Zeiss Ikon CONTAFLEX IV User manual

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Gontrolsof the GontaflerlV
 1 Film wind knob            B Knob operoting exposure
                              meter flop
 2 Frome counter                               9 Eyelets for corrying strop
 3 Shutter:releose knob                                      l0 Distonce setting scole
 4 Pointer of exposure meter    l1 Focusing knobs
 5 Exoosure meter computor    12 Synchro-leverfor flosh
   d isc                          ond, deloyed-oction
                           mecnonrsm 6 Film speed setting knob
                            13 Setting mork for distonce,
 7 Rewind knob                  operture ond shutter speed

      For further comero controls see inside bock cover.





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TheContaflexlV
mode by Zeiss lkon AG. Stuttgort, combines oll
the odvontoges of the two most populor types
of  comero: minioture ond  reflex. Behind this
ochievement lie  yeors  of  experience in  the
monufocture of  precision comeros. The Conto-
flex wos  originolly designed for the odvonced
omoteur, but its omozing versotility hos ropidly
mode  it indispensobleto professionol, scientific
ond technicol photogrophers.
We  connot promise the impossible: but we do
boosi thot ihe Contoflex lV  is fitted with every
conceivoble sofeguord to ensure the successof
your  pictures. The  built-in Zeiss  lkon  Ropid
phoio-electric exposure meter, completely enclos-
ed in the comero body for moximum protection,
gives relioble exposure figures for  oll  films,
including  colour. Two  coupled  rongefinder
systems ensure occurote focusing of the world-
fomed Zeiss Tessor f/2.8 lens, with  oll  iis inter-
chongeoble converter units. The  lorge, cleor
viewfinder imoge  is unoffected by  porollox ot
even the shortest distonces. The Contoflex is o
ropid oction comero, thonks to  the ingenious
outomotic coupling of mony operotions. With
the extensive ronge of Contoflex occessories ot
your disposol (see the lost poges of this booklet),
there  is virtuolly no  limit  to  ihe foscinoting
subiects you con sofely cover.
So thot you con get the best out of your Conto-
flex ond enioy the pleosures of corefree photo-

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 grophy,  pleose  study  this  instruction book
 thoroughly. Open out the front ond bock covers
 o n d   f o l l o w  t h e m o n i p u l o t i o n s w i t h  t h e o i d o f
 t h e d e t o i l e d d i o g r o m s . S i o r t b y p r o c t i s i n g t h e
 v o r i o u s o p e r o t i o n sw i t h o u t q  f i l m  i n t h e c o m e r o .
  l f  y o u  s t i l l h o v e d i f f i c u l t i e s , s e e y o u r p h o t o
 d e o l e r f o r  f r e e  i n f o r m o t i o n .
 We  con only  congrotulqte you on buying o
 Contoflex lV. 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
w o u l d  l i k e t o s h o r e y o u r e n i o y m e n t ,o n d w o u l d
 o p p r e c i o t e  i t    i f  y o u w e r e
 to send us some  of  the
 m o s t o u t s t o n d i n g p i c t u r e s
you hove token with your
Contoflex lV.





                                                                                       'df$'


T h e p i c t u r e i n s i d e t h e   f r o n t c o v e r w o s    t o k e n w i t h    t h e
C o n i o f l e xo g o i n s t t h e   l i g h t ; e x p o s u r e  1 ' t i os e c  o f   f i 5 6 .

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ContaflexlV features
The lorge, bright finder shows the finol picture
 in olmost nolurol size right up to the moment
of exposure. The built-in Fresnel lens renders o
finder imoge thot is bright even in the corners;
furthermore, it  is seen ot eye-level, upright ond
the righi woy round, thonks to the pentoprism.
Another odvonloge of through-the-lenssighting
is thot the finder imoge  is olwoys free from
porollox, even when supplementory lenses ore
used. Whqt you see, you toke!
The built-in Zeiss lkon Ropid photo-electric  ex-
posure meler correctly indicotes exposure settings
even in poor  light. Zeiss lkon's twenty yeors of
experience in moking exposure meters ensure
its unfoiling occurocy.
The focusing system shows cleorly  in the view-
finder the point of shorpest definition by meons
of  o split-imoge rongefinder ond ground gloss
screen, boih coupled with the lens.
The stondord lens  is the fomous Zeiss Tessor
f/2.8, 50 mm. By exchonging the front element for
either  the Pro-Tessor f/4, 35 mm  or  the  Pro-
Tessor f/4, 85 mm, the complete lens is converted
to  o wide-ongle or  tele-lens respectively. The
Steritor-B stereo ottochment con olso be used
os o  front element. All these interchongeoble
elements ore  fitted with boyonet mounts. All
opticol  components ore  cooted  ond  colour
corrected, ond yield high-definition photogrophs
in monochrome or colour.

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The Synchro-Compur Shuller, with deloyed oction
releose mechonism, is  fully  synchronized for
f losh ond hos o  ronge  of  speeds  f rom   I   io
l/sooSsc. ond o "B" setting for  lime exposures.
It employs the exposure volue system of coupled
operture setiings ond  shutter speeds.
All scoles con be cleorly reod from obove. The
spring-looded  pre-set diophrogm  ond  ihe coup-
led film-wind ond shutter tensioning mechonism
moke the comero reody for immediote ociion.
The comero tokes 24 x 36 mm negotives on 35 mm
minioture film, ovoiloble in stondord coriridges,
doylight refills, dorkroom refills or os bulk film.
By  using speciol  cossettes the  film  con  be
chonged in doylight ofter ony number of expos-
ures, without rewinding.
The removqble bock simplifies looding ond un-
looding os well os cleoning of the comero.

Handlingthe Camera
Measuringthe exposure
Beforetokingo picture,you shoulddetermine
the exposure volue, using ihe  built-in photo-
electric exposure meter  (FiS.  I ), which  gives
occurote reodings even in ihe poorest light, for
 block-ond-white or  colour  film,  both  negotive
ond reversql.
First set the speed of the film  in use. Turn the
inner disc by meons of the smoll knob (6) until
the speed of the film  in use qppeors opposite


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                           ft





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 t h e b l o c k s t r o k e  i n   t h e   l e f t - h o n d w i n d o w  ( f o r
 f i l m s  r o t e d   i n A S A    i n d i c e s ) o r  o p p o si t c   t h e
s t r o k e  i n  t h e  r i g h t w i n d o w  ( f o r  f i l m s  r o t e d  i n
D I N ' , ) . T h e d i s c c o n o l s o b e s e t t o   i n t e r m e d i o t e
v o l u e s . F o r m o r e c o n v e n i e n t h o n d l i n g , t h e  r e -
w i n d k n o b  ( 7 ) m o y b e p u l l e d o u t s l i g h t l y ( s e e
Fig. 27 on poge 32).
W h e n   t h e   f i l m s p e e d  i s q u o t e d o c c o r d i n g t o
o   r o t i n g o t h e r  t h on   t h e A S A o r D l N  s y s t e m s ,
t h e c o r r e s p o n d i n ge q u i v o l e n t c o n b e  f o u n d   i n
t h e c o n v e r s i o nt o b l e o n p o g e g .
T o m e o s u r e t h e  i n t e n s i t yo f   t h e  l i g h t , f i r s t o p e n
t h e   f l o p  o f   t h e e x p o s u r e m e t e r b y  p r e s s i n g
k n o b ( 8 ) g e n t l y t o  t h e r i g h t ( t o c l o s e i t , p r e s s t h e
f l o p   i t s e l f f o  t h e  r i g h t w i t h  t h e  l e f t  f o r e f i n g e r ) .
T h e C o n t o f l e x l V s h o u l d t h e n b e o i m e d o t   t h e

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subiect so os fo frome  it in the viewfinder. The
whife pointer  (4) will  be seen to deflect; turn
the computor disc (5) until the smoll whiie  cir-
culor mork  is exoctly  over  the  pointer when
viewed from obove (see Fig. 1). The exposure
volue to be used is the red figure on the com-
pulor disc opposite the red triongulor mork on
the film-speed setiing disc. In poor  light, the
required exposure times in  full seconds (green
figures) con be reod opposite ihe corresponding
f/numbers (block figures on the inner disc to the
right of the red triongle mork).
Once the exposure volue or operture ond shutter
speed  required  hove been  oscertoined, they
must be tronsferred to the shutter of the Conto-
flex lV.
Settingthe exposureyalue
By pressing knob  (.|7) towords the body  of the
comero, the odiocent red  dot con be moved
until  it coincides with the desired volue on the
red exposure volue scole (.|9) (see Fig. 2).  lt  is
olso possible to set holf exposure volues.
As the ring with fhe red dot con only be moved
through o  limited rodius, it  will sometimes be
necessory to move the operiure shutter speed
setting  ring  ('18) os well,  in order  to  set the
exposure volue required.
By setting the exposure volue, the diophrogm
ond  shutter speed  selector mechonisms ore
coupled. The omount  of  light  necessory for
correct exposure is controlled by the lens open-

                                                 't0

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                                                       Fis. 2
ing  (operture or  f/number) ond  the time  the
f ilm  is exposed to  light (shutter speed). The
exposure volue obtoined, which con be reod
off   f rom the setting mork (.|3) (see Fig. 3), re-
presentso definite omount of light, thot remoins
the some no motter whqt f/number or shutter
speed is chosen. lf,  qfter hoving determined
ond set the exposure volue, the shutter speed
setting ring (18) is turned to o higher or lower
vofue (20), the lens operture (21) will be outo-
moticolly re-odiustedto give the some exposure.
The shutter speed  is likewise re-odiusted outo-
moticolly when the operture is chonged.
Shutter speed: The  correct shutter speed  to
choose depends on whether or not the subiect


il

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                        f f i q


F i s . 3
         is moving, ond  if  so, how  ropidly. The foster
       the subiect-movement, the shorter should be
       the exposure time. The block figures on scole
       (20) denote froctions of seconds (60 meonsl/eoth
      second, etc.). When  set to the green "8", the
       shutter will remoin open os  f ong os the releose
      knob (3) remoins depressed (see poge 20).The
      green  f igures denote  f ull seconds, os on  the
      computor disc of the exposure meter, ond con-
       n o t b e s e t o g o i n s t  t h e s e t t i n g m o r k  ( 1 3 ) ; t h e i r
       s i g n i f i c o n c ew i l l b e e x p l o i n e d l o t e r o n .
      Aperture setting: The correct operture of  the
       lens diophrogm, or  "stop", for  short, depends
      on the depth of  f ield desired (see poge 16). The
      smoller the f/number, the lorger  is the octuol


                                             12

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       operture of the diophrogm opening. The required
       volue on the scole (2'l) should be set ogoinsl
       the  setting mork  (13). The operture  is set by
       the some operotion os  for  setting the shuii'er
       speed.
l
      So long os the correct exposure volue remoins
        set, ony combinotion of shutter speed ond lens
       operture will result in o perfectly-exposed nego-
        tive. The setting ring (18) con only be turned
        sufficiently to  ollow  ihe mork  (.|3) to  be  set
       ogoinst ihe  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, ihe lens is
      stopped down  until the shutter speed  is set to
       the green "8", on exposure fime of 2 seconds
         will be required. lf   ii  is necessory to stop down
      even further, the required exposure time in full
      seconds (green figures) con be reod  off oppo-
        site the  selected operture. Then set the dio_
      phrogm  to  the  required  f igure;  to  do  this,
      depress the knob  (17) os when setting the ex-
      posure volue. The exposure lime con then be
       conlrolled by  depressing the  shutter releose
      knob (3) for the required number of seconds. lt
         is olso possible  in such coses to reod  off  the
      exposure iime direcily from ihe exposure meter,
      os described on poge 10. When chonging from
       iime exposures on  "8"  lo ouiomotic exposures,
       the exposure volue must be reset.

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       Tensioning the Shutter

      The Synchro-Compur shutter  is  tensioned by
              t u r n i n g t h e  f i 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
        of  the orrow qs  fqr  os   it  will  go. This one
       operotion olso odvonces the film by one frome
       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 f 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
      odvoncing the film. Keeping the shutter tension-
      ed does not horm  it in ony woy.
      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 i l m w i n d k n o b
       don't iust twiddle it round with two fingers like
       o screw; o much more convenient method is to
      swing both honds in opposite directions, hold-
       ing the comero body with one hond ond gripp-
F i s .4





                                            1 4

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u n s h o r p                       shorp

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 o l l y s u r p r i s i n g .
Settingthe Distance
The built-in coupled rongefinder system outo-
moticolly focuses the 'comero   f or  the correct
distonce.When you look through the viewf inder
eyepiece (26), you  will see in the centre of the
f ield of view  o  cleor circulor oreo enclosed
within o ground gloss ring. The cleor circle is
d ivided  into two  ho lves by  o  horizonto|   | 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 woll or o tree trunk) seen in the f inder imoge.
Then turn the reor block ring by the two knobs
 ( 1 1 )o n  t h e  l e f t o n d  r i g h t , o d i o i n i n g t h e d i s t o n c e
setting scole (.|0). Now you will see the imoge
in the upper holf of the circle move in relotion
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.

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 Turn the two knobs (11) fo ond  fro  uniil  ihe
 imoge oppeors perfectly shorp.
   lf  is immoteriol which method of  focusing you
 use; in either cose the lens is outomoticolly-set
 to ihe correct distonce, which      b"  reod off
 from scole (10).                "on-
                                                             ?
 Depth-of-fietdScile                                              I
 The lgns does  noi  only  define  shorply fhose       i
 oblects ot  the exoct focused distonce;  it  will
 olso produce o shorp imoge of obiects o certoin   4
 distonce in front ond behind. This zone of shorp
 definiiion, known os the depih of  field,  is com_
 porotively  norrow  ot  full  operture  (f/2.g) but
 becomes greoter the more you stop down  the
 lens.
The depth-of-field scole (22) shows ihe  extent
 of  this zone  ot vorious operture settings ond
 distonces. Locote   f he  operture  setting  fo  be
 used from omong  the f/numbers  fo  ihe  right
ond  left of the distonce setting mork  (13). The
distonce volues on the distonce setting scole (10)
opposite  the chosen f/numbers  repiesent ihe
neor ond  for  limifs of  the depth_of_fieldzone.      t
For exomple: ossuming you ore using on oper_
ture of  f/8 ond hove focused on o distonce of                         l
5  ft. (Fig. 5), the figure 8 on the left is opposite
7  ff. while the figure 8 on the right is opposite
4-ft  This lells you thot ot o  distonce setting   ?b
of 5  ft. ond 'on operture of   f /8, everything wiii
be shorp from 4  fI.  Io 7  tt. Exoct vqtu"i  .on
be found in the toble on poge 19.

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Y o u c o n e q u o l l y w e l l m e o s u r e w i t h  t h e  r o n g e -
finder the neorest ond forthest points of  the
zone to be recorded shorply, ond then select
the oppropriote stop on the depth-of-field scole.
Do  not, however, stop down  further thon  is
necessory to  ensure the depth  of  field you
require. Otherwise you moy need long exposure
times, which increose the risk of comero shoke
(see poge 24).



                                            F i s . 5





                               'i&i::A#m

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                                                 F i s . 6

    Takingthe Picture

      Holding the camera
     Alwoys hold the Contoflex lV perfectly steody
      whilst toking o picture. Support the body of the
     comero with the polms of both honds ond grip
                i t  f i r m l y w i t h  t h e  f i n g e r s ( F i g . 6 ) . T h e  t h u m b s
      should be pressed ogoinst the comero bock, ond
      the middle finger of both honds should rest on
      the  f ocusing knobs  (l I ). Use the index  f inger
       of the right hond to press the shutter releose (3).
      Press your elbows  lightly ogoinst your body
e      (Fig. 7). You con use either the left or the right
      eye  to  look through the   f inder. This  is the
      normol position for  toking horizontql pictures
       with the Contoflex lV.


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               Fis. 7





For  upright  pictures, turn  the  Contoflex lV
t h r o u g h 9 0 d e g r e e s , o n d p r e s s i t   l i g h t l y o g o i n s t
t h e  f o r e h e o d w i t h  t h e  r i g h t h o n d . T h e m i d d l e
f i n g e r r e s t so n  t h e r i g h t - h o n df o c u s i n gk n o b ( l l ) ,
w h i l s t t h e  i n d e x f i n g e r w o r k s t h e s h u t t e rr e l e o s e .
The left hond supports the comero from below;
it  is olso possible to use the index finger of
this hond to operote the focusing knob (Fig.B).
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.

Releasing the shutter

The shutter releose knob  (3) should be de-
pressed genlly with either the tip of the index

                                   20

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                                                                             iI
                                                                       rfIThefinerpointsof the ContaflexlV
 The viewfinder
 The finder imoge is only visible ofter the film
 wind knob (1) hos been turned to odvonce the
 film  ond  tension the  shutter. This operotion
 simultoneouslylets down the reflex mirror inside
 t h e c o m e 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 e
finder you con tell whether the comero is reody
for ocfion.
So long os you con see the lorge brighi finder
        the lensi.,?nu,                .operture outomoticolly remoins
tutty open, permitting eosy ond occurote focus_
ing. On pressing the releose knob, ihe spring
looded diophrogm closes immediotely to its pre_
selected setting before the shutter opens  to
expose the film. The Contoflex is fhe first comero
to utilize this ingenious systems.
The finder imoge  is completely free from po-
rollox ond olwoys shows the exoct field of view,
even when  using  the Pro-Tessor for  tele_or
wide ongle pictures or supplementory lenses for

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 close-ups.For ropid oction shots you con eosily
 follow the movement of your subiect with the
 comero, since the imoge  in the finder is seen
 of eye level, upright ond the right woy round.
The block ring on the eyepiece mount (26) con
 be unscrewed  f or  the insertion of  correction
 len-ses (Order  No.  g02) to  compensote  for
defects of  vision. Even  if you  normoily weor
spectoclesyou con frome ond focus your  pic_
tures without the oid of glosses.When ordering,
pleose quote your  opticion's prescription for
d i s t o n c e g l o s s e s .
SnapshotSetting
So os to be reody for ropid oction snopshots,
first set the correct exposure volue ond then
set the operture to f/8 ond the distqnce to 20 ft.
(Fig. l1). For eosier setting, both these figures
ore red. This combinotion results in everything
between 10  f t. ond @ being shorply recorded.
Another useful woy  of  deoling with moving Fig. r r
                                                      ]g
                                                                                           ,rt

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          subiecfs is os follows: if, for instonce,you wont
           to  toke o  shot of  children  of  ploy, set the
         operture ond exposure time ond focus the lens
           of the most suitoble distonce. Now wotch your
          subfects in the viewfinder ond relecrsethe shutter
        when the two holves of the imcae in the ronge-
                   f i n d e r f i e l d c o i n c i d e ,o r w h e n  t h e  i m o g e o n  t h e
          g r o u n d g l o s s r i n g  i s s h o r p .
        TripodExposures
        The Contoflex lV con be mounted on o tripod
           (Fig. 12) by meons of the tripod bush (25).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 pog e 41);
           this screws into the threoded socket  in  the
         releose knob  (3). Exposures requiring speeds
         slower tho n 1/n second or time exposuresshould
          o l w o y s b e e n m o d e  f r o m q    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
        The fully-synchronizedSynchro-Compurshutter
        con be used with ony type of flosh equipment.

F i g . 1 2





                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  *f

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 It  is olso provided with  o  built-in deloyed-
 oction releose (self timer). The synchro-lever(12)
 con be set to three different positions; whenever
you wont to chonge its position, moke sure to
depress the lock (.l5)(Fig. l3).
At  the "X"  selting the shutter  f ires the   f losh
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
o r e f u l l y o p e n . E l e c t r o n i cf l o s h t u b e s s h o u l d o n l y               uX"be fired on the     setting.
At  the "M"  setting the  shutter opens ofter o
very  short deloy, which corresponds to  the
deloy-to-peok of most f loshbulbs.
The correct settings ("X" or "M')  for the vorious
flqshbulbs ond ffosh copsules wiil be found in
the mokers' instructions ond olso in the toble
on poge 26.
At the "V"selling the deloyed-oction releose (or
self-timer),is brought into operotion. When the
releose knob  (3)  is  depressed, o  retord ing
m e c h o n i s m i s s e t   i n motion which opens the
shutter ofter obout 8 seconds. Time exposures
( " 8 ' s e t t i n g ) c o n n o t b e mode with the self-timer.