Zeiss Ikon Contaflex Alpa User manual

Controlsof the Contaflexalpha
I F i l m w i n d k n o b                 7 Rewindknob with film
                                  type indicotor
2 Frame counter
                                8 Eyeletsfor corrying strop
3 Shutter releose knob
                                9 Flosh contoct4 Aperture scole
5 Reoding morks for stops       10 Depth-of-fieldscole
  ond shutter speeds
                            11 Exposurevolue control
5 Shutter speed scole             knob


            Foi' further controls see inside bock cover.





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The Contaflexalpha
The Contoflex olpho mode by Zeiss lkon AG.,
 Stuttgort, combines  oll  the odvontoges of  the
lwo most populor types of comero: miniolure
ond reflex. Behind this ochievement lie yeors of
experience  in  the  monufociure of  precision
comeros. The Contoflex wos originolly designed
                                                                                                                                             'for the odvonced omoteur, but its omozing ver-
soiility hos ropidly mode   it  indispensoble to
professionol, scientific ond  technicol photo.
grophers.
                                                                                                                                            'The outomotic coupling of mony operolions ond
the cleor orrongement of oll controls ond scoles,
the new  exposure-volue shuiter  (coupling  of
shutter speed ond  stop) moke this smoll oird
ottroctive comero instontly reody for oction. Two
coupled  rongefinder systems ensure occurote
focusing  of  the  high-speeded 45 mm  Pontor
t12.8 lens, with oll  its interchongeobleconverter
units. The lorge cleor viewfinder imoge  is un-
oTfecied by  porollox even of the shortest dis-
tonces. With  the extensive ronge of Contoflex.
occessoriesof your disposol (see the lost poges
of this booklef), ihere is virtuolly no limit to the
foscionoting subiects you con sofely cover.
So .thot you con get the best out of your Conto-
flex olpho ond enioy the pleosure of corefree
p h o t o g r o p h y , p | e o s e s t u d y t h i s i n s t r u c t i o n b o o k
thoroughly. Open out the front ond bock covers   .
ond follow the monipulotionswith the oid of ihe
detoiled  diogroms.  Stort  by  proctising  the

vorious operotions of  picture toking without o
film in the comero. lf you  still hove difficulties,
see your photo deoler for free informotion.
We  con only congrotulote you on  buying o
Contoflex olpho. You hove mode o wise choice -
y o u r c o m e r o w i l l g i v e y o u  l i f e l o n g p l e o s u r e .W e
would like to shore your enioyment, ond would
oppreciote it if you were to send us some of the
most outstonding pictures you hove token with
your Contoflex olpho.





The picture inside the front cover wos token with the
Contoflex of sunset; exposure l/125sec. of f/8.


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Contaflexalphafeatures
The lorEe, bright finder shows the finol picture
 i n o l m o s t n o t u r o l s i z e r i g h t u p  t o  t h e m o m e n t o f
 e x p o s u r e . T h e b u i l t - i n F r e s n e l l e n s  r e n d e r s o
finder imoge thot is bright even in the corners;
furthermore, it is seen of eye-level, upright ond
the right woy round, thonks to the pentoprism.
A n o t h e r o d v o n t o g e o f   t h r o u g h - t h e - l e n ss i g h t i n g
 is thot the  fi nder imoge  is o lwoys  f ree  f rom
p o r o l l o x , e v e n w h e n s u p p l e m e n t o r yl e n s e s o r e
used. Whqt you see, you tqke!
The focusing syslem shows cleorly in the view-
finder the point of shorpest definition by meons
o f o  s p l i t - i m o g e r o n g e f i n d e r o n d g r o u n d g l o s s
screen, both coupled with the lens.
The slqndqrd lens  is the fomous Pontor   f 12.8,
45 mm. By exchonging the front element for
either the Pontor   f 14 30 mm or the Pontor   f 14
75 mm, the complete lens is converted to o wide-
ongle or  tele-lens respectively. The Steritor-D
stereo ottochment con olso be used os o front
e l e m e n t .A l l  t h e s e i n t e r c h o n g e o b l ee l e m e n t so r e
fltted with boyonet mounts. All opticol compo-
nents ore cooted ond colour corrected,ond yield
h i g h - d e f l n i t i o np h o t o g r o p h s i n m o n o c h r o m e o r
colour.
The Pronlor-Reflex Shutter, with deloyed oction
r e l e o s e m e c h o n i s m , i s   f u l l y  s y n c h r o n i z e d f o r
flosh ond hos o  ronge of speeds from   I  io
r/roosec. ond o  ('!8" setting for time exposures.

It employs the exposurevolue system of coupled
operture settingsond shutter speeds.
All scoles con be cleorly reod from obove. The
spring-loqded pre-set diophrogm  o nd the cou-
pled fifm-wind ond shutter tensioning mechonism
moke the comero reody for immediote oction.
The comero tokes 24 x 36 mm negotives on 35 mm
minioture film, ovoilqble in stondord cortridges,
doylight refills, dorkroom refills or os bulk film.
By using speciql cqsselles the fi | m co n be chong-
ed in doylight ofter ony number of exposures,
without rewinding.
The removqble bqck simplifies looding ond un-
l o o d i n g o s w e l l o s c l e o n i n go f  t h e c o m e r q .
The oll-metql body guorontees the utmost me-
chonicol precision of  oll components-the holl-
mork of Zeiss lkon products.

Handlingthe Gamera
Setting the exposure value
B y p r e s s i n gl i g h t l y o n k n o b ( l l , F i g . 2 ) , t h e r e o r
setting ring con be turned until the required ex-
posure volue (red figures on the right-hond side)
is opposite the red triongulor mork (16, Fig. 2)"
 It is olso possible to set holf exposure volues.
As the ring with the red dot con only be moved
t h r o u g h o    l i m i t e d r o d i u s , i t w i l l  s o m e t i m e s b e
necessory to move the operture/shutter speed


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ffii!,ri'' ,i.",ii,,1+oli,\





setting ring (15) os well, in order to set the
exposurevolue required.
By setting the exposure volue, the diophrogm
ond shutterspeed selectormechonismqre cou-
pled. The omount of light necessoryf or correct
exposureis controlledby the lens opening (oper-
ture of f lnumber)ond the time the film is exposed
to light (shutterspeed).Theexposurevolue ob-
to ined, wh ich cqn be reod off  f rom the setting
mork (5)(seeFig. 2), representso definiteomount
of light thot remoins the some no motter whot
f/number or shutter speed is chosen. lf , ofter
hoving determined o nd set the exposure vo lue,
the shutterspeed setting ring (.|5)is turned to o
higher or lower volue (6), the lens operture (4)
will be outomoticollyre-odiustedto give the
sqme exposure.The shutterspeed is likewisere-

odfusted outomoticolly when the operture is  F i g . 2
chonged.
Shutter speed: The correct shutter speed to
choosedepends on whether or not the subiect
is moving,ond if So, how ropidly.The foster the
subiect-movement,the shorter should be the ex-
posure time. The silver figures on scole (6)
denote froctions of  seconds (60 meons l/ooth
second, etc.). Intermediqte vo lues must not
                                        uB't,be  set. When  set  to  the  green       the
shutterwill remoin open os long os the releose
knob (3) remoins depressed(see poge  I B). The
green figuresdenote full secondsond connot be
set qgoinst the setting mqrk (5); their signifi-
concewill be exploinedloter on.
Aperture setting: The correct operture of  the
lensdiophrogffi,or "stop", for short,dependson

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il

                                                              '14).              ihe depth  of  field desired (see poge     The
            smoller the f/number, ihe  lorger  is ihe octuol
            operture of the diophrogm opening. The required
            volue on  the scole (4) should be set ogonist
             the setting mork  (5). Holf stop volues moy beffil    choosen. So long os the correct exposure volue
           remoins sei, ony combinotion of shutter speed
           ond lens operture will  result in o  perfectly-ex-
           posed negotive. The setting ring (15)con only be
             iurned sufficiently to ollow lhe mork (5) io be set
            ogoinsi the  finol volues of  the operture ond
             shutter speed scoles. The  finol volue  ot  the
            right-hond end of the shutter speed scole is "B".
                     lf, ofter setting the exposure volue, the lens is
            stopped down  uniil ihe shutter speed  is set to
             the green "8", on exposure iime of 2 seconds
                will be required.  lf  it is necessory to slop down
           even further, the required exposure time in full
           seconds (green figures) con be reod off opposife
             the selecied operture. Then set the diophrogm to
             the  required figure;  to  do  this, depress the
           knob ('11)os when setting the exposure volue.
           The exposure time con then be controlled by
            depressing the shutter releose knob  (3) for  the
            required number of  seconds. When  chonging
            from time exposures on "8"  to ouiomotic expo-
             sures, the exposure volue must be resei.

         Thocorrectexposurevalue
           con be  oscertoined  f rom exposure tobles  or,
          more exoctly, with  the  photo-electric lkophot

                                            10

Ropid exposure meter by Zeiss lkon  (Fig. 3).
With  colour  photog ro phy  the use of  o n  ex-
posure meter is obsolutely required os colour
films hove onfy o very limited exposure lotitude.
The exposure volue depends on the film speed,
t h e p r e v o i l i n g l i g h t i n g c o n d i t i o n s o n d  t h e  f i l t e r
foctor, if o fliter is used (see poge 35).


As a rough-and-ready
rule try :
Outdoor photogrophs in
b r i g h t s u n s h i n e
   fi lm speed l6 A.S.A.
  e x p o s u r ev o l u er  l 3
Outdoor photogrophs,sky
overcost
  fllm speed 16 A.S.A.
  e x p o s u r ev o l u e : I I





                 F i s . 3

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W
ffi       Tensioningthe Shutter
$#l           T h e P r o n f o r - R el ef x s h u t t e ri s t e n s i o n e db y t u r n i n g
                               i h e   f l l m w i n d  k n o b   ( l )    i n    t h e  d i r e c t i o n o f
             the  o rrow  qs  fqr  qs   it  will  Eo. Th is  one
              c p e r o t i o n o l s o o d v o n c e s t h e  f i l m b y o n e  f r o m effil
            o n d m o k e s  t h e v i e w f i n d e r  i m o g e v i s i b l e . T h i s
'#           c o u p l i n g m o k e s d o u b l e e x p o s u r e s o n d  b l o n k
           fromes o thing of the post. lt does not motter
           whether the shutter speed is set before or ofter&ffi          o d v o n c i n gt h e f i l m . K e e p i n gt h e s h u t t e rt e n s i o n e d
t{k           d o e s n o t h o r m  i t  i n o n y w o y .
          A u s e f u l h i n t : w h e n  t u r n i n g t h e  f l l m w i n d k n o b
4 a           d o n ' t  f u s t t w i d d l e  i t  r o u n d w i t h  t w o  f i n g e r s l i k e
o1fr"w         o screw; o much more convenient method is to
              s w i n g b o t h h o n d s i n o p p o s i t e d i r e c t i o n s ,h o l d i n E
                         t h e c o m e r o b o d y w i t h o n e h q n d o n d g r i p p i n g
                         t h e w i n d i n g k n o b w i t h   t h e o t h e r  ( F i g . 4 ) . T h e
              s o v i n g i n  t i m e  i s r e q l l y s u r p r i s i n g .





                                            12

u n s h or p                               s h o r p


Setting the Distance

The built-in coupled rongefinder system outo-
moticolly focuses the comero for  the correct
distonce.When you look through the viewfinder
eyepiece (21), you will see in the centre of the
field  of  view  o  cleor circulqr oreo enclosed
w i t h i n o g r o u n d g l o s s r i n g . T h e c l e o r c i r c l e  i s
d ivided into two ho lves by o  horizontoI   I ine
(see illustr. on left). The subiect distonce con be
meosured in two woys:

l. Select o verticol line (such os the edge of o
wo I I or o tree tru n k) seen in the  fi nder imoge.
On  turning the focusing ring  (12) the imoge
in the upper holf of the circle will move in reto-
tion to the lower holf. When the two holves of
the imoge ore exoctly oligned, the lens is set for
the correct distonce.

2.  lf the subiect hos no distinct verticol lines,
observe the imoge in the ground gloss ring. Turn
the focusing ring  (12) to  ond  fro  until the
imoge oppeors perfectly shorp.

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It  is immoieriol which method of focusing you
             use; in either cose ihe lens is outomoiicolly setffi,
               to the correct distonce, which con be reod  off
             opposile ihe setting mork (-|7).ffitHl
              Depth-of-field Scale

           The lens does not only define shorply those
             obiects ot the exocl focused distonce; it will olso
           produce o  s.horp imoge  of  obiects o  certoin
            distonce in front ond behind. This zone of shorp
              definition, known os the depth of  field, is com-
             porotively  norrow  ot  full  operture  (t12.8) but
          becomes greoter the more you stop down  lhe
             lens.
          The depth-of-field scole (10) shows the extent of
               lhis zone of vorious operture settings ond diston-
             ces. Locote the operture setting to be used from
          omong ihe f/numbers to the right ond left of the
            disionce seiting mork  (.|7).The distonce volues
           on the distoncb seiiing scole opposite the chosen
           f/numbers represent the neor ond for  limits of
            the depth-of-field zone. For exomple: ossuming
           you  ore  using on  operture  of  f/8 ond  hove
            focused on o distonce of 9 ft. (Fig. 5), the figure 8
           on the left  is opposite 6  ft. while the figure 8
           on the right is opposite 15 ft. This tells you thot
              of o distonce setting of 9  ft. ond on operture
               of ll8, everything will be shorp from 6 ft. to l5  ft.
           Exoct volues con be found  in  the toble on
          poge 16.

                                                                                                                            l 4

You con equolly well meosuiewith the ronge-                                                                                                                                                                  I
fi nder the neorest o nd  f o rthest points of the
zone to be recorded shorply, ond then select
the oppropriotestop on the depth-of-field scole.
Do not, however, stop down further thon  is
necessoryto ensure the depth of fielC you re-
quire. Otherwiseyou moy need long exposure
times,which increosethe risk of comero shoke
(see poge 22).




F i g .5





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Takingthe Picture

Holding the camera
Alwoys hold the comero perfectly steody whilst
toking q picture. Support the body of the comero
w i t h  t h e p o l m s o f b o t h h o n d s o n d g r i p  i t  f i r m l y
with the fingers (Fig. 6). The thumbs should be
p r e s s e do g o i n s t t h e c o m e r o b o c k , o n d t h e m i d d l e
fingers of both honds should rest on the focusing
ring (12).Use the index finger of the right hond
to press the shutter releose (3). Pressthe elbows
l i g h t l y o g o i n s t y o u r b o d y  ( F i g . 7 ) . Y o u c o n u s e
either the left or the right eye fo look through the
f i n d e r .T h i s i s t h e n o r m o l p o s i t i o n f o r  t o k i n g h o r i -
z o n t o l p i c t u r e sw i t h t h e C o n t o fl e x o l p h o .

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F i s . 8ffiffi
lffii4",|5





 FtW*c#'ffi...*
#ffiffi        F o r u p r i g h t p i c t u r e s , t u r n  t h e C o n t o f l e x o l p h ow         through 90 degrees, ond press it lightly ogoinst
                         t h e  f o r e h e o d w i t h   t h e  r i g h t h q n d . T h e m i d dl e
             finger rests on  the focusing ring  (j2), whilst
             the index finger works the shutter releose. The
                left hond supports the comero from below;  it is
             olso possible to use the index finger of  this
             h o n d  t o o p e r o t e t h e  f o c u s i n g r i n g  ( 1 2 ) ( F i g . 8 ) .
            Upright pictures con, of course, be token with
             the comero supported by the right hond. In this
           cose the shutter is releosed with the thumb.
            Releasingthe shutter
           The shutter releose knob (3) should be depressed
             gently with either the  tip  of  the index finger
              (Fig. 9) or the first ioint (Fig. l0). This merhod
             o f r e l e o s i n gt h e s h u t t e ri s s p e c i o l l yr e c o m m e n d e d
             o s b e i n g t h e  l e o s t l i k e l y t o c o u s e c o m e r o s h o k e .

                                                                                                    I B

F i s . 9                  F i s . l 0





                       -





 lf, by ony chonce, the film wind knob  (l ) hos
noi been wound to  its  f ullest extent, meoning
thot the fllm hos not been odvo nced by o   f u ll
frome, the shutter connot be releosed. This ef-
fectively prevents double exposures.
The viewfinder
T h e  f i n d e r  i m o g e  i s o n l y v i s i b l e o f t e r  t h e  f i l m
wind knob  (l ) hos been turned to odvonce the
fllm ond  to  cock the shutter. This operotion
 s i m u l t o n e o u s l lye t s d o w n  t h e r e f l e x m i r r o r i n s i d e


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qB'qffi:
ffi*ffi[]E'' u .
, r e
F.+#ffi.                        t h e c o m € r o ; m e r e l y b y  g l o n c i n g  t h r o u g h  t h eH
             flnder you con tell whether the comero is reody
                         f o r o c t i o n .ffiw
          So long os you cqn see the lorge bright finder
             irnoge, the lens operture outomoticolly remoins
               fully open, permitting eosy ond qccurote focus-
                               i n g . O n p r e s s i n g t h e  r e l e o s e k n o b , t h e s p r i n g -
                                l o o d e d d i o p h r o g m c l o s e s i m m e d i o t e l yt o   i t s p r e -
            selected setting before  the  shutter opens  to
           expose the film. The Contoflex is the flrst comero
                         t o u t i l i z e t h i s i n g e n i o u ss y s t e m .
           T h e f i n d e r i m o g e  i s c o m p l e t e l yf r e e f r o m p o r o l -
             lox ond olwoys shows the exqct field of view,
           even when using the Pontors for tele- or wide-
            o n g l e p i c t u r e so r s u p p l e m e n t o r yl e n s e sf o r c l o s e -
            u p s . F o r r o p i d o c t i o n s h o t s y o u c o n e o s i l y f o l l o w
            the movement of your subiect with the comero,
              s i n c e t h e i m o g e i n t h e f l n d e r i s s e e n o f e y e l e v e l ,
            u p r i g h t o n d  t h e  r i g h t w o y  r o u n d .

                                               20

The block ring on the eyepiece mount (2j) con
be unscrewed for  the  insertion of  correction
lenses (order No. 902)to compensote for defects
of vision. Even if you normolly weor spectocles
you con frome ond focus your pictures without
the oid of glosses.When ordering, pleose quote
your opticion's prescriptionfor distonce glosses.
Snapshot Setting
So os to be reody for ropid oction snopshots,
first set the correct exposure volue ond then set
the operture to   f 18 ond the distonce to  l5  ft.
(Fig. ll).  For eosier setting, both these figures
ore red. This combinotion results in everything
between  I   ft. ond oo being shorply recorded.
Another useful woy of deoling with moving sub-
iects is os follows:  if, for instonce, you wont to
toke o shot of children of ploy, set the operture
qnd exposure time ond focus the lens of the
most suitoble distqnce. Now wotch your subiects Fig. l l





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in the viewfinder ond releose the shutter when
the two holves of the imoge in the rongefinder
field coincide, or when the imoge on the ground
g l o s s r i n g  i s s h o r p .
TripodExposures
The Contoflex olpho con be mounted on o tripod
(Fig. 12) by meons of the tripod bush (20).A
b o l l - o n d - s o c k eht e o d o r s i m i l o r t i l t i n g h e o d w i l l
be required for upright photogrophs. To ovoid
comero shoke, use o coble releose (see poge 38);
this screws into the threoded socket in the releose
knob (3). Exposuresrequiring speeds slower thon
r/gosecond or time exposures should olwoys be
m o d e f r o m o  t r i p o d o r s i m i l o r s o l i d s u p p o r t .

Flash and Delayed Action Shots (Self-Timer)
The fully-synchronizedProntor-Reflexshutter con
be used with ony type of flosh equipment. lt is
olso provided with  o  built-in deloyed-oction
releose (self-timer). The synchro lever (.|4) con

be set to three different positioris. In order to
o v o i d u n i n t e n t i o n o ld i s p l o c e m e n to f   t h i s  l e v e r ,
i t ' i s  h i d d e n o n   t h e s i d e o f   t h e s c o l e m o u n t s
( F i g . l 3 ) .
          rrxttAt  the       seiling  the shutter flres the  flosh
o u t o m o t i c o l l yo f  t h e m o m e n t t h e s h u t t e r b l o d e s
ore  fully open. Electronic flosh tubes should
                       'rX"only be fired on the     setting.
         r'Mr.At  the       setting the shutter opens ofter o
very short deloy, which correspondsto the deloy-
to-peok of most floshbulbs.
The correct setting ('X" or "M") for the vorious
f l o s h b u l b so n d  f l o s h c o p s u l e s w i l l b e  f o u n d   i n
t h e m o k e r s ' i n s t r u c t i o n so n d o l s o   i n  t h e  t o b l e
on poge 24.
At  the "V't sefiing the deloyed-oction releose
(or self-timer),is brought into operotion. When
the releose knob (3) is depressed, o  retording
mechonism is set  in motion which opens the
shutter ofter obout B seconds. Time exposures
("B" setting) cqnnot be mode with the self-timer.


                                                     Fis. l3





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