Donating! Zeiss Ikon Contina Folding Camera.

pixmedic · Aug 18, 2017

clearing some more stuff out of the closet and this is another camera that needs a good home.
for a while it seemed that everyone interested in film was full up on cameras. the last few film deals I put up here didn't garner much attention, but it feels like there has been some renewed interest in film shooting lately so im going to give this little gem a go.

its a Zeiss Ikon Contina. a nifty little pocket camera. this little guy was a compact camera long before compact was hip.
it has all the cool camera features like....a lens, a shutter, some weird controls on the lens....
did I mention its really compact? cool right?

anyway, if memory serves, this little rangefinder is from the 50's (hopefully someone can confirm as i really dont remember much about it...never got around to actually using it)
I meant to use it, really...but at the time I got wrapped up in medium format with my mamiya 645 and this just kinda hit the back burner and never returned. until today.

so...i cannot vouch for the functionality at this time. everything appears to work as intended, but without testing it and developing the film there is really no way to tell with any degree of certainty.

but back to the important stuff. im throwing this neat little pocket camera up here as a donation.
it takes 35mm film. nothing fancy.
lens is a novar-anastigmat 45mm f3.5 (i actually think i remember there being an f2.8 version of this camera too...yes/no?)
it folds up small enough to put in your pocket, so if your a film person and are looking for something travel size to shoot with, or just something small enough to throw in a pocket or purse to go mess around with, this is a perfect fit.

it measures about 5 inches long, 3 inches tall, and 1.5 inches wide. it weights in at just over 1 lb.

want to be considered for this donation? just follow these few simple steps!
1: be at least a somewhat active member on the forum.
2: be at least somewhat interested in shooting with a very manual film camera.
3: post in this thread what you currently shoot with and why you want this camera.

ill let this run for a week or so, maybe less if there is no real interest in it.
if you dont currently shoot film at all but want to learn, this might not be a great starter camera for you.
aside from being completely manual, all the controls are basically on the lens making it very different from more modern film cameras. its kind of a PITA if your not used to it. if your moderately experienced with older cameras and just want something compact and fun....here is is, come get it!.

as usual, shipping is on us. the total cost of getting this wonderful little folder to your door in the CONUS or CANADA is $0 (zero) dollars. (i dont know what that is in Canadian currency)
on to the pictures!

snowbear · Aug 18, 2017

Awesome!

jcdeboever · Aug 18, 2017

Very cool and generous.

dxqcanada · Aug 18, 2017

Looks like you gotta Contina II.
Hopefully a filmy will get some great use out of this camera.

dxqcanada · Aug 18, 2017

... too bad it wasn't broken :801:

pixmedic · Aug 18, 2017

dxqcanada said:
... too bad it wasn't broken

would it have been more desirable broken?

dxqcanada · Aug 18, 2017

Yes ... well, for me ... don't think the majority think that way.

pixmedic · Aug 20, 2017

dxqcanada said:
Yes ... well, for me ... don't think the majority think that way.

I also have a retina IIIb that will probably go up here too if there's any interest in these old folders.

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vintagesnaps · Aug 20, 2017

Ooh, nice camera. I'm a 'filmy', I love old cameras. DON'T just get rid of them!! lol Surely somebody would want them and I don't really need any more old cameras but I'd take it if nobody else is interested.

Dennis is a tinkerer.

dxqcanada · Aug 20, 2017

If you break it, I take it :icon_compress:

pixmedic · Aug 23, 2017

No interest eh?
I guess there's no point in making a thread for the retina IIIb then.

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dxqcanada · Aug 23, 2017

Too bad, I would have liked to have seen these old ones get a new life.

waday · Aug 24, 2017

@pixmedic , can I throw my name into the ring? At the eleventh hour?

My current setup is an Olympus OMD EM-1 Mark 1. I moved from my Canon XSi to Olympus for a few reasons, but mainly because I wanted to recenter myself on taking a good image. I like the portability of the Olympus, the smallish size (even though the EM1 is still sizable), and that factored into me being able to take the camera with me when I might otherwise not.

I've been interested in film photography for a long while, but have been hesitant to jump in. I would get bogged down by what lens to pick, what body to pick. This is a nice, neat package that doesn't require much thought with respect to specific equipment. I would get to focus directly on image taking, which is what I want.

I do recognize that it is a "full manual" camera, and I have little experience with film. I've never really been one to take the easy road. :smile:

pixmedic · Aug 24, 2017

waday said:
@pixmedic , can I throw my name into the ring? At the eleventh hour?

My current setup is an Olympus OMD EM-1 Mark 1. I moved from my Canon XSi to Olympus for a few reasons, but mainly because I wanted to recenter myself on taking a good image. I like the portability of the Olympus, the smallish size (even though the EM1 is still sizable), and that factored into me being able to take the camera with me when I might otherwise not.

I've been interested in film photography for a long while, but have been hesitant to jump in. I would get bogged down by what lens to pick, what body to pick. This is a nice, neat package that doesn't require much thought with respect to specific equipment. I would get to focus directly on image taking, which is what I want.

I do recognize that it is a "full manual" camera, and I have little experience with film. I've never really been one to take the easy road.

there doesnt seem to be much interest, so 11th hour doesnt really matter too much.

my warning about the "manual" aspect wasnt so much about shooting manual as it was about the controls all being on/around the lens instead of the button locations on more modern SLR cameras. also, its a rangefinder setup. you focus by setting the distance, not by looking through the lens and focusing on the subject. its kind of PITA, BUT...once you get it down i guess its not terrible. plus, this camera literally fits in a pocket.

if you can get around all of those limitations (maybe differences is a better word?) then ill be happy to throw your name in the empty hat.

limr · Aug 24, 2017

I was also hesitant to throw my name in for a few reasons. I've already been the recipient of your generosity several times and I don't want to be greedy. Also, I wanted to see if it could first go to someone else who wants it. I've also been in a bit of a photographic slump, so I felt guilty (but who knows, maybe this will be a spark of inspiration

)

Wade wants the Contina and I think it would be a great little camera for him to start playing with film.

As for that Retina, just like Vintagesnaps, I have plenty of old cameras so I don't "need" it, but I can't bear to see it just go to waste. Plus, in that collection of mine, I do not have a 35mm folder, if you can imagine that

Buzz is also a tinkerer (and is also a big fan of folders,) so if the Retina needs a little cleaning or tuning up, he is willing and able to do so for me. (I might insist on learning how to it myself, however, while he looks over my shoulder and talks me through it.)

Edit: So yes, I'm throwing my name in for the Retina.