6m, seems to indicate that it is now fairly accurate. However, I don't know if a roll of film would confirm that. In any event, I will now at least test every future ebay purchase with a tape measure, and a shot of something a mile away with film in the camera.

quixotic · Nov 17, 2019

BobD said:
Does this help?

Thanks, but I don't think that's the problem, since my mirror seems to be perfectly centered on the backing plate.

quixotic · Feb 18, 2020

reddesert said:
. More detail is needed to diagnose the problem - what disagrees, the lens focus scale, the ground glass, the focus at the film plane? What focal length lens? Can it be focused at 1 or 2 meters but not at infinity? and so on.

It can certainly be focused at 1m or 2m, and even at 10m or 20m. But certainly not at 100m or 200m. And with the bit of electrical tape on the underside of the mirror, a 1m and 2m focus agrees with both the tape measure distance, as well as the focus ring numbers. And the camera will then focus to infinity...or at least a km or so. But without the electrical tape, the 1m and 2m measurements are out by about 5%. It is all with a 50mm lens. Does that sound like the mirror box being out of alignment?

I guess my biggest question these days is whether to replace it with an ST or an RX.

Contax Aria won't focus to infinity

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