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Zeiss Ikon Contessa 35
After World War II, Hubert Nerwin of Zeiss Ikon in West Germany created a line of folding cameras to help rebuild the company after the war. He relocated to the United States in 1948 through the government program Operation Paperclip, according to sources. Project Paperclip was an interesting program, but that’s a topic for another post.
The 533/24, Contessa 24, is futuristic in its design and function. It’s a true conversation starter. I recently took it out for a film test to write this article and was bombarded with questions about it. People asked me what type of camera it was. One person even thought it was some kind of Geiger counter. Considering its background, that’s not too far off.
As cool and unique as it is, the camera is not the easiest to use. As is expected with folding cameras, you have to cock the shutter on the lens. There’s no way to do that on the camera body. Personally, I’m used to shooting with folding medium format cameras, so this wasn’t a deal-breaker for me. However, for most people, the placement of the shutter button right above the lens will be a challenge. I tried reading the manual again to hold the camera as depicted, but it still feels awkward.
Depressing the shutter button can be difficult, resulting in some blurring at slower shutter speeds. Anything under 1/100th of a second tends to be blurred. The only way to alleviate this is to mount the camera on a tripod and use a remote release. It’s an amazing camera that looks magnificent from afar or up close and it’s definitely interesting to carry around.
I’ve owned this camera for a year and a half and have only used it two or three times during that period. Normally, I rotate my cameras and they get more use, but due to the awkward shutter button, this one has been neglected. It’s a shining example of engineering from the early 50s, although perhaps a bit over-engineered. The lens is incredibly sharp and the shutter never misses a beat or feels sluggish. It’s absolutely superb.
I am selling my early model 533/24 on Ebay. The price is right!
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Episode 1 of Coffee with Jefferson Davis
In this first Episode of ‘Coffee with Jefferson Davis’, I discuss the Minolta SR-7, Yashica MG-1, Zeiss Ikon Contessa, and different black and white films. I talked about the cost of film and different options available to us currently. My favorite is Kentmere 100 and 400. They are just as good as Ilford’s FP4 and HP5, but that is just my opinion. I hope to see Kodak or someone in the states come out with a competitive film. Arista Edu Ultra films are merely rebranded Fomapan films. They do work, and I have got some great results from them, yet they are prone to curling and scratches. The base on the Arista Edu films is very thin and easily scratched. I will have a review of the Contessa up by the end of next week.
Thank you for listening to this episode. I appreciate your time and attention. It gives me immense pleasure to know that you find value in the content I provide. Your support means a great deal to me, and I am grateful for the opportunity to connect with such an amazing audience. I hope you will continue to enjoy future episodes and find them even more insightful and engaging. Your feedback and suggestions are always welcome as they help me improve and cater to your interests and preferences. I look forward to the thought-provoking discussions that will undoubtedly arise from these episodes. So stay tuned, subscribe, and be ready for more captivating and enlightening conversations ahead. Thank you once again, and let’s embark on this exciting journey together. 🙂
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Precursor to Episode 1 of Coffee with Jefferson Davis
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Precursor to Episode 1 of Coffee with Jefferson Davis
Intro to Episode 1 of ‘Coffee with Jefferson Davis’ #podcast. In the intro, I discuss what I’ll be covering from the presidential campaigns, #kennedy24, to #film #photography and #cameras. The first episode will be available on Wed., the 30th.
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Yashica MG-1 Test Photographs
These are a few of the test shots from the Yashica. I had a blast using it. The lens is sharp and the mint meter has dead on accurate.
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Zeiss Ikon Contessa 35
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Minolta SR-7 Review
This beautiful camera was thrust onto the world stage in 1962, the decade of space exploration and scientific briefs that would set the world on fire. This beaut set the world on fire in its own way, it was the first 35mm SLR camera to have a built in Cds light meter. Up until this point, light meters were a required accessory to ensure the photographer was getting the best exposure for a scene or portrait. Light meters were in abundance. You could pick one up, along with your film, at your local pharmacist.
The Minolta SR-7, the Pentax Spotmatic, and Canon and Nikon variants killed the light meter for the mass market. Sekonic was the only real contender that survived, though that is a debatable subject. They are still highly sought after for professional photographs like myself and amateurs.
When this beautiful Minolta came into my possession, it was dirty, grimy, and not working. I cleaned the camera exterior, interior dried up grease, and cleaned the battery contacts. That is all it took to get it working again. After about thirty minutes of fiddling, I was ready to take it out for a test run.
The Minolta 58mm Rokkor-PF f/1.4 lens came on the camera. That was my main reason for purchasing it. It is such a sharp lens at f/1.4. It competes with new lenses. It may not have the anti flare coatings, but it is probably sharper due to not having all of those extra coatings that we may not need all the time. There is a gallery below with photographs from that first test roll of kentmere 100.
I took it downtown Easley near where I live. It is a different experience, looking down at the exposure meter before doing a final composition check and taking the shot. It slowed me down and made me think before taking the shot. It was enjoyable and everyone that passed me, enquired as to what kind of camera it is. It looks a bit alien, as it should being from the early 60’s. I thoroughly enjoyed shooting with this camera! If you have the time to go out and shoot, trying new angles and perspectives, pick up one of these on ebay or etsy and give it a try. You will not regret it, I haven’t. After all, it is historically important and should be appreciated and used.
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Zeiss Ikon Contessa 35
