Want to Buy Zeiss Ikon Contina

I'm on a kick here, reviving Dad's old Zeiss Ikon Contina from his cold war era submarine past. I got to where I wanted to fix Dad's shutter, but wanted to work on one like it to learn first. Well, I bought what I thought was the same but it's an oddball model with a different lens setup than the one I have. But I kept discovering the same lens on other models so I started buying. Now I have 5 Continas. A Contina I folder, a Contina II folder, a Contina Ia, a Contina IIa and then that Contina Ia oddball. I would like to make a complete series, but not with shelf display cameras but working cameras in good condition. Everything I own now is good condition but all need CLA except one (the oldest, interestingly).

Also interested in the Contessa lineage, same lenses but Rangefinders (the Contina II folder has an uncoupled rangefinder though)

And oddly enough interested in the Contaflex lineage but only from the perspective of same lens but SLR.

Would you have any interest in a Contessamat SE?

Main_Cogg said:

Would you have any interest in a Contessamat SE?

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That's a real perty camera. Does everything function properly? I vowed that every camera I buy from here on out other than the Contina series will be ones that are like at least 95% or better in condition. I will make an exception though for the Contina which I am collecting simply due to the association with Dad's camera, it would be nice to have the full history to show people the evolution. It's kind of satisfying my inner nerd.

If I remember correctly the Contessamat is a spin off of the Contessa which is a rangefinder. Is this a fully manual camera or is it like first generation automagic exploder?

I will confess that I have my eyes already on that Contaflexes. They are so so weird. I have to have one at least. I would like the last version which has front optics you can remove and replace, with a wide and a moderate tele. That I think would be the crown jewel of that Zeiss Ikon line for me. Not because I want to shoot a SLR. Not even. I like better optics over ease of focus and composition.

Also I want that Ikonta 35 which is what birthed the Contina line. They all inherit from that camera. But on that one because it's not a Contina by name I want it to be near mint. I've seen some prices, it will have to wait.

This is a rangefinder with auto and manual exposure. I would consider this camera to be in at least 95% cosmetic and in near 100% mechanical condition. I got this a few years ago mixed in with a medium format kit that I was after and didn't do anything with it until a few months ago. I don't know it's history, but it looks to be fairly low mileage. Like any 60 year old camera I'm sure it would benefit from a CLA. I recently ran a roll through it using both the auto exposure and manual settings, they all looked good. I also have the case for it, it shows signs of wear but not bad for 60 years old. The strap has been replaced with a nylon (?) strap.
I'll be happy to take more pictures if you'd like.

Main_Cogg said:

This is a rangefinder with auto and manual exposure. I would consider this camera to be in at least 95% cosmetic and in near 100% mechanical condition. I recently ran a roll through it using both the auto exposure and manual settings, they all looked good. I also have the case for it, it shows signs of wear but not bad for 60 years old. The strap has been replaced with a nylon (?) strap.
I'll be happy to take more pictures if you'd like.

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Excellent! Sure I would like to see more photos of it.

In the fourth picture you can see there is some discoloration in the plastic nameplate, I think that's where the light meter is and in the bottom view there is paint missing on the rewind crank. That's the worst of the cosmetic issues that I have found.

Main_Cogg said:

In the fourth picture you can see there is some discoloration in the plastic nameplate, I think that's where the light meter is and in the bottom view there is paint missing on the rewind crank. That's the worst of the cosmetic issues that I have found.

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Looks real nice. Well this is certainly interesting. I'll be reading more up on this model tonight, over the weekend. How much are you asking for it?

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