Am I nuts or what? :D

[DocFrankenstein]

I now am a proud owner of a zeiss ikon... point and shoot?

It was so lonely... lying there. And for only 10 bucks I couldn't pass it up.

It's a zeiss ikon contina. Pantar 1:2.8 f=45mm lens. Made in germany stuggart. (I hope it's not DDR!)

After some q-tips and vodka it looks really good. The shutter is pretty much busted... and from what I can tell, it lags by about a stop from the indicated value. Hopefully 30+ shutters speeds are accurate.

It got better after a few dozen cycles.

What do I need to know about it?

 

[Rob]

It's a cool camera - very similar to my Voightlander Vito. I did exactly the same and cleaned with cotton buds and voddie as Boots the Chemist wouldn't sell me alcohol (thought I'd drink it I guess).

The selenium light meters are not particularly accurate - mine is about 1.5 stops out - are you sure this isn't the problem, rather than the shutter? You'll probably find it's consistently out and you can change the exposure value number by the appropriate amount to get it right.

You shouldn't really need to know anything more - it does exactly what it says on the tin!

I use mine as a camera that wouldn't be stolen from the pub (and they're pretty much indestructible!).

Enjoy it!

Rob

 

[DocFrankenstein]

It's a cool camera - very similar to my Voightlander Vito. I did exactly the same and cleaned with cotton buds and voddie as Boots the Chemist wouldn't sell me alcohol (thought I'd drink it I guess).

ROFLMAO

That sucks. Voddie works better than pure alc anyways.

The selenium light meters are not particularly accurate - mine is about 1.5 stops out - are you sure this isn't the problem, rather than the shutter?

I'm pretty sure. Cause I didn't use the lightmeter yet, and I can just tell by looking at the thing... 1/4 was way more than quarter of a sec... maybe .7-.8 sec...

Now it started to stick badly! Even 1/30 sticks about every 5th time...

But 1/60 works okay... and according to the camera collector whom I met at the store, 125 and 300 are always accurate... maybe 60 would be accurate too, or at least consistant.

You'll probably find it's consistently out and you can change the exposure value number by the appropriate amount to get it right.

LOL If the meter underexposes by a stop, and the shutter overexposes by I stop... I don't even have to compensate

You shouldn't really need to know anything more - it does exactly what it says on the tin!

I use mine as a camera that wouldn't be stolen from the pub (and they're pretty much indestructible!).

Enjoy it!

Now I'll be hunting for one with a good shutter and mint lens! Don't know why though. lol

 

[hobbes28]

You're not crazy at all. In NH we have this road that we call antique alley that runs for about 20 miles with lots of antique stores on it. Every time we go that way I'm looking for another old camera to collect. Not to just put on the shelf but to use for shooting. And I'm not the only one here...I know one person in particular who has quite the collection himself...

 

[SonicAdvDX]

It got better after a few dozen cycles.

Well, wait, were you having trouble with the shutter speed, or what; I'm not exactly getting what you're saying...

But, if it's the speed that you're having a problem with, then it didn't get better; you did. I had the same problem with my 1995 Olympus, with practically a three second shutter speed. >_<* But, I got used to it and my hands steadied up for me. ^_^

 

[DocFrankenstein]

Well, wait, were you having trouble with the shutter speed, or what; I'm not exactly getting what you're saying...

But, if it's the speed that you're having a problem with, then it didn't get better; you did. I had the same problem with my 1995 Olympus, with practically a three second shutter speed. >_<* But, I got used to it and my hands steadied up for me. ^_^

I didn't get better. The actual shutter sticks/opens for longer than expected. IE when I'm at 1/4 seconds, the shutter is open for a second or so...

 

[SonicAdvDX]

Ah... Hm, that's weird... But, it's better now, right?

 

[DocFrankenstein]

Ah... Hm, that's weird... But, it's better now, right?

Nah - not really.

300, 125 and 60 are reliable, or so it seems. I haven't tested the thing yet.

30 sticks sometimes, and sometimes it's visibly slower than expected. Slower shutter speeds are pretty much random. But the bulb works ok, so I may be able to use that.

Good enough for 10 bucks. I got a taste of zeiss, now I'll be on the lookout for german junque on garage sales.

 

[SonicAdvDX]

Heh, yeah, I guess you got what you paid for, eh? XP I always hated that phrase so much, too... ^_^;