CONTAX II a User manual

CONTAX

manufactured by ZEISS IKON  AG., STUTTGART,    is
a deluxe precision miniature camera enabling its user to
solve almost any photographic task.  It will be the steady
companion  of  the  scientist, technician, professional as
well as advanced amateur photo,grapher. The vast experi-
ence and knowledge of the Zeiss Ikon camera technicians
have been fully employed in designing the CONTAX.
Its dimensions are re,duced somewhat cormpareCwith the
former model and  its operation has been further simpli-
fted. The  scientist will  use  it  daily  in  his painstaking
work;  the news photographer and reporter  will  obtain
his p;ctures with   it under the most difftcult conditions;

the professional photographer will be delighted with the
sharpness and perfection of  his coNTAx    photos and
the amateur photographer will be able to record the most
unusual situations. Complete information on these sub-
jects is contained in the comprehensiveCONTAX   litera-
ture and handbooks. The booklet is intended to furnish
the owner of the CONTAX   with essential and accurare
instructions on how to operate his camera.  It  is recom-
mended that  a thorough study  of  these directions be
made and to practice the various mechanical movements
before loading the' camera.





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THE MAIN FEATURESOF THE
    CONTAX
         Jhe new CONTAX  representsa further dette'
         lopment of its predecessormodels.All tbe essen-
              tial adoantagesof more tban too ooo CONTAX
         camerdsin use baue been employedand lurtber
        new deoelopmentshaoe been introduced. Jlere
          are a f ew details of tbe mainf eaturesof the new
       CONTAX:

          Die-castbody of light alloy guaranteeingextreme
               ,mechanical precision characteristic of
                      .   ZEISS IKON  prod,ucts.

          Combir-redview an'd rangeftn,derpermitting sight-
                  ing and focusing thronrgh one eye piece.

         Choiceof incomparableZeisslenses,factory-coated
              and  in  light-weight mo'unts especially
               designedfor the CONTAX.  All are inter-
                chan,geable,by means of  their bayonet-
                type mount, ins,uringrapid use and pre-
                 cision seating.

          All-metal focal plane shutter having speedsfrom
                              I sec. to,'1/1250sec.fan'd "B" and "T"  all
                  of which can be set by meansof one dial.


6

35 mm perforated cine fflm is used which is avail-
                 able in vario,ustypes such as 35 m'm cart-
                 nidges,daylight loading spools, ready-cut
                  lengths of ftlm, etc.

       CONTAX  cassettespermittinginterchangeability
                   of vario,uskinds of 35,mm negative ma-
                      terial in daylight without rewinding.

          Detachable camera back which is advantageo,us
                 not only during loading and unloading
                  but  also when thoro,ughly cleanring the
               camera.

        A wide range o'f acces,soriesextremely well de-
                signedand easy to use enablesthe CON-
             TAX owner to cover almost any ffeld such
                as close-up work, pho'tormicrographyand
                 tele-photograp,hyas well as reproduction
             anC copyingwork.

            lligbest possibleprecisionin its mecbanicalfunc-
                    lion and unexcelled Quality of  its Zeiss
                lcnsesnnke tbe neru CONTAX  tbe top-
                notcb camerd,cbosenby tbe professional,
                   scientist and tecbnician, as well as tbe
              aduancedAmateur pbotograpber.
                                                         .r''




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MANIPULATION
         OF THE CAMERA

   STEP I
PREPARATIONSTO BE MADE
     BEFORE TAKING THE
      P I CTL]RE:

           Take the camera in the left hand in such
             a manner  that  the thumb  rests on  the
               vierv-ftnder  shoe and  the  other  ftngers
             grasp it from underneath.


            Then use the thumb and the index ftnger
                of the  right hand  to set the desired dia-
           phragm and  shutter speed as well as to
                u'irrd the shutter itself.


           The  diaphragm   is  set by  turning  dia-
             phragrn ring  (9).





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The CoNTAx    shutter has a range of speeds fronr
 l secorrclto ll'=;o seconclin acldition to "B" and ((T,'. At((8"
     the shutter is openecl by pressing the release but-
ton clown ancl is closed by  relixing  ihe pressure upon
the release button. At  the setting "T"   il'te shuttei  is
openecl by  pressirrg the release buttorr clown and bv
turning  the  shutter speed setting ring  slightly  in  the
clirectiontorvarcls"B"  it is closeclagain.
The  lllnr ancl shutter rvinding nrechanism are couplecl
to aclvancethe ftlrn arrd cock fhe shutter sirnultaneoislv,
thereby elirnjnating the danger of cloubleexposures.Tlie
slrutter winding knob  (2)  js turrrecl clockivise until  a
clefinite stop is felt.

NOTE  :Jt is rtot suQqestcdtbat tbutnb and intlex finQer
ot' tle  rigltt band 1pintl tbe sbutter in  tbe  n,a,tier- of
IuninQ  a screw. lt  is\arlr'rsableto turn tbe cdilt€rtt iit
.srrclrd fidy as lo dipide tbe ntot)e,,tentbettoeentbe rigbt
md  Ielt ltattrl lor clreater cont)ente,rce.





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STEPII

    MAKING TH E EXPOSU RE

                     The shape of the CONTAX   and the  ar-
                      rangement of  its controls are adapted  to
                          the human hand and are des'igned to hold
                          the  camera  securely. The  following  de-
                           scription  of  the manipulation  guarantees
                       utmost safety when taking pictures.

        T H E  L E F T H A N D
                      holds the CONTAX  fro'm below with the
                   thumb and the index ffnger.

        T H E R I G H T H A N D
                     grasps the CONTAX  fro,m the side. Tire
                     middle finger is placed on the focusing
                    wheel and the index ftnger on the shutter
                      release button. The thumb rests on the
                    back of the camera and the other ftngers
                   on the front. The right lower corner of
                       the CONTAX  rests in the palm of the
                        right hand.

       THE ELBO$rS
         .
                      are held at the side of the bodv for better
                      suppofr.


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FOCTJSING

    By looking through the eyepieceNo. 20 of the combinedview
     and rangeftnderone will see the viewftnd,erfteld for the stand-
     ard 2 inch lens. In the center of the viewftnder ffeld there is a
    somewhatlighter and yellowish fteld in which the object to be
     photographedusually appearswith double contours.By turning
      lhe focusing wheel No, $ with the middle ftnger of the right
    hand these contourswill come to coincidencewhich means that
     the lens is accuratelyfocussedat the distanceof the object seen





,loublecontoursin combined       coirrcidenceot' contours,,t confuinetl
 oiew and rangefnder field           uiew and rangefinderfield
     in_therangeftnderportionof the combinedview and rangeftnder.
    The focusingwheel operatesthe rangeftnderand the lens focus-
     ing mechanismfor 2 inch lensessimultaneously.The combined
     view and rangeftnder of the CONTAX  permils the control of
     egmpoqitionand the accuratecheckingof the focusat a glance.
    The other CONTAX  lenseswhich ire provided with-outside
     bayonet mount are focussedby _turningthe lens mount. They
     are also coup_ledto_ the, rangeftnder with  the exception-(Sonnarof
      !h.  long focal length l6,nseswith reflex attachment.
         f 12.8,7r/a" and Sonnar f/4, 12" focal length.)


 1 4

RELEASING TH E SH LITTER
  By pressing the shutter release button  (3) down  rvith
   the index firrger of the right hand, the shutter will be
   operatecland the picture taken. This can either be done
   rvith the  tip  or top  joirrt of the index ftnger (lllustra-
   tiorrNo. t9>,  has been founcl by experience tltat the                      ft   greatest secunty  in  holcling the can'rera steady durirtg
   the exposure is  qiverr u,hen the  uppernrost ioint  ot





   the index ftnger is pressed downward. (See Illustration
  N o . 1 1 ) .
     If  the winding knob has not been turned  until a de-
    finite stop is felt,  it follows that the shutter is not com-
   pletely wound, and  the  fil'm not advanced for  a  full
   franre; in this position it will be impossible to releasethe
  CONTAX   focal-plane shutter. Under no circumstances
    is it possible to make overlaps and double-exposures.
   There are no extemal  rotating  shutter parts on the
  CONTAX   rvhich might,  if inadvertently touched, inter-
   fere rvith the norrnal operation of the cartrera.




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o  D       H
 CONTAX
     C A M E R A


          Vhen   taking  vertical pictures, rtrarripulate as de-
            scri,bed-under Step II. (Pages 12 and 13.) The  right
          hands grasps the camera above and is srritably curr'-
          ed  for  this purpose. The  left hand  is used as a
            support. The  sa,hre procedure  is followed with  the
             right hand below, and the left hand above, if fourrcl


t 6

nlore con\/eulent. If the left eye is
  used for focusing, the right eye can
  renrain open.  If  the  right  eye  is
  enrployed for focusing, the Ieft eye
  should be closecl.
  The various ways of sighting and
  holding the canrera are shown in thc
  illustrations. The user of the CON-
 TAX   should  select  the  method
  n'hich suits hinr best.





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STEP III

LOADING   ANID

THE OPENINC


The lens of the CONTAX
is held between middle and
ring finger of the left hand.
The  top  of  the camera is
rrext to the chest. The thurnb
is placed on the back of the
camera.
With thumb and index  fin-
ger of the right hand, turn
locks 23 on the bottom, right
and  left  respectively. Now
the left thumb can push the
back off.
Then the right hand lifts the
back away fro,m the hous-
ing of the camera.
The open CONTAX  shows
the all-metal focalplaneshut-
ter,  a  famous  technical
achievement.

UNLOADI N G

  THE LOADINC


   As a  first step, attach the
   beginning of the film to the
   take-up spool by hooking it
    to nose underneath the  tri-
   angular  lip  of  the  spool,
   35 mm cartridges are sup-
    plied by  the manufacturer
   with the beginning of the
    film  ready-cut  to  proper
   shape. No special cutting is
   resuired on a stock roll  of
   35 mm  fflm. The  cartridg.
    is then placed into the feed-
   ing spool chamber in such
   a way that the rewind prong
   engageswith the hollow end
    of the  cartridg.  (cassette).
   The empty  spool  i's fitted
   into the take-up spool cham-
                                                                                   '   ber. Now the film is rvound





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on the tal<e-trpspool until  its perforation cr)sages the teeth
of the slrrocl<eton both sicles.Then the back of the canrera is
replacecl, holding the  ftlnr strip down  u'ith the thunrb of thc
left hand.  Firrallr', the back  is  slicl on  to close the canrer;r
cornpletely.Then locl< the l<eyson the trncler side of the CON-
TAX  atrcl folcl thern flat  This can onl), be clorreu'herr the bacl<
is placecl correctly on the can'rera.

After n'itrclingancl releasirrgthe shutter tn'icein order to advarrce
the  ljlnt exposeclcluring loading, the urrerposeclftlrn n'ill be in
thc picture field of tlre CONTAX.
Attention should be given to the rewincl l<rrob(18) rvhich shoulcl
turn  irr the opposite direction of the arron' engraved on top of
hotrsirrg; this is an indication that the ftlm u'incls properly. B)'
nrear'rsof the knurlecl ring, turn the fraine counting irrclicator
eitfrer left or right to 0. After u'inclins the shutter once more,
thc CONTAX   is reacll'for the first exposru'e.

If  it  is intended to feed the lilm frour a cartriclge irrto a c.lS-
sette or even from  cassette to cassette, then  tl're ftlm  shoulcl
be attached to the core of the cassetteorr the take-up sicle.
The CONTAX   cassette consists of two slotted containers artcl
a core. By pressirrg down a snrall button the two contarners call
be tunrecl until  their apertures are over each other.  In  this
position the cassette can be pulled apart. The  cassette  cal'l be
loacleclu'ith ready-cut lengths of ftlrn, day-light loading lengths,
or u'ith  ftlnr frorn a stock roll of E5 nln  ftlm.
Only if  it is desired to rewindt,he ftlrn should the errclof the filnr
lle ftrnrly attached to the core of the feedirrg cassette.It is not
nccessarythat the leader arrclthe trailer of the ftlm be cttt irr
a certairi  :shape, bccause it can be hookecl on dte nose of core.
Ileadryy - Lctrl.rt lengthsl        of 35 nrm fil m r hllaa v e a : special cut otr the errcl
of tht ee fftlrrt lrn sirnilarr       to the shanappe o tf aa totrgure. This is to be attach-
ecl too thhee f feeding co re byr t :hrl   'eieadinrdin g i t t through the snrall slot
 irr thre3 Ccele l'lttter of the spool,l , ad l l t dI  aftafter harving turnecl it over/ it
 rs orln cec ) a ag;lain pullecl throruglrh thetl 1 e rsan'le slot, thtrs securing it
tightltlv) ' colln t the feedirr;g core .
The corc )ree \ rvith the  ftlnr wor.) L t nI rdd o onn r t r s  placed in the  itrttet
contaa nlen rerr olf  the cassette an(rd thetIre other(      corrtairrer is  slicl o\rer
 rt,  \\'v ithi t r t thrle leacler of thre 'ffihlrlnn  otlo rrutsicle.By  turrrirrg the cor)-





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tainers against each other the cassette is lockecl. The word
 "zLL" (-shut)  should then be visible.
The cassette should bS placed in such a way  into the spool
chanrber that the srnall projection piece Iies in the channel ctrt
in the spool chamber to receive it. When  the camera back  is
replacecl ancl the locking buttons are turned, the action  will
open tlre cassettesintultaneously.
FY..y .cassetteis supplied in a protective container having a
lid with an aperture. In case the container carries a cassette
rvith an exposed fiirn, the lid can be placed on the container in
such a wa_y that the worcl "E*p."  appears.
In order to be able to  tell with which kind  of ftlm the camera
is loaded, a  "tell-tale"  indicator is fttted on the rewind knob
of the CONTAX.    It can be set either on daylieht or artiftcial                                                                      "itr
light, colour ftlrn or black-and-white  ftlm, ond     addition on
the ftlm speed in ASA exposure index numbers (degrees DIN).

Vhen  the CONT;\X   camera  is loaded with  lilm,  it  will  only
be possible to turn the rewind button in the direction of the
arro_w engraved on top of housing for a short stretch, or not
at all.

THE LINLOADINC

 Using a 35mm  film cartridge in the feeding clamber
and a CONTAX   cassette on the take-up side, or two
cassetteson both sides,it will not be necessaryto rewind
the  film. In such cases it
is possible to change from
one kind  of ftlm to  an-
other by winding and re-
Ieasing the shutter twice
in order to transport the
exposed ftlm into the cas-
sette.

As described under Step
III, the CONTAX   is then
opened arrd the cartriclge
or cassette rernovecl.





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'I IAITI\(;   [)I(.I LII{ES \7 I'I IJ   I_JE
                            ,\ I [)  () t- A   I I{ II)O t)





 .  \     t      r - i l t o c ls o c l t c t ( 2 + )   i s  l ) r - o v i c l c col n   t h c u n c l c r s i c l c o f   t [ c C O N -' f    ' \  X
             t o s c r c n ' t t  o l t ; i t ' l v  s t ; l r ) c l a r c lt r i p o c l .  I t   i s  r c c o t ) ) r r r c n c l c ct lo
L t s c t h c  s l t c c i a l   l o c l t i r r g c a b l c   r c l c a s c   t o  b c  s c r - s r c c l   i r r t c t t l r c
t h l ' c a c l i r r s i t l c t h c  s l t t t t t c r  r - c l c a s c b t r t t o n   f o r  e l l  p i c t r r r c s  t a l i c r r
n  i t h   t l r c C O \ T . \ X          f r - o n r t h c   t r i l t o c l .
I r  i s  i l l t l ) o r t a n t  t o n o t c   t h a t   t h q  t r i p o r l s o c k c t   i s n o t n r r . r r r n t c col t ' l
tltc catt)cra ltaclt but  is l);lrf of thc c;u)rcrA bo,.lr', tlrrrs gLr;ll-;lntcc-
i r r g a   l l r r r r a t t ; l c h r r r c n t o f   t l r c c a r ) r c r ; l t ,   t l r c  t t ' i p o c l .



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\(/ORKINC WITH
            VARIOUS LENSES

The starrdard lens equipmerrt of the CONTAX    is e,ither the
Sonnar  f 11.5 or   f 12 of  2  inch focal lerrgth. In  their  place,
irrterchangeablelenses of other focal lengths and largest lper-
tures ntay be ernployeC.The focusing head for close-up photo-
graphy  pernrits reproductions up  to %  of  the _natural  size,
and  witli  the aid  of extension tubes, close-up objects can be
photographed in  rratural size or directly enlarged on the ftlin.
Besicles,it  is possible to focus ott a ground glass screen. The
rnirror reflex attachrnents Panflex arrd Flectoscope,the Urriver-
sal Reproduction Outlit, and the optical rrear-focusirrg_device
Contarireter, as well as equiprnent for ttricro-photography, are
further available accessories,the use of which is tnade possible
becausethe CONTAX  has cletachablelenses.

CHANG ING I-H E LENS ES

The irrtercharrgeabilityof the CONTAX   lenses is achievecl by
 tlre bayorret nrourrtirrs on the lerts arrc[ on the  frorrt of the

camera. All  lenses of 2 inch  focal length are to be fftted into
     the ,inner bayonet mounting  of the c?rl€r? and  all  the other
     lenses in  the  o,uter morunting. Changing  the lenses is always
    done when range ftnder and lens focusing mechanism are locked
      at inftnity  (Step I). The  lenses having  o;utside bayonet mount
    have to b,e set at infinity.
     Rernoving the 2 inch lenses is d,one by pr.essing with  the  left
     thurnb on spring 12. Turn  the lens slightly with the right hand
      in a clockwise direction. This procedure will release it from the
      helical focusing mount.   It may  then be carefully  Iifted  fro,m
     the camera body.
     Replacing the 2 inch lens is effected by fitting  it into the focus-
     ing mo,unt 'in ,such a way  that  the red  do;t on the lens mount
       is opposite the red dot on th,e came,ra body. By  trurning  it  to
     the  left  (anti-clockwise)  tl-re catch  spring  (12)  snaps back
      into place.
    Lenses with  outside bayonet mo'unt are placed into the CON-
    TAX  by bringing the red dot on the lens opposite the red dot
    on the carmera bodv. The lens is then turne'd to the left  until
     a stop is  felt by  pressing the sunall catch on the sride of the
     lens. If this is done, the catch will snap in'to position.
    The removal of the lenseswith outsi,debayonet mo,unt follows the
    same DroceC,ure.The side catc,h must  first be released and then
     the lens is  turned  until  the two  red  dots are opposite each
     other.  It  is recommen'd,edfor  inserting and removing that the
     lens be grasped with the right hand in such a manner that the
     top of the right  thum,b rests on the red dot of the lens. This
     pro,ce'durewill  aid in interchanging the lenses rapidly, because
    by  bringing  the two  thu,mbs together,  the most  favo,urable
     position of lens to camera can be obtained.
    The CONTAX   lenses are  all  fitted  with  the sa,me inner  or
     outer  bayonet  ,mounting, permitting   their  use  on  different
   CONTAX   bodies. AII  lenses from  earlier CONTAX   models,
     with  the exception of  the Bio,gon, can also be  fttted  to  the
    new CONTAX.
    Re'moval and  interchanging  of  the lenses on  the CONTAX
    may be effected in  full  dayliglt   withorut any extra  precaution
     or any spoiling of film.


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