Stunning Contax III set value?

[Kino]

A friend of mine just sent me a series of photos of an absolutely stunning Contax III outfit with 3 lenses (50mm, 35mm, 135mm red T variety), turret viewfinder, close-up set and Contameter. He knows the camera is valuable, but would like an unbiased appraisal of the value of the outfit.

I do NOT have permission to post photos of the camera (I will ask again), so I can't show anyone yet but I can tell you that from what I see, it is the definition of dead-Mint if I have ever seen dead-Mint.

This is out of my wheelhouse.

Where can one get an unbiased opinion of the true value of the set?

( and yes I do understand it must be physically evaluated to establish actual value, but he wants a realtive value at the moment)

Thank you.

 

[Kino]

OK, he said it was OK to post a few photos...

 

[Bearman]

Wowsa that's cherry

 

[Perry Way]

Sweet camera, if it were the same glass and the Contax II I would be drooling over it right now. You'd have to clean up all that slobber for sure. I wouldn't have any experience in valuation but from the prices I've seen this could be about a $5,000 kit?

 

[Kino]

I, frankly, wouldn't want the camera. I like cameras I can shoot with. This thing belongs in a museum...

 

[markjwyatt]

I, frankly, wouldn't want the camera. I like cameras I can shoot with. This thing belongs in a museum...

I really enjoy shooting my Contax iia.

 

[Kino]

It's simply that I would worry too much about damaging the finish and couldn't enjoy using it, not that I would not like the camera itself...

 

[guangong]

Yes, put it on a shelf. This is for a collector. No idea about cash value. I am a camera accumulator, not a collector.
Personally, I do not find the III versions aesthetically pleasing with meter stuck on top. I do shoot with IIa, and a Kiev is my stormy weather camera.

 

[ic-racer]

You can get a quote on line:

 

[bdial]

Look at sold prices on ebay
Also, here are some retail prices; http://www.igorcamera.com/contax_zeiss_rangefinder.htm

 

[Kino]

Look at sold prices on ebay
Also, here are some retail prices; http://www.igorcamera.com/contax_zeiss_rangefinder.htm

Thanks! I can send this to the owner and give him a relative value.

 

[Alex Benjamin]

It's not a Contax III, but a Contax IIIa. Serial number put it made between October and December 1954. There were 5 000 of the "C" series made in late 54, early 55, so not exactly a rare item, this out of the nearly 70 000 Contax IIIa made between 1951 and 1962. This one has the more common "color dials", not as rare as the early "black dials". This also affects value.

This is obviously is wonderful cosmetic condition, but value will also depend on who your friend wants to sell it to. A collector who would want to keep it on a shelf might pay higher than someone who actually wants to use it. In that case, value will depend on whether or not it's in good working condition.

Like any mechanical object, a camera actually needs to be used to be kept in good working condition — used often, and cleaned, lubricated and adjusted often. If it's been sitting on a shelf or in a box for the last 60, 70 years, chances are it'll have problems. Moreover, Contax IIa and IIIa have known problems that develop with age, notably to the shutter and the viewfinder—I just had to return a IIa to a seller because there was major vertical alignment problems in the viewfinder, something that often happens with this camera. Lots of info on this here: http://zeisscamera.com/first.shtml

People buy old film cameras less and less for collecting purposes but more and more to actually use them—this is the case even with Leica cameras. A perfectly working camera with esthetic defects can be as much, if not more valuable than a non-working beautifully kept camera. Before asserting value on this one, that needs to be checked.

Lenses will need to be checked for the usual suspects (dust, fog, fungus). The 50mm f/2 Sonnar is not as valuable as the 50mm f/1.5 and sells for about 175-200$US on eBay these days. The 35mm f/2.8 Biogon is supposed to be a great lens. You can find one for about 450-500$US. Again, precise value will be determined on the working condition of the lens.

 

[snusmumriken]

I’d be curious to know what one of these weighs with a 50mm lens attached? I picked one up once, and it seemed very much like something to leave at home.