Zeiss Ikon Contina User manual

TI I E   CO I I I P ( ) N E I T T S       OX'
  1) Rotating  front  lens for  exact           14) Range-ftnder window.
     focusing.                               15) Built-in  optical viewftnder.
 2) Mark  for  distance  setting.              16) Film type indicator.
 3) Depth-of-fteld scale.                    17) Film winding  knob.
  4) Setting ring  for exposure times.         18) Film rewind knob.
  f) Exposure time  setting scale.             19) Lock  for camera back.
 6) Diaphragm  setting.                     20) Eyelets for carrying  strap.
 7) Diaphragm  setting scale.               21) Viewftnder shoe for additional
 8) Thread  for cable release.                   accessories.
  9) Shutter cocking  lever.                   22) Bush  for  tripod  (hidden  underneath
                                                     blind screw).10) Syndrro  switch.
l0a)Lever   for  winding   delayed  action     23) Locking device.
    and  synchronisation  mechanism  of    24) Frame counter.
     Prontor SV-shutter.                     25) Milled  knob  for  setting  the  frame
11) Flash synchronisation contact nipple.         counter.
12) Shutter release knob.                    25) Milled   strut  plates  of hinged  base-
13) Focusing ring with  scale for range-        board.
     ftnder.                                   27) Press button  for  fllm  rewind.

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D I R , E C T T O N S     F O B  U S E  O T ' T I I E


The CoNTINA 24x 36 mm is an improvedminiaturecamerawith a built-
in range-ffnder guaranteeing needle-sharp pictures even with large
aperturesand at short distances.
In order to get ftrst-classresults at once and with the ftrst exposuresa
careful study of these instructions is recommended,becauseit  is es-
sential to make yourself thoroughly familiar with the few, but necessary
details for handling it successfully.\X/hen putting these details into
practice with the unloaded camera, it must be borne in mind that the

shutter locking device works only when the camera is loaded with a
 ftlm. Only then can the shutter be released.
The coNrINA 24x 36 mm gives 36 exposureswith the normal miniature
 film cartridge of the 24x36 mm (1 xlrlr")  size.
A built-in precisionrange-finderallows for measuringthe exact distance
betweenthe cameraand the subject.The CoNTINA24x 36 mm is eqrrip-
ped with either the Novar or the Tessar lens. Both lensesare, of .o.r.sl,
provided with an anti-reflex coating in order to eliminate internal refle-
xes and flares and to ensureblacl<-and-whiteas well as colour pictures
with excellentand crisp deftnition.An automatic shutter releaselocking
cieviceprevents double exposuresand blanks.
Small alterationsin tbe camera not in conformity witb tbis ilescriptionare possibledue to furtbertedtnicalileoelopnent.

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II OIY  T()
OP:E N TII E CAII  IT RA
Hold the CoNTINA 24x 36 mm with
one hand on the camera back. By
tilting the locking knob (23) down-
wards the camera will  open. A
slight pressure on the lid until the
opening mechanism clicks into po-
sition makesthe CoNTINA24x36mm
ready for use.                               il,iinli  III O\v TO
C I / O S E T I I E  C A X I B R A

f . ' O C U S I I { G
The engravedsetting marks on the mount of the rotating front lens (1)
indicate the distancesfrorn "inffnity"  (*)   to 3 feet (80 cm). To focus
correctly turn the distance figure previorrslyascertainedby means of
                           the bu;lt- in range-finder of the CONTINA
                       24x36 mm (see page 8) to the distance
                            setting mark (2).


                   SETTING   Otr' TIIE  IDIAPIIRAGINI
                         For setting the diaphragrn to the aperture
                           desired, turn the mark of the diaphragm
                            setting lever (6) to the required ffgure of
                          the diaphragm scale (7).

                               Prontor SV

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S E T T I I T G     ( } F  T I I E  E X . P O S U R E    T T N f , E
Rotate the milled setting ring (4) in such a way that the red mark is
oppositethe required exposuretime on the exposuretime setting scale
(5). fhese figuies indicate fractions of a second,for instance,"25"
       1/z;means        secondetc. When set to "B" the
shutterremains open as long as the shutter
releaseknob (12) is pressed.The shutter
must be cocked by means of the cocking
lever (9) prior to every exposure.It does
not matter whether the exposuretime is set
before or after cocking the shutter. Tl-rere
is however, one exception: with the Syn-
chro-Compur shutter the  fastest speed,
    1/soo         sec., ought to be set before thei.e.
shutter is cocked.

                             Synchro-Compur

I.'()CU SII{G  IVITIT  TIIE  RANGD-tr'INDI)   n'
 on.looking through the_eye_-pieceof the range-ftnderin the centre of
the lmagea rectangularbright sectionwill be seen,in which the vertical
contoursot any_subjectwill appeardoubled.(when the camerais held
 vertically it will_bethe horizontal contourswhich appear doubled.)Bv
slorvlyturn:ng the focusingring of the range-ftndeifra> tnesedoirul'e
imageswill disappearand.mergeinto a singl"eimage.Then the u.."lii.
ctrstancehas been establ;shedand can be read off from the scaleof the
distancemeter.Settingthefront lens (1) u..o.dinglv ;"k;   the camera
correctly focused cn the subject. Thij  corrc.t f?i"rins  ls especiallv
important when pictures are iaken at short distances;J;itiii"G
apertures(see page 10).
\w!,en looking through the-eye-pieceof the optical viewlinder one can
eastlyoetermrnethe ti_nalframing of the picture.
              snapshotthe fol.iowingmethod-ofworking has provedl"l  lh: llerageto be excellentand most helpfu.lin practice, B_eforethe exposurelmake
sure of the most favourabledistance..q"i."a ?L. il"  pui,i."lar shot.
Set the front lens distancescaleof the coNrrNA 24x36 mm iii   ;r;;ii
                            8

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as the scale of the range-ftnder (13) to
this distance and with this fixed setting
move slowly towards the subiect until
the two  images  in  the  range-ftnder
merge into one. Now frame the picture                                     s \bv  looking  through  the  eye-piece of
the view{inder and without anv further
delav release the shutter.

DrAprrBAGiIl[, DEprrr   ox. xtrnll),  AND EXPOSURE  TrltlBl
Any reductionof the lens apertureincreasesthe depth of ffeld, but the
smallerthe aperturethe longer must be the exposuretime, of course.
It is, therefore,advisableto make use of this possibrlityof increasing
                          the depth of field only when the lighting
                           conditions are favourable. To make short
                                                      i  exposuresin pocr light the full aperture of
                          the lens should be used, or as large a stop
                        as possible.The CONTINA 24x36mm makes
                       work with large apertures easy, because
                          the built-in range-finderpreventsincorrect
                            focusitrgand always provides for the exact
                         distancebetween the camera and the sub-
                                                            j ect.
                                         1 0

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The extent of the sharply reproclucedfteld coveredby the lens at every
distancesetting anC diaphragmsetting can be read off from the depth-
of-ffeld scale (3). The distancesengraved opposite to the diaphragrn
stopsto the right anCleft side of the distancesettingmark (2) indicate
clearly the limits of the depth of ffeld in the foreground and background.
By setting,for instance,the distanceat 10 ft and the diaphragmat [18,
the depth of ffeld lies betweenthe two figures of stop B to the right and
left side of the distancesetting mark, and reachesfrom approx. 6 ft in
the foreground to 20 ft in the background.For the exact valuessee the
depth-of-ffeldtable on page 12.

I'OADIITG    TIIE  CAIVIEB,Awww.orphancameras.com
The back of the camera can be opened by pulling back the lccking bar
(19). For loading the camerat pull out the rewind knob (18) and insert
the film cartridge into the empty feeding spool chamber in such a \'vay
that the beginning  of the film  is directed towards the picture frame.
Now push back the rewind knob (18)
so that  the rewind prongs engage
correctly with  the hole of the film
cartridge. Draw  the beginning  of
the  ftlrn across the  Picture frame
and attach  it  to the take-uP sPool
by hooking  it to the lug of  it. Turn
the film winding knob (17) until the
perforation  of the  film engages in
both sprockets underneath the pic-

              1 3

ture frame. Close the camera and set the frame counter (24)  to the
rhonrbus by means of the milled knob (25). Then turn the film winding
knob (17)  until   it catches and the frame counter  will show the num-
ber 1. The ftrst frame is now prepared for exposure. Vinding  the ftlm
on by further turning the ftlm winding knob (17) the frame counter will
                                      indicate the next figure and clearly
                             show how  many  exposures have
                              been made. The shutter is coupled
                                         to the winding mechanism so that
                                    the release knob cannot be actuated
                                  unless the film  is wound on and the
                                          film winding knob  (17) lccks, thus
                                     obviating  the risk  of double expo-
                                  sure and blanks. It should, therefore,
                                            t4

becorne a habit  to advancewww.orphancameras.comthe ftlm immediately  after each exposure
arrd to cock the shutter so that one is always ready for another exposure.
After frame 36 the film has been entirely exposed and must be rewound.


T I I I T     l ' I L x f   T Y P I I      I N D I O A T O I B
After loading the camera with a fresh fihn
the film type indicator (16) should be set
to the type of iilm  in use (black-and-white
film, daylight  colour  film, colour  film  for
artiftcial  light  etc.) to eliminate any doubt
with regard to the type of ftlm with which
the camera is loaded. To mark this type of
                 1 5

' -  l                                                                                                                                                    .
ftlm in usethe outer ring of the ftlm type indicator (16) is slightly lifted
anditsmarksnappedbackintotherequiredposition,thatistosayto
the ASA-speedof the film in the camera.
Vhen in doubt as to whether the camera is loaded or not, try to turn
the rewinding knob (18) in the direction of the arrow. If there is a
strong resistanceafter a short rotation the camera is loaded.              o,
RDWINDINGI  THE   X'ILIII AND  UIII/()ADING    IIID   CA-IfERA        :  ,
Vhen the fflm is entirely exposedit must be rewound into its original   ,     I
cartridge in order to unload the camera in daylight. This is done by        -,
turning the rewind knob (18) in the direction of the arrow. For this
purposethe knob (27) in the centre of the fflm winding knob (17) must
be presseddown. tJ/hen after some rewinding a slight resistancehas to
be overcomethis indicates that the beginning of the fflm has detached
                            1 6

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         itself from the take- up spool. The camera back can then be opened,
       the rewind knob (18) pulled out and the cartridge with the exposed
        {ilm removed.

     BE-I/OADINGI OX'A PARTI/L EXPOSDD   FII/Ill
      The way of inserting a partly exposedftlm is exactly the same as it is
       with a new fflm. After the frame counter has travelled to No. 1 thel
       shutter must be set to a short exposure time and cocked and the
      diaphragmset to a small stop. \While the lens has to be covered- prefer-I     ably with a lens cap - the shutterrelease(12) must be presseddown and
       kept in this position. Then the film can be wound on by means of the
        Iilm winding knob (17) over the required length r,vithoutthe transport
       locking devicebeing engaged.Vhen the frame counter has passedthe
                                  1 7

number of already exposedframes by one frame, the shutter release
can be returned to  its normal position and the fflm winding knob
turned again until  it locks. This means that the camera is prepared for
the next exposurewith the exposedpart of the ftlm in safety, and with
only one blank in between.

I r O L D f N G   T I I E  C - { t f D R A
Owing to the convenienceof its shapethe CoNTINA 24x36 mm easily
ftts into the palms of the hand. The camera must be held ffrmly
during the exposure.Cocking the shutter and winding on of the ftlm
can be done even when the camerais in the taking position.
Exposuresfrom hand should be rnade only with exposure times of
t/z; sec.or shorter.Exposuresat lower speedsand time exposuresshould
always be made ftom a tripod. To that end the screw (22) covering the
tripod bush must be loosenedand removed.
                            1 8

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TAITTNGi
H O F I Z O N I T A I /    P f C T U R E S
The CONTINA 24x36 mm  should
be held in the palnat of both hands
witl-r the fingers around  the body.
The middle ftnger of the right hand
cocks the shutter  (12);  the index
ftnger releasesit. The elbows should
be pressed against the body when
the shutter is released.



              1 9

TAI(I   IT G
I r E R T I C A I /   P I C T U R E S
To take vertical pictures the camera
is rotated from  its hori zontal posi-
tion up over the left hand to the ver-
tical position. The middle and index
fingeis of the right hand rema:n at
the cocking lever (9) and the release
knob (12). The left hand serves as a
support for the camera. The CCN-
TINA  can, of  course, be used the
other way round so that the right
hand supports the camera from be-
neath while the left hand is on toP
of the shutter. Left-handed  photo-
graphers will prefer this way.
             2A

www.orphancameras.comti# l f H B C O N B E C T  D X P O S U N E  T T T I D
     To obtain good pictures the exposuretime must be correct. The correct
     exposuretime can easily be ascertainedfrom exposuretables or with
      the photo-electricexposuremeter ZEISSII(ON IKoPHoT, which is espe-
       cially reliablewhen extremelydifftcult lightlng conditionsmake photo-iltgraphy a hazardousbusiness.rBothaccessoriesgive the correct expo-
      sure times under different lighding conditions and for every diaphragm
       in use.
       IT IS CONVENIENTTO ADHERETO A BASICRULELIKE THIS:il*      Outdoor pictures in             Outdoor pictures
      bright sunshine'               under overcastsky:
      Film speed:32 ASA             Film speed:32 ASA
      Stop : 8                       Stop: 5.6
     Exposuretime : 1/roosec.         Exposuretime : l/eosec.
                                 2 1ilt

This is an easy/but reliable way of making snapshots.\When the light-
ing conditions are favourable set the diaphragm mark (6) and the
distance mark (2) to the resp. red dots on the shutter. This setting
resultsin a sharp deftnition from 8 ft (2,5Om) to "inftnity" (oo). In
this casethe exposuretimes required are as follows t
     Bright sunshine:    Sun, slightly overcast'    Dull weather :
        1/roosec.                l/sosec.                r/zr sec.
                                                                                                                                       'Ii
As the CONTINA 24x36 mm can be closedno matter how it is focused,
it is rather convenientto arrange the red dot setting beforehandso that
the camera is always prepared for instantaneoususe immediately after
opening.

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