tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40634210317600907092024-03-13T00:45:23.301+00:00The Contax 139 BlogPart of the Contax 139 ResourceUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4063421031760090709.post-25343022304060513832023-03-06T14:14:00.002+00:002023-03-06T14:14:56.880+00:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Who knew body caps could be so interesting? I noticed I had four different types of body caps. They are:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">1. From a later, Kyocera made, body.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">2. From an early, Yashica made, body.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">3. From an Aria but not sure if it's original to the camera or not.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">4. A (Chinese made?) after market cap.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Besides the differences in the patterning on the front and the text on the back, the way the bayonet is moulded is different on no. 4 to the other three. No. 4 has an extra bit that prevents the cap from fitting properly - it shouldn't be there and I always cut it out when I buy them.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I know 1 and 2 are original equipment, I know 4 isn't. Not sure about 3 though.</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjUvH4ZKckkGjH6-H22tdmM1730i5J4tLzF-vwDlUTLifEEMHi6eUFadQSus-TqIOTH99GfPyXlOyDJzjpiapf3H46lRiF9iaBXa-lrFohF4704yAIAG0KN0udqzCGMLoHJI74-x3opk7Vl2uIKZJXIMy_4TmtFmEaUi7AEOYla9iMW3VA1v_rVa5DHw/s1988/Body%20caps.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1265" data-original-width="1988" height="407" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjUvH4ZKckkGjH6-H22tdmM1730i5J4tLzF-vwDlUTLifEEMHi6eUFadQSus-TqIOTH99GfPyXlOyDJzjpiapf3H46lRiF9iaBXa-lrFohF4704yAIAG0KN0udqzCGMLoHJI74-x3opk7Vl2uIKZJXIMy_4TmtFmEaUi7AEOYla9iMW3VA1v_rVa5DHw/w640-h407/Body%20caps.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4063421031760090709.post-38613253444940256742022-09-16T09:32:00.001+00:002022-09-16T09:33:02.043+00:00<p> I bought this S2 a while ago - someone had squirted oil into the shutter and had removed and refitted the focus screen incorrectly which caused other problems. I couldn't save the shutter so it was replaced and various other repairs carried out. The interesting thing (to me anyway) is this example has been converted to have average metering like the S2b instead of spot metering. The mask that defines the spot area has been swapped for the mask that is normally in the S2b. Maybe the masks were swapped between a S2b and this S2 or maybe it was done when spare parts were still available and someone acquired and fitted the S2b mask. However it was done, it suits me as I've never liked the spot metering. So I think this one's a keeper.</p><p>The covers I've fitted are some fabric covers I'm experimenting with. Also available in blue and black if anyone is interested.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_TxJoRGgI7lxgTBiUEAya7um_Iy4UooX5FGh1fdC6sWQZ3A0FoQ3P4jk9asdtGPAips-KTUF-IqhYkG9CSZOJGtyzJYenlSvcgDfT6VVd27ZFIOHcrqFyi1xIOtAbItnSm62dy2hiqIHvVEAfqxqNJOx-2vaKXsdVxx1zjI5D-vRKxpb69qqZ9Ugo5g/s1000/306126745_480635034074847_2775419978364415909_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="1000" height="496" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_TxJoRGgI7lxgTBiUEAya7um_Iy4UooX5FGh1fdC6sWQZ3A0FoQ3P4jk9asdtGPAips-KTUF-IqhYkG9CSZOJGtyzJYenlSvcgDfT6VVd27ZFIOHcrqFyi1xIOtAbItnSm62dy2hiqIHvVEAfqxqNJOx-2vaKXsdVxx1zjI5D-vRKxpb69qqZ9Ugo5g/w640-h496/306126745_480635034074847_2775419978364415909_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVK7ekFUt5ApwksTE85tg_K6Pmi3fRfDpEx1GkLok4ez4R7YJYWZV8X4bYC3s-VdkutCKpgovgmWogxGcsuaItn8XV1eq71n1_DXlFB3araQXYXHyUIZ-fGLBgRimGq33H2QixXZN03ZvcUPLyk7BE0EEsbXG6-45UxtqK-YEIKX7B8T2O6J9-uiGIwg/s1000/306170399_480635044074846_4731710949488925538_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="1000" height="496" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVK7ekFUt5ApwksTE85tg_K6Pmi3fRfDpEx1GkLok4ez4R7YJYWZV8X4bYC3s-VdkutCKpgovgmWogxGcsuaItn8XV1eq71n1_DXlFB3araQXYXHyUIZ-fGLBgRimGq33H2QixXZN03ZvcUPLyk7BE0EEsbXG6-45UxtqK-YEIKX7B8T2O6J9-uiGIwg/w640-h496/306170399_480635044074846_4731710949488925538_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4063421031760090709.post-72107318195183145042021-11-22T15:37:00.001+00:002021-11-22T15:37:48.974+00:00Shutter speeds - before and after service<p>An example of the difference a service can make to the shutter speeds of a camera - in this case, an RTS II.</p><p>Shutter speeds before service:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaIudZZm_sBuppWO7RN6U-ZZZHqQ__5dGk3_x_zLOQegdDZEQK5nC1RoMjhCiioSAMiB_oYreoSHOiywigNkd7fh_1KMSZKGMal1W3CALg-QvwJkt7LuoY_IYqEJF5GhkM0JRbY_FZiInY/s911/Image2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="673" data-original-width="911" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaIudZZm_sBuppWO7RN6U-ZZZHqQ__5dGk3_x_zLOQegdDZEQK5nC1RoMjhCiioSAMiB_oYreoSHOiywigNkd7fh_1KMSZKGMal1W3CALg-QvwJkt7LuoY_IYqEJF5GhkM0JRbY_FZiInY/w640-h472/Image2.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Shutter speeds after service:</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj05TuNHbvpAq3o11Zxa8AyE5b1-JIlWjI2gDUtxHnu9FWcs3-4Jy0zpRA_wEPSQE2547Od5maChgcTO44DtYmpIu0DjvaWHwLyQsgH5pLtXRUur_Y_jHsPhpOLRkURUIzcfAuUZD1kVxEm/s911/Image1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="673" data-original-width="911" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj05TuNHbvpAq3o11Zxa8AyE5b1-JIlWjI2gDUtxHnu9FWcs3-4Jy0zpRA_wEPSQE2547Od5maChgcTO44DtYmpIu0DjvaWHwLyQsgH5pLtXRUur_Y_jHsPhpOLRkURUIzcfAuUZD1kVxEm/w640-h472/Image1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>And, although not the sole reason for the slow shutter speeds, this is the dirt, on the end of a slip of paper, removed from the shutter magnet which can cause the magnet to be slow in releasing the second curtain and cause the shutter speeds to be slow and, often, more erratic.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpZ7gm_eyUtg_Bzqmj9n-4QQE2sUh2lhQasfwNaFcGFUSJANh6JA0IwzyrUmfbVRhEfzWjL8V_GtR8qdmB-Flh3UKJoZQSPMVN6aR0LEO2mKcqyD1TKsbS833upY3kR84pVbP9pWrdGng0/s800/IMG_20211120_121332.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpZ7gm_eyUtg_Bzqmj9n-4QQE2sUh2lhQasfwNaFcGFUSJANh6JA0IwzyrUmfbVRhEfzWjL8V_GtR8qdmB-Flh3UKJoZQSPMVN6aR0LEO2mKcqyD1TKsbS833upY3kR84pVbP9pWrdGng0/s320/IMG_20211120_121332.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4063421031760090709.post-79394107899686919332021-08-08T15:30:00.001+00:002021-08-12T16:50:55.797+00:00Replacing the 159 focus screen<p>The 159 focus screen is not considered user replaceable despite it being fairly easy to remove. The problem is refitting it. In the user manual it says the screen should only be replaced at a service centre and with good reason. If not done correctly the screen will, almost certainly, be damaged. I know, I've done it.</p><p>I experimented with an old screen to see if I could find a way the screen could be changed without damaging it. Described here is my method found through that experimentation, it's not a manufacturer recommended way.</p><p>Before proceeding a method of holding the screen without damaging it is necessary. Later camera models had screens with a tab to be used to hold the screen by but the 159 screen doesn't have a tab. I use a pair of flat tipped tweezers that have had the tips covered in heat shrink cable insulation. This is permanent and I only use them for this purpose but a temporary solution could be some rubber sleeving fitted over the end of some tweezers.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXbZyK8yBATuXAmuf8Y85frxa1EGcokZkQ_M7XAxLyTOAq2I_4H4oTjEPHtxE9c0y3BuNIbG8bYDdRx3RKJ1CER9M79kNXmBgkkFRYSNb4O9X1xMmaDhLsGyt62PUyDSBJRJsFaVkinINJ/s1000/IMG_2455.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="538" data-original-width="1000" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXbZyK8yBATuXAmuf8Y85frxa1EGcokZkQ_M7XAxLyTOAq2I_4H4oTjEPHtxE9c0y3BuNIbG8bYDdRx3RKJ1CER9M79kNXmBgkkFRYSNb4O9X1xMmaDhLsGyt62PUyDSBJRJsFaVkinINJ/s320/IMG_2455.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI6ultHGs-cwxOxsWyJLRcKDOEx639OFy3YdWYfBknstl3q_LucgaJ8PaJgBR8OUsCUYn-ugmqQhd-G1YYQbmnNO60RNBWm1lYy4mpfROctp6Zi37t7JsRhKTCRwvgZ6hV1xxCvnGoEIol/s1000/IMG_2456.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="538" data-original-width="1000" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI6ultHGs-cwxOxsWyJLRcKDOEx639OFy3YdWYfBknstl3q_LucgaJ8PaJgBR8OUsCUYn-ugmqQhd-G1YYQbmnNO60RNBWm1lYy4mpfROctp6Zi37t7JsRhKTCRwvgZ6hV1xxCvnGoEIol/s320/IMG_2456.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>I also recommend the mirror buffer foam be removed. This makes it easy to see the release catch.</p><p>First, the camera needs to held inverted.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN9mCtoF-V8Sk4_2IXlj4MlcKpSLF8iB8JgWSnnWvypnS66C2QeFmF9T3pyamt8nI9cGCxl4dTqPC8Gdz3YzGLZZP3qhv9sNmqxsKq2raOrxUUcWJMNil1RzhAQQPVn21qc5kZLfLwPSo8/s1000/IMG_2446.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Contax 159 screen replacement" border="0" data-original-height="538" data-original-width="1000" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN9mCtoF-V8Sk4_2IXlj4MlcKpSLF8iB8JgWSnnWvypnS66C2QeFmF9T3pyamt8nI9cGCxl4dTqPC8Gdz3YzGLZZP3qhv9sNmqxsKq2raOrxUUcWJMNil1RzhAQQPVn21qc5kZLfLwPSo8/w640-h344/IMG_2446.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>A piece of card needs to be cut and bent to fit into the camera such that the edge sits against the back of the focus screen frame (see arrow in next picture). The card will stop the frame jumping out of its retaining slot and will also protect the mirror from possible scratching.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8gMRdPDCg0NwT0w5mgGk1-FXapo_naVwl27dzQDtbY77PiXzknLdHotq0QhNFQ2_J-Dn7hdQxGdQgkddSr-M9r488HJ8k_gzwCyMOJE0MQ4BU_9Bp8dRhaQYHCZ0XCQjsflUyDhSJ5JV7/s1000/IMG_2447.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8gMRdPDCg0NwT0w5mgGk1-FXapo_naVwl27dzQDtbY77PiXzknLdHotq0QhNFQ2_J-Dn7hdQxGdQgkddSr-M9r488HJ8k_gzwCyMOJE0MQ4BU_9Bp8dRhaQYHCZ0XCQjsflUyDhSJ5JV7/w640-h480/IMG_2447.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>Release the screen by pulling back on the catch. The screen frame will pop up. Lift it up and remove the screen from underneath. This is best done by using something with a point to press against the edge of the screen and lift it up then use the covered tweezers to grab the screen and remove it while holding the frame clear. Don't try and remove the frame first, you will probably scratch the screen while trying to remove the frame.</p><p>If you do remove the frame after removing the screen, note it has two tabs on it, a wide one on one side and a narrow one on the other, The wide ones goes to the back, the narrow one to the front.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsgkkTkT6dbWHOucNW_p9q1BimKiZSpn6GDT9RWWNRwyyH4ef2RSeUm3lOkNW64AXD7ItDsmKsaYbEQB_jqy11KzsWDT6wYOLZ1pJpZNil0OQ2NPXQh2cu_WDLyYjHyBwWj3rxrOkYuYOV/s1000/IMG_2453.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="770" data-original-width="1000" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsgkkTkT6dbWHOucNW_p9q1BimKiZSpn6GDT9RWWNRwyyH4ef2RSeUm3lOkNW64AXD7ItDsmKsaYbEQB_jqy11KzsWDT6wYOLZ1pJpZNil0OQ2NPXQh2cu_WDLyYjHyBwWj3rxrOkYuYOV/w640-h492/IMG_2453.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>Refitting is the reverse order to the above. Fit the frame first, hold it clear and fit the screen under it. Note the dull (matte) side of the screen goes towards the prism.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtEsFmel7wrG2VnyXDMumEDFAuFvezkPUSk6ZCyAKnnGNiXHiLHKTPZKZ5vKZjY8WIxWBIs6l2eMOEmodoFcX13y3PJ76WnZ4qM8JjBiUNY0yOJmhKdNRhzWmuFnNiHtKQTBGD-4BAOrGC/s1000/IMG_2457.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="719" data-original-width="1000" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtEsFmel7wrG2VnyXDMumEDFAuFvezkPUSk6ZCyAKnnGNiXHiLHKTPZKZ5vKZjY8WIxWBIs6l2eMOEmodoFcX13y3PJ76WnZ4qM8JjBiUNY0yOJmhKdNRhzWmuFnNiHtKQTBGD-4BAOrGC/w640-h460/IMG_2457.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>Finally, lower the frame but DO NOT try and press down on it to engage it with the latch.</p><p>Use a pair of tweezers to pull the latch back as far as it will go. Use the tweezers against the mirror box frame and make sure the latch is held firmly before going further.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikJTwVqGr_EsTaefzopaGKP7TH5VpUX-_mx9cjskmKFt9jxEiAXTQlO64tLoMYnI7xRNPqnts9pAcvJg6g1s_r57-R7ppw21Q83hg8OycBjMHMYDhyphenhyphensizBVXrX39uDTWtfugHvjpXvWCmK/s1000/IMG_2460.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="719" data-original-width="1000" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikJTwVqGr_EsTaefzopaGKP7TH5VpUX-_mx9cjskmKFt9jxEiAXTQlO64tLoMYnI7xRNPqnts9pAcvJg6g1s_r57-R7ppw21Q83hg8OycBjMHMYDhyphenhyphensizBVXrX39uDTWtfugHvjpXvWCmK/w640-h460/IMG_2460.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>This is the most important part of the process. If the latch isn't held back the frame, which is quite flimsy, will get pushed inwards and will scratch the surface of the screen.</p><p>With the latch held back, hold the frame into position then release the latch.</p><p>This is not an easy procedure to carry out and requires practice of using two pairs of tweezers and a steady hand.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4063421031760090709.post-48327357460374695382021-02-07T15:25:00.004+00:002021-10-21T13:02:29.162+00:00Yashica FX-3 Super 4000 part II<p>Following on from my previous post of the same title. The KF-M1 lingered in pieces for a couple of months until I finally decided to convert it to a Contax/Yashica lens mount. I've converted Phenix made, Yashica based, cameras before but from Pentax K mount to C/Y. That was fairly straight forward and I expected this to be the same - I was wrong. Converting from a Nikon mount to a C/Y mount turned out to be more difficult. The main issues were due to the way the Nikon mount transfers aperture information to the body which meant the metering circuit was different and also due to the shorter flange to film distance and the wider lens mount causing some mechanical differences.</p><p>Without going into all the details, essentially, I replaced the KF-M1 mirror box and viewfinder along with the meter circuit with the same from a Yashica FX-3. The increased range of shutter speeds is a slight issue and, as it now stands, the meter doesn't work if the 1/4000 shutter speed is selected. That's not really an issue. I also added a grip, replaced the shutter speed knob as the original was difficult to grip, and fitted new covers. As I replaced the viewfinder and metering system with the same from a Yashica FX-3 Super 2000, I also gained a flash ready signal in the viewfinder though that required the hot shoe to be replaced with one with the extra flash contact.</p><p>The shutter speeds were adjusted and the 1/4000 is just within specification but it's clear this shutter is struggling to reach the 1/4000 speed. Some further adjustment might improve it but I decided to leave it as it is. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3H1-9r2GyzLF-Rij6EZ68wazX_2grdj1KGasPFFr18FDCXUcpSP6JuFXnbbV1P_R3osbnvR7oXfKilsDQuV4m0173YdDMQ9z8U-a1qk7nnRgtpb51ne-R0UsQVLohyb8Pou4zS5IXBSTr/s1109/speeds+after+adjustment.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="727" data-original-width="1109" height="421" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3H1-9r2GyzLF-Rij6EZ68wazX_2grdj1KGasPFFr18FDCXUcpSP6JuFXnbbV1P_R3osbnvR7oXfKilsDQuV4m0173YdDMQ9z8U-a1qk7nnRgtpb51ne-R0UsQVLohyb8Pou4zS5IXBSTr/w640-h421/speeds+after+adjustment.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>The same shutter, used in the Yashica Super 2000, but without the 1/4000 speed, exhibits almost identical characteristics and is already struggling to reach 1/2000. This isn't a match for the shutter used in the Contax S2 though, even that, can struggle to reach 1/4000.</p><p>Overall, I'm happy with the result. The camera handles well and with the increased weight of the metal top and bottom plates it feels more solid than a Yashica FX-3. Despite the fact I probably won't give it much use, I think it's a keeper.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFueTuR3Nhl9WaCiAJqTF06ES888TZSC6obdmSq6VbQA4XU83itzGUWYQJw3AUDPnKDn5KPurPh1dtsY56N0b3Y2Y7z2TIcVDD2SWooyFMLDwQ7PXw1PMzBIshvTbHuWyURav2tqx_24Hb/s1000/IMG_2011.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFueTuR3Nhl9WaCiAJqTF06ES888TZSC6obdmSq6VbQA4XU83itzGUWYQJw3AUDPnKDn5KPurPh1dtsY56N0b3Y2Y7z2TIcVDD2SWooyFMLDwQ7PXw1PMzBIshvTbHuWyURav2tqx_24Hb/w640-h480/IMG_2011.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGwqPKOX5cFtbeL7tSzDNNWL0StyHogGTajjTrJbFWyG_FizoGuRPymidJx1RytrPkyHkXjzDQRztVBzSjAGT9JMOO9RN9_GH_eNh-G1Yc6dVLCGFL7Wofar_AFM_uVrC2CsIWZr2Fa_rS/s1000/IMG_2012.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGwqPKOX5cFtbeL7tSzDNNWL0StyHogGTajjTrJbFWyG_FizoGuRPymidJx1RytrPkyHkXjzDQRztVBzSjAGT9JMOO9RN9_GH_eNh-G1Yc6dVLCGFL7Wofar_AFM_uVrC2CsIWZr2Fa_rS/w640-h480/IMG_2012.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2XlYWZeX88C2At2TQsk77ilEpkA1VEC_YhuxIAYUBZXRRb943roEsMlqR14pooO4Yu725bxBv_XkeTTw-IJTRtg4paznPBHYF5UD4J1x2PJpATRbmmvNUzOAeOiD4vEL9LczEd3zCYHZb/s1000/IMG_2014.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2XlYWZeX88C2At2TQsk77ilEpkA1VEC_YhuxIAYUBZXRRb943roEsMlqR14pooO4Yu725bxBv_XkeTTw-IJTRtg4paznPBHYF5UD4J1x2PJpATRbmmvNUzOAeOiD4vEL9LczEd3zCYHZb/w640-h480/IMG_2014.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj60_OBO7iqK3HrXDY9YU9bHlVI7qPLojRRIIzVJfIWv-udluvmyMwjqtkfvQnS8xJiebcaDAdCRPZPQfrlOc2cZosQxl2o59P_cqTi46zSw9m5LcpGqYJwaRyQjFteObYlTK23UEW5ANvu/s1000/IMG_2015.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj60_OBO7iqK3HrXDY9YU9bHlVI7qPLojRRIIzVJfIWv-udluvmyMwjqtkfvQnS8xJiebcaDAdCRPZPQfrlOc2cZosQxl2o59P_cqTi46zSw9m5LcpGqYJwaRyQjFteObYlTK23UEW5ANvu/w640-h480/IMG_2015.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Update: Despite my reservations about how much use I might give it, this has become a goto camera for me. I really like the handling of it. It's a bit noisy but it's an easy camera to use.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4063421031760090709.post-15853231139821427042021-02-07T11:31:00.000+00:002021-02-07T13:58:05.067+00:00Canon EOS EF Eyecup will fit Contax and Yashica<p>The Kyocera F-3 eyecup was used on the Contax S2, 167, Aria and maybe other bodies. It also fits earlier bodies like the 139, 137 and 159 and also Yashica bodies like the FX-3, FX-D, FX-103 etc. I, personally, prefer it to the round eyecups that were used on the earlier Contax and Yashicas.</p><p>However, the Kyocera F-3 eyecup has become scarce and when they do become available they are expensive. So I looked for an alternative and found the Canon EOS EF eyecup fits perfectly. It's the same style as the Kyocera F-3 though slightly different in shape. Original Canon eyecups are available and are not expensive but there are Chinese made copies that are available very cheaply on ebay.</p><p>The Canon EF eyecup fits Canon EOS 350D, 400D, 450D, 500D, 550D, 600D, 1000D etc. bodies. There are other similar models so, if buying, check it's the correct one.</p><p>Here's a few pics of one I bought fitted to a FX-3, a 139 and the KF-M1 mentioned in my previous post.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeMVembnubR0s2tjzNFB098zBDscCmmg_jVdok_sfOZyaJOW_4YXM_PWTqn_ZTraTTvvNjOt3UiOJ-SZgPOYdqwXkm8alZuMMvv8hSE7fFDaB1fXAEMEhfSKLTujfccTETlT4oZygIqMdr/s700/IMG_2003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="525" data-original-width="700" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeMVembnubR0s2tjzNFB098zBDscCmmg_jVdok_sfOZyaJOW_4YXM_PWTqn_ZTraTTvvNjOt3UiOJ-SZgPOYdqwXkm8alZuMMvv8hSE7fFDaB1fXAEMEhfSKLTujfccTETlT4oZygIqMdr/w400-h300/IMG_2003.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjwXXE9CZJAdvcOSYYk4CoOZ8ZKedIW5ktg1K2iRCDEPL3Er034p5pTn6JhHqyS3XADdzS1ybiOq9kDVdeL8K-yrFGRUnbKa14benCTOfSYbjH1hRackpaqAXzyZ_AVyv2DYEdly-EwKKc/s700/IMG_2004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="525" data-original-width="700" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjwXXE9CZJAdvcOSYYk4CoOZ8ZKedIW5ktg1K2iRCDEPL3Er034p5pTn6JhHqyS3XADdzS1ybiOq9kDVdeL8K-yrFGRUnbKa14benCTOfSYbjH1hRackpaqAXzyZ_AVyv2DYEdly-EwKKc/w400-h300/IMG_2004.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitGsRtfSvwqIKyPlldbIKpbl1yLIvSlIyqSEOo5epeCOlP2x1UR0NLyFZSRYxEzGu7E673PAw7PwieEzDuEBZasfcrQ5cv-HA1vdpVSAc-CEoAwL42zAZdFLpn_nzoq0EbRHS13iv8Ocod/s700/IMG_2005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="525" data-original-width="700" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitGsRtfSvwqIKyPlldbIKpbl1yLIvSlIyqSEOo5epeCOlP2x1UR0NLyFZSRYxEzGu7E673PAw7PwieEzDuEBZasfcrQ5cv-HA1vdpVSAc-CEoAwL42zAZdFLpn_nzoq0EbRHS13iv8Ocod/w400-h300/IMG_2005.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And a couple of pictures of the eyecup itself.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpCdS_NXXUzXTH8jgueINC7LwMjxoeOxgSp1UiBPpi2jPaMuUW-L-69zl3NhloS7W011gMHZt5udtsA3xZ3jAJEOu9GVGHQV5mUhgsbpj4p1Ow6AvvlMjrMLGUCzZ-sGtB18aBUMuWllt0/s700/IMG_2006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="535" data-original-width="700" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpCdS_NXXUzXTH8jgueINC7LwMjxoeOxgSp1UiBPpi2jPaMuUW-L-69zl3NhloS7W011gMHZt5udtsA3xZ3jAJEOu9GVGHQV5mUhgsbpj4p1Ow6AvvlMjrMLGUCzZ-sGtB18aBUMuWllt0/w200-h153/IMG_2006.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6mVzArLf32teV2kbksyZHSRBodU_ZppvAAgsPZE8vXSqbW6TDBSB1SHQN0HJYMW9kmicRWULMhpTxZfaQBrH1N9tCPRkzbaZ0Ep9ExX4GGU6RaBSi7Tq3IupYtnuFEJZPjP1gaAfVF-u2/s700/IMG_2008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="535" data-original-width="700" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6mVzArLf32teV2kbksyZHSRBodU_ZppvAAgsPZE8vXSqbW6TDBSB1SHQN0HJYMW9kmicRWULMhpTxZfaQBrH1N9tCPRkzbaZ0Ep9ExX4GGU6RaBSi7Tq3IupYtnuFEJZPjP1gaAfVF-u2/w200-h153/IMG_2008.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4063421031760090709.post-87057316856466268002020-11-14T16:25:00.006+00:002021-07-11T20:48:18.910+00:00Yashica FX-3 Super 4000 anyone?<p> I recently acquired a Map KF-M1 camera. Made by Phenix in China using a Yashica FX-3 chassis, it has a Nikon lens mount and a top shutter speed of 1/4000 sec. It's the same camera as the Kenko KF-2N which was clearly an attempt to create a camera with the same specification as the Nikon FM-2n. The Map version was made exclusively for <a href="https://www.mapcamera.com/" target="_blank">Map Camera</a> in Japan and, unusually, has no branding on it. There was another version called the Phenix DN66 sold in the Chinese domestic market.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieeJtrDZnNpWr4mHzKvVUaDI8pMS4lJv-XenOCFwhdjc4cqmM8Ec-zx__lwUn1rJoNzcE6gkxy1VlBV2Tb8QK-NcT6IXF_Ye0X1JB016HZyXwHFmJ16G5bULIaeY9IvOY7kms6dJghpZ_J/s900/KF-M1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="900" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieeJtrDZnNpWr4mHzKvVUaDI8pMS4lJv-XenOCFwhdjc4cqmM8Ec-zx__lwUn1rJoNzcE6gkxy1VlBV2Tb8QK-NcT6IXF_Ye0X1JB016HZyXwHFmJ16G5bULIaeY9IvOY7kms6dJghpZ_J/w640-h480/KF-M1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>I was intrigued how the top shutter speed was achieved. The Nikon FM-2n uses the same Copal shutter as the Contax S2 and I knew that shutter will not physically fit into a Yashica FX-3 chassis - I've tried it. The shutter is larger and has slightly different mounting positions. So, to find out how it was done, I had to get a camera. All the variants are rare and, if you do find one, expensive. But I found a KF-M1 in China. The seller accepted an offer but it still cost me nearly £190 with the import tax paid.</p><p>With the camera dismantled, first inspection of the shutter suggested it was the same shutter as is fitted to the Yashica Super 2000 (and many other cameras) but it has an extra position on the shutter speed selector. A check of the shutter speeds shows it is struggling to get to 1/4000 and the general shape of the test results graph is very similar to that from a Yashica Super 2000.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir1qGAY1zvrybm39-IybhqXQsLgIIoKlqCow1SCBjWLsXw18bbPhxSaACVjAnSvSAvrlhj-vM2kMDsdkELCRuXRpS5F13VKVis0H5XYJaotSXdr90-8Q3EVjhSjut7qVhJc6sL6W95ixxN/s1104/Image1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="718" data-original-width="1104" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir1qGAY1zvrybm39-IybhqXQsLgIIoKlqCow1SCBjWLsXw18bbPhxSaACVjAnSvSAvrlhj-vM2kMDsdkELCRuXRpS5F13VKVis0H5XYJaotSXdr90-8Q3EVjhSjut7qVhJc6sL6W95ixxN/w640-h416/Image1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">(Note: The upper and lower limits on the above results sheet are from a Contax S2 and are not correct for the KF-M1. They should be the same as the FX-3 limits below.)</span></i><div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT5Uo9VDnHInhhy0dU5YCkUH12EAxf4LQYLN9wDDpDXZek_HoDlAAse98RGu88N5dyBqi55-PygmTTvikXIC9KInakgBwABvXfqSpT6WQpP7ROj_f5o3PMfRtyRUym4Jd-Aklo0hXbYeNo/s1104/Image2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="718" data-original-width="1104" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT5Uo9VDnHInhhy0dU5YCkUH12EAxf4LQYLN9wDDpDXZek_HoDlAAse98RGu88N5dyBqi55-PygmTTvikXIC9KInakgBwABvXfqSpT6WQpP7ROj_f5o3PMfRtyRUym4Jd-Aklo0hXbYeNo/w640-h416/Image2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>It's not unusual for the Yashica Super 2000 shutter to be slow at the top speed but some adjustment will usually bring it into specification. I'll have to see if I can get the KF-M1 shutter closer to what it should be.</p><p>So it appears Copal produced a further upgrade to the 2000 shutter, which was itself an upgrade of the original 1000 shutter as used in the original FX-3. So I'm surprised that a Yashica Super 4000 never appeared if the shutter was available and could be fitted with no modification to the existing FX-3 chassis. Maybe it was because it would be competing with the Contax S2.</p><p>Now I need to decide what to do with the dismantled KF-M1. I don't want a camera with a Nikon lens mount. I could fit the shutter into an existing FX-3 Super 2000 or I could fit a Yashica lens mount to the KF-M1. The camera is quite well made and, unlike the Yashica with plastic top and bottom plates, the KF-M1 has metal top and bottom. The focus screen is the original Yashica one with the diagonal split prism, which I don't like, but if I change the lens mount I'll also have to change the viewfinder so that's not an issue. Whatever I do, the camera is unlikely to get a lot of use from me so if someone out there has an urge to own a Yashica Super 4000, get in touch and we can discuss.</p><p>Update: There is now a part 2 to this post at <a href="https://contax139.blogspot.com/2021/02/yashica-fx-3-super-4000-part-ii.html">https://contax139.blogspot.com/2021/02/yashica-fx-3-super-4000-part-ii.html</a></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4063421031760090709.post-5157818909061786892020-09-06T14:36:00.006+00:002020-09-07T06:03:20.940+00:00Contax 50mm f/1.7 AE/MM differences<p>I've worked on both AE and MM versions of this lens before but have never done a direct comparison of the two. Recently I had reason to work on one of each at the same time so was able to do some direct comparisons of their construction. I thought it was worth recording what I found.</p><p>The two samples I compared had serial numbers 6504056 (AE) and 7380543 (MM). The differences noted may not be the same for all AE or all MM lenses.</p><p><b>Plastic/metal</b></p><p>The lens uses metal components for the focusing helical, plastic for the internal block that includes the aperture mechanism and carries the lens elements and a mixture of metal and plastic parts for the focus and aperture controls and front cover and dress ring. This is mostly the same in both lens versions except the focus ring on the MM version is metal but plastic on the AE version. The AE version I had showed why this change was probably made - it had cracks in the plastic around the screws that attach the ring to the focusing mechanism. This had caused the focusing ring to become loose and allowed the focusing helical to separate - which is how I came to have the lens. I have seen some cracks like this before so is clearly a potential issue.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ksj4V0o5aJA7mtxe-tTA1192Jmifejq0V3_CVFPvctH00K3O3bJyQjJdJqXXmvTzwDAVEdw5JkaOgk8uOe7tLUSkIpu2N64mKBEkMLgBJ-PHh1YUdJPv-dB7pXSzvGM1zsOn8vD2tuQD/w400-h300/IMG_1551.jpg" width="400" /></div><br /><p><b>Focus guides</b></p><p>Lenses of this general construction usually have one or more guides that allow the focus helical to move back and forth but stopping it from rotating. If these guides, or the slots they move in, become worn, slop or backlash can appear in the focus mechanism. Many lenses have one of the guides split so that its width can be adjusted to take up any excess. The AE version didn't have a split guide while the MM version did.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvPNrXbrGhh_wdnGlvJj4J2sNe5jq_3CCxZ-w6QSpNlGtXx50v5esb9QR4BALuMhGnhUqn9AL7UtqXBBWUrqPokeb_IAsOGh-iZY4p044ZtRar0RqJXWg_QpzXfbuoAqMTrtJhMC8JHg3l/s320/IMG_1553.jpg" width="320" /></div><br /><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUl3koZYZfqXK4DcIawE4e9WdsCo-CXT2X8HGO8rmvLOYvot_t5jzQsCQfo4HIYvV1jhE6l7tgAadb1Uqbshz6q1xMzdmFng56c6CZwqvpiboULa_SMUIGMSkyY0X_D1MFZ2N1fJ2cmwKM/s800/IMG_1564.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="584" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUl3koZYZfqXK4DcIawE4e9WdsCo-CXT2X8HGO8rmvLOYvot_t5jzQsCQfo4HIYvV1jhE6l7tgAadb1Uqbshz6q1xMzdmFng56c6CZwqvpiboULa_SMUIGMSkyY0X_D1MFZ2N1fJ2cmwKM/s320/IMG_1564.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>The slot in the helical component was also different in cross section which means the guide only contacts the helical at the edges in the MM version. What difference this would make I don't know.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="584" data-original-width="800" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgadP2wCA1rMYRyDiI1diME-msh2n9wy1VIXRyc44mez0rx4bwG-xWtpJ4VkPQN2o7WrmzS5lB_wAPNlWqNvYWZ7I32upyr8jWGwOvc87NVrwJDDYkckqnujp7hSn-hrMrBTQPUMhOvdRD-/w400-h293/IMG_1562.jpg" width="400" /></div><br /><p><b>Lens mount</b></p><p>The construction of the lens mount is completely different on these two lenses but I think the mount changed before the MM lenses were introduced so this isn't a AE/MM difference as such. The mount, of course, works in exactly the same way but the parts and their assembly is different.</p><p>I guess the question has to be, if the differences are so small, why is one lens suited to MM mode cameras and the other not. There may be other differences between the aperture mechanisms that are not really visible. The small constructional differences I could see between the two assemblies were not worth mentioning but maybe they do have some significance. The basic operation of both look identical.</p><p>Edit: I have, of course, passed over the infamous 'ninja star' aperture shape of the AE lenses. This is minimal on the 50/1.7 but it is present and shows the shape of the aperture leaves on the two lenses are different.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4063421031760090709.post-10303938344533533132020-08-02T09:38:00.001+00:002020-08-02T09:40:31.426+00:00A new 139 faultThere's not many faults on the 139 I haven't previously seen but I did find a new one recently. The camera had very inconsistent shutter speeds with variations of up to half a stop in either direction. The shutter speeds are often out of specification, maybe 50% of the time, but I've never before seen a 139 with such variations.<div><br /></div><div>The problem was caused by a contaminated shutter magnet so the solution was quite simple - clean the magnet. It's something I do anyway if I service a 139.</div><div><br /></div><div>The shutter magnet is not to be confused with the release magnet, which can also become contaminated but the symptoms are different. Here's a picture of the shutter magnet. The white plastic arm has a metal plate at the top which contacts the magnet face. This plate and the magnet face are the parts that need to be cleaned.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1qtb9bF2QJ8Z3K5A0vnRb5xjUvr59pb96SlTtW3yY2kdsl7OfHUgSHwbQMsIWY4lTSHv1FbV_mRMW8r4S3J-8p58buQDUU4wbWSJ5wfUjN26lO7oq8KHR-vQZ6SSOS23JrxQFibzNIq2Q/s600/shutter+magnet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="401" data-original-width="600" height="321" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1qtb9bF2QJ8Z3K5A0vnRb5xjUvr59pb96SlTtW3yY2kdsl7OfHUgSHwbQMsIWY4lTSHv1FbV_mRMW8r4S3J-8p58buQDUU4wbWSJ5wfUjN26lO7oq8KHR-vQZ6SSOS23JrxQFibzNIq2Q/w480-h321/shutter+magnet.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The more usual symptom of a contaminated shutter magnet is the shutter staying open due to the plastic arm staying permanently stuck to the magnet.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4063421031760090709.post-34438490976848646812020-07-04T16:11:00.002+00:002020-08-02T09:40:53.626+00:00Yasuhara T981I've created a new website for the above camera. Nothing Contax related but there is some Yashica interest. You can find it at <a href="http://www.t981.co.uk/">www.t981.co.uk</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4AV5TyS7ScYzmf6R2yjY412sY6WPD6IzWP6YoUk_AXIFRlH_8movbghg5JBsQDgzQq-5GdwnJ250L5EB4hK_eM9kMOY2HcarCF1nhr03tAPat8CX1Y5uImgCGx0GqeQ_TNQt6k9mvgre-/s1600/IMG_1375.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="636" data-original-width="800" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4AV5TyS7ScYzmf6R2yjY412sY6WPD6IzWP6YoUk_AXIFRlH_8movbghg5JBsQDgzQq-5GdwnJ250L5EB4hK_eM9kMOY2HcarCF1nhr03tAPat8CX1Y5uImgCGx0GqeQ_TNQt6k9mvgre-/s400/IMG_1375.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4063421031760090709.post-36315807854024039152020-05-17T07:28:00.002+00:002023-02-06T16:41:58.125+00:00Strap Lug Replacements AvailableFollowing on from my previous post. I went ahead and had some replacement strap lugs made. These are made from stainless steel so won't wear like the originals did. Made for the 139 but they will also fit the 159, 137, RTS and RTSII.<br />
<br />The lugs can also be supplied if anyone wants to fit them themselves. Please contact me for prices.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDHViDhYdm9sIwTBmV9qLJHRfYyaKXPG_CS05LMTgZ9JXxc4Ido57uNvXo_BDXP9-e24oZl9S259f6M9xuqkJ4qdrWUIDPmhHLbErRseCPE2sGdw-iG2dRtOlaetzk27a6GH5tb_h-LVa5/s1600/strap+lug+old.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="437" data-original-width="411" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDHViDhYdm9sIwTBmV9qLJHRfYyaKXPG_CS05LMTgZ9JXxc4Ido57uNvXo_BDXP9-e24oZl9S259f6M9xuqkJ4qdrWUIDPmhHLbErRseCPE2sGdw-iG2dRtOlaetzk27a6GH5tb_h-LVa5/s320/strap+lug+old.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Old strap lug. Insert has moved and lug has been badly worn.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2UfT4_YejE2wxNdm7hvOmqdKf14ZdAJIU-dEMpG0kkYT6qfiKU5f2yPgLTuwsQOxnLtjr0skTua21ed1gRknCDZZkvMTJFCn7cDVjT4zeTPrUnIvQg_BotD9Yymf9fmNElrBysCcX_kzs/s1600/strap+lug+new.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="437" data-original-width="411" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2UfT4_YejE2wxNdm7hvOmqdKf14ZdAJIU-dEMpG0kkYT6qfiKU5f2yPgLTuwsQOxnLtjr0skTua21ed1gRknCDZZkvMTJFCn7cDVjT4zeTPrUnIvQg_BotD9Yymf9fmNElrBysCcX_kzs/s320/strap+lug+new.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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New stainless steel strap lug.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4063421031760090709.post-40400516644173111052020-04-30T07:59:00.001+00:002020-05-17T07:32:35.473+00:00Strap lug replacementThe strap lugs on the 139 are made of brass with a steel insert to stop the soft brass being worn away. Unfortunately, the idea doesn't work that well and the steel inserts move and allow the brass to be worn away. Later cameras, such as the RX, have stainless steel lugs which don't wear.<br />
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I managed to get a small quantity of the stainless steel ones but have now used them all so am investigating getting some made.<strike> I would be interested to hear if anyone would be interested in purchasing replacement lugs (or having them replaced by me) so I can judge the potential use.</strike><br />
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<strike>Please let me know if this is of interest.</strike> Now available. See later post.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDYNHbyvdJZY4Au4GhCkOZvzZLkUS5mn2w551Muft8nzhsckeXcr7ez0AWyYTpCVUTym0-z8QGGXCkXkVTYRC3SgnISvCWNyg9oNuvySyrZy60na0tf7WVkmKktU5h1bTOKTw4yiiGO2Ro/s1600/strap+lug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="348" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDYNHbyvdJZY4Au4GhCkOZvzZLkUS5mn2w551Muft8nzhsckeXcr7ez0AWyYTpCVUTym0-z8QGGXCkXkVTYRC3SgnISvCWNyg9oNuvySyrZy60na0tf7WVkmKktU5h1bTOKTw4yiiGO2Ro/s320/strap+lug.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4063421031760090709.post-11748868278499653172020-04-29T11:11:00.000+00:002020-04-29T11:13:45.296+00:00An unusual faultThought I'd document a fault I saw recently as it's an unusual one.<br />
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The symptoms are that, when a manual shutter speed is selected and the camera not cocked, when the shutter release button is pressed, the LED in the viewfinder that indicates the selected shutter speed will come on immediately but the LED showing the shutter speed required will not come on until after a period equal to the selected shutter speed. And if B is selected, it will never come on.<br />
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The cause was a faulty transfer switch - the first type which is a sealed micro switch. Normally, when these fail the camera won't release the shutter as the transfer switch goes open circuit and the processor never gets the signal to say the shutter is cocked. In this case, the switch went short circuit so the processor thought the shutter was cocked even though it wasn't. Consequently, the processor would activate the shutter magnet for the selected shutter speed and, for reasons I don't understand but it's probably just part of the programming, the meter is not activated and the LED showing the suggested shutter speed isn't lit.<br />
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This is only unusual in the way the transfer switch failed. I've never seen one fail this way before. And, because the camera otherwise worked normally, there was little to indicate what the issue was.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4063421031760090709.post-11289431547017444792019-07-21T13:34:00.000+00:002020-08-02T09:41:09.801+00:00Zeiss -v- Yashica ML lenses - 200mm f/4I've had the opportunity to do a side by side comparison of a couple of Zeiss and Yashica lenses. It's not the sort of thing I normally bother about but one of the lenses is the Yashica 200 f/4 ML C (compact) which has an excellent reputation and I was interested to see how it compared to its Zeiss equivalent. <strike>The other comparison is between the Yashica 50mm f/1.7 ML and its Zeiss equivalent. That will appear in another post (eventually).</strike> Sorry, won't be happening as I've sold the Yashica lens.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDywPyFCoby51rVO5ydfQHmNq5TVZ6mJPkl9uLvu46SnRxBtAiAlBopKUXrLcEjUAKgC-QZnQ6YBBj3j0QWiPaZQ1CnKhGlbmLicC8Q8tac1kMrD2EeltiO6_KrYFQuAZvf-13OFIgDVR3/s1600/IMG_0268.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="731" data-original-width="800" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDywPyFCoby51rVO5ydfQHmNq5TVZ6mJPkl9uLvu46SnRxBtAiAlBopKUXrLcEjUAKgC-QZnQ6YBBj3j0QWiPaZQ1CnKhGlbmLicC8Q8tac1kMrD2EeltiO6_KrYFQuAZvf-13OFIgDVR3/s320/IMG_0268.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zeiss Yashica</td></tr>
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The two lenses are very similar in size and weight. Here's the specifications for both:<br />
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<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-insideh: none; mso-border-insidev: none; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 68.4pt;" valign="top" width="91"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
</td>
<td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 68.4pt;" valign="top" width="91"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
Elements/Groups<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 68.4pt;" valign="top" width="91"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
Angular field<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 68.4pt;" valign="top" width="91"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
Min. Focus<o:p></o:p></div>
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<td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 68.4pt;" valign="top" width="91"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
Aperture range<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 68.4pt;" valign="top" width="91"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
Size (mm)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 68.4pt;" valign="top" width="91"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
Weight<o:p></o:p></div>
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</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 68.4pt;" valign="top" width="91"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Zeiss<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 68.4pt;" valign="top" width="91"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
6/5<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 68.4pt;" valign="top" width="91"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
12° 40’<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 68.4pt;" valign="top" width="91"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
1.5m<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 68.4pt;" valign="top" width="91"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
f/4 – f/32<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 68.4pt;" valign="top" width="91"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
66.5 x 122<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 68.4pt;" valign="top" width="91"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
550g<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 68.4pt;" valign="top" width="91"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Yashica<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 68.4pt;" valign="top" width="91"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
5/4<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 68.4pt;" valign="top" width="91"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
12° 30’<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 68.4pt;" valign="top" width="91"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
2.5m<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 68.4pt;" valign="top" width="91"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
f/4 – f/22<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 68.4pt;" valign="top" width="91"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
64 x 113.5<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 68.4pt;" valign="top" width="91"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
535g<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
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The Zeiss has a filter size of 55mm, the Yashica 58mm.<br />
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This is not a scientific comparison, just a few shots on each lens compared against each other. I attached the lenses to my Sony A7II and photographed the roof of a nearby house putting the corner of the roof alternately in the middle of the frame and in the corner of the frame. I took photographs at f/4, f/11 and f/22.<br />
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I also took photographs of some out of focus highlights and also of a blank wall to check for vignetting and another wall to check for distortion.<br />
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The last photographs of the wall (not shown here) showed both lenses have slight pincushion distortion with nothing to choose between them. What they also showed was the focal length of the Yashica is about 95% of the Zeiss. This is contrary to what the specification suggests. I'm not able to measure the exact focal length but just did a comparison of the two.<br />
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Vignetting at f/4 was very similar with both lenses.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="10" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS6jN9R7GwFFhuZaskKvThTvda-1e3LECtXX-C5Z0X3KVDH4lCoxjPNRgiMAZBs3Cnp3iZpqcVPJGbv0lC0ZAyAn336O2sXjEbIIphAiZ5veHqdbDPjiU8sdI_OmYibHde4MkfEQhVIHLX/s1600/Zeiss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="133" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS6jN9R7GwFFhuZaskKvThTvda-1e3LECtXX-C5Z0X3KVDH4lCoxjPNRgiMAZBs3Cnp3iZpqcVPJGbv0lC0ZAyAn336O2sXjEbIIphAiZ5veHqdbDPjiU8sdI_OmYibHde4MkfEQhVIHLX/s1600/Zeiss.jpg" /></a></td><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvAkR1xGmKhkpr60ujKstDHCJFCS1Kcb8KhFXeWNd69paz0H0gi81T7OOwJK9uOQqqdL4jJLf5l8-zsjFZN6cjIZBVmTTTxOz9exGwU0gdUzXScHg__GOcGg7eQzqaRE7jR6J45B-Om0PD/s1600/Yash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="133" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvAkR1xGmKhkpr60ujKstDHCJFCS1Kcb8KhFXeWNd69paz0H0gi81T7OOwJK9uOQqqdL4jJLf5l8-zsjFZN6cjIZBVmTTTxOz9exGwU0gdUzXScHg__GOcGg7eQzqaRE7jR6J45B-Om0PD/s1600/Yash.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yashica</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zeiss</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The images of the out of focus highlights are similar.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJyeyJ_oA2WFwaD1G3hiM5g1tJE2-XOC7mQjdzaCDGblXsjHtyvg0NmIgZMfZqAnXFSlcvQkZjs0zc00NnWetw50WCmae4w2hJjL-1argUGg2hWTDh4Kftxttv9aFZHu8vMMvPUcTNTBUR/s1600/DSC03368_DxO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJyeyJ_oA2WFwaD1G3hiM5g1tJE2-XOC7mQjdzaCDGblXsjHtyvg0NmIgZMfZqAnXFSlcvQkZjs0zc00NnWetw50WCmae4w2hJjL-1argUGg2hWTDh4Kftxttv9aFZHu8vMMvPUcTNTBUR/s320/DSC03368_DxO.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zeiss</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrbUnLYwavfu8KasNCmqp1FLAZVazqPjhcDYwNQ4rTEYlLVPSmxYUmQZ7-1YeXuGb8q0KiwxOrte-s0I-mP5t9vMTX2ujgQQRThJcVYJtybupR4WaRhpQd80__FefQtKcLPNIjg919hZgg/s1600/DSC03376_DxO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrbUnLYwavfu8KasNCmqp1FLAZVazqPjhcDYwNQ4rTEYlLVPSmxYUmQZ7-1YeXuGb8q0KiwxOrte-s0I-mP5t9vMTX2ujgQQRThJcVYJtybupR4WaRhpQd80__FefQtKcLPNIjg919hZgg/s320/DSC03376_DxO.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yashica</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
Here's the rest of the images to compare for sharpness and contrast. All the images are 100% crops.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSU2GDwA9tV6dBaa6RXGvBbzHXU8VbakvPeDpYQatt37gwgbD7vsQsQ-4AX7MI_HO5B8BZZL6zCwVneEnCCphKTNH92Fu_ph96Az1xoXPE0RKxAUF2rD2waYhCNjl_k7nIVF8IlXmsgwvr/s1600/Yash+centre+f4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="248" data-original-width="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSU2GDwA9tV6dBaa6RXGvBbzHXU8VbakvPeDpYQatt37gwgbD7vsQsQ-4AX7MI_HO5B8BZZL6zCwVneEnCCphKTNH92Fu_ph96Az1xoXPE0RKxAUF2rD2waYhCNjl_k7nIVF8IlXmsgwvr/s1600/Yash+centre+f4.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yashica centre f/4</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIvNDezboagWV5YnJV7Ib5MEekGUK8MguyDft9InjYUyeDTlKh6txEHWoxZ6tV5Yy5-ArQ5RpnvWKAwBe0sxL1QswphldhGy_ICjhfMO-LtBzJyRD-m1SkwoXE71ZmZYGvjdnIBxBlkdAU/s1600/Zeiss+centre+f4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="248" data-original-width="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIvNDezboagWV5YnJV7Ib5MEekGUK8MguyDft9InjYUyeDTlKh6txEHWoxZ6tV5Yy5-ArQ5RpnvWKAwBe0sxL1QswphldhGy_ICjhfMO-LtBzJyRD-m1SkwoXE71ZmZYGvjdnIBxBlkdAU/s1600/Zeiss+centre+f4.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zeiss centre f/4</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1M4q7Wl1xoSV9O2EtaDjkJZ1n5WXC1Kzvw6huvxtpjMDm0JGlSoYmKigoIdJaB5AXmOYw6LS-6PnGFoFJ0PqDx2JVOkOiRsRAO5dEVtBWXf1J9v-HdEEPH64kzXeR_O4FrdBCH7UxlgTn/s1600/Yash+centre+f11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="248" data-original-width="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1M4q7Wl1xoSV9O2EtaDjkJZ1n5WXC1Kzvw6huvxtpjMDm0JGlSoYmKigoIdJaB5AXmOYw6LS-6PnGFoFJ0PqDx2JVOkOiRsRAO5dEVtBWXf1J9v-HdEEPH64kzXeR_O4FrdBCH7UxlgTn/s1600/Yash+centre+f11.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yashica centre f/11</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLp3sJvss-2vQ6HFrhPJeMVsnd4yjpK_qrwIY06sO72lrLh8luzjkbINigUQfO1snjAUNVfqmG37yZ70URJU79KW5Owwc14YJMj_eXKYeF0lI_vlBLOmc3rSU21BQWxwsvM1JYeICoeonJ/s1600/Zeiss+centre+f11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="248" data-original-width="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLp3sJvss-2vQ6HFrhPJeMVsnd4yjpK_qrwIY06sO72lrLh8luzjkbINigUQfO1snjAUNVfqmG37yZ70URJU79KW5Owwc14YJMj_eXKYeF0lI_vlBLOmc3rSU21BQWxwsvM1JYeICoeonJ/s1600/Zeiss+centre+f11.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zeiss centre f/11</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJIErl-4yX8I882lBeUosYauL-9eD5r_ABuy8nyXCmPlP_g-2wXtBuAFh_VFmAlM6pgHtU01qmsKGUluhxl6C_ZbwuT_AMPVhVFs0i1VxTF4Uftj3spxMujGH5Z-tSY6MVm3ZDN4hc5tV6/s1600/Yash+centre+f22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="248" data-original-width="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJIErl-4yX8I882lBeUosYauL-9eD5r_ABuy8nyXCmPlP_g-2wXtBuAFh_VFmAlM6pgHtU01qmsKGUluhxl6C_ZbwuT_AMPVhVFs0i1VxTF4Uftj3spxMujGH5Z-tSY6MVm3ZDN4hc5tV6/s1600/Yash+centre+f22.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yashica centre f/22</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0FsMW4nzSfEBO3j45fwSg6khwzzb5EHkfnUiFQiPbxBqNS31EpL7_XU6g1CY0TE3ATjWZKuJMN5szkVk-ePzkaTUmaft3sBMXxW6J1MN7YVOeZi9vUgGd4_rvaCcVkTqWPVw77giBwxts/s1600/Zeiss+centre+f22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="248" data-original-width="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0FsMW4nzSfEBO3j45fwSg6khwzzb5EHkfnUiFQiPbxBqNS31EpL7_XU6g1CY0TE3ATjWZKuJMN5szkVk-ePzkaTUmaft3sBMXxW6J1MN7YVOeZi9vUgGd4_rvaCcVkTqWPVw77giBwxts/s1600/Zeiss+centre+f22.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zeiss centre f/22</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivtpnUD161ypwmF1_PTpIFyrRYPL0HO7LZcfMarxe9BiyCXbAz1NsQlytuFhCyyBVApcbKaOvmnlXnDJPaooxJcbaqV13V3882GmTqetlnlqrgXJ4Wa7DVPNPe07m5mmnAvyDpnm2OVrK4/s1600/Yash+corner+f4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="248" data-original-width="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivtpnUD161ypwmF1_PTpIFyrRYPL0HO7LZcfMarxe9BiyCXbAz1NsQlytuFhCyyBVApcbKaOvmnlXnDJPaooxJcbaqV13V3882GmTqetlnlqrgXJ4Wa7DVPNPe07m5mmnAvyDpnm2OVrK4/s1600/Yash+corner+f4.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yashica corner f/4</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_2Su8AE0n5xGWOR3iZbiOrpAsbmVmHwTEg_6XVieAzlNa3fjMqFKegfAx4l_vtxW5XldaYsPo00H6D4UODqpvk2AVETbfqNHESJqTi9OcxQlu99vhFi0cZpt8GpdtgEZSdoTADQaXaG3l/s1600/Zeiss+corner+f4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="248" data-original-width="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_2Su8AE0n5xGWOR3iZbiOrpAsbmVmHwTEg_6XVieAzlNa3fjMqFKegfAx4l_vtxW5XldaYsPo00H6D4UODqpvk2AVETbfqNHESJqTi9OcxQlu99vhFi0cZpt8GpdtgEZSdoTADQaXaG3l/s1600/Zeiss+corner+f4.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zeiss corner f/4</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2xugNiElEqNoQwqgHAAyn-Gq56hZzMKbE6_Fnb8RmGNBC6om2EBoqt_E9xX_Z7sevG5x97Ohb4dTiv9-cL9qVi5Z_zuBugK4e5aSGKBeU8Q7AYySt0C50kS-ihG-TLa1qaZenHbnkiJSs/s1600/Yash+corner+f11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="248" data-original-width="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2xugNiElEqNoQwqgHAAyn-Gq56hZzMKbE6_Fnb8RmGNBC6om2EBoqt_E9xX_Z7sevG5x97Ohb4dTiv9-cL9qVi5Z_zuBugK4e5aSGKBeU8Q7AYySt0C50kS-ihG-TLa1qaZenHbnkiJSs/s1600/Yash+corner+f11.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yashica corner f/11</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRya-xq9uPy_b1ByFTnipBEwTvwC9EoJYrHV1_Q7CUaWfbLwe30HKad0vncYAW04gKgZ1YSZ9mktfBJB0rZgzSWWWdewXlGnktiVdxEf98eV8BbNXrrDXsWSiAfXRqITqGiMVARdCxbcuP/s1600/Zeiss+corner+f11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="248" data-original-width="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRya-xq9uPy_b1ByFTnipBEwTvwC9EoJYrHV1_Q7CUaWfbLwe30HKad0vncYAW04gKgZ1YSZ9mktfBJB0rZgzSWWWdewXlGnktiVdxEf98eV8BbNXrrDXsWSiAfXRqITqGiMVARdCxbcuP/s1600/Zeiss+corner+f11.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zeiss corner f/11</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9vtCXbBtDqwVrR2FBRJiqKMgJcMivlAxO45VFRqYy9-h35Aries-2N-TYE-X_gkIg3i_tq8ikAQ4wZhSp9nFYQB0SaE7eX8huIG2RaCw-tqj5ekEg4bs9bqYmu5tVC-JfXxApNBamM4pm/s1600/Yash+corner+f22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="248" data-original-width="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9vtCXbBtDqwVrR2FBRJiqKMgJcMivlAxO45VFRqYy9-h35Aries-2N-TYE-X_gkIg3i_tq8ikAQ4wZhSp9nFYQB0SaE7eX8huIG2RaCw-tqj5ekEg4bs9bqYmu5tVC-JfXxApNBamM4pm/s1600/Yash+corner+f22.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yashica corner f/22</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJXKUvvRhAdzuDUIvXezpEUqzqi35ghSAlPFDlAr83Qdz2EEHKD0BSlcr5aqfZ319-W8UzlyS1aUwgfIKZhOO0sT_q1BK7SPHRLN3P4_6jW4z18g2Je_c9gUMjS5Cjulb9KrF0d7FIsa2G/s1600/Zeiss+corner+f22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="248" data-original-width="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJXKUvvRhAdzuDUIvXezpEUqzqi35ghSAlPFDlAr83Qdz2EEHKD0BSlcr5aqfZ319-W8UzlyS1aUwgfIKZhOO0sT_q1BK7SPHRLN3P4_6jW4z18g2Je_c9gUMjS5Cjulb9KrF0d7FIsa2G/s1600/Zeiss+corner+f22.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zeiss corner f/22</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
Both lenses are showing chromatic aberration when used on my Sony A7II. More so towards the edge of the images as is usual. I don't think there's any significant difference between the two lenses though.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div>
One area of difference between the lenses is their compatibility with converters. Zeiss made x1.4 (Mutar III) and x2 (Mutar II) converters specially matched to some of their lenses including the 200/4. These converters can't be used with the Yashica as they are mechanically incompatible. But other converters can be used including the Zeiss Mutar I x2 converter. I took some more photographs using the Mutar I and Mutar II converters. The images are 100% crops.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzvUn-DZCe60qQ3eQ7LNyDvgugvds6bc5dnA7vpzQ-nOoUWrsRdT8h02eBJ9d17p5ZgSIXgLdpgCak2ouL-sUkSUxIKPQ0mdv8HelAgboCuwyA2lYHL1C5XPP8_I9mNjFAXEWHdHlqEBW6/s1600/Yashica+f4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="307" data-original-width="425" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzvUn-DZCe60qQ3eQ7LNyDvgugvds6bc5dnA7vpzQ-nOoUWrsRdT8h02eBJ9d17p5ZgSIXgLdpgCak2ouL-sUkSUxIKPQ0mdv8HelAgboCuwyA2lYHL1C5XPP8_I9mNjFAXEWHdHlqEBW6/s320/Yashica+f4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yashica f/4 Mutar I</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqPhhtR-NFOJ7NVuF30h5g0sQa8p01bBTipwbGMhgnUOpzsaJcPaI2s-mIkW_36nvw5x0S7Oe2DeAqcqypHnNjgT6E4IkldqTKqRUiiltH5A5UF50NQwVonw2nwX5H3HRa9bFh0djIDy3P/s1600/Zeiss+f4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="307" data-original-width="425" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqPhhtR-NFOJ7NVuF30h5g0sQa8p01bBTipwbGMhgnUOpzsaJcPaI2s-mIkW_36nvw5x0S7Oe2DeAqcqypHnNjgT6E4IkldqTKqRUiiltH5A5UF50NQwVonw2nwX5H3HRa9bFh0djIDy3P/s320/Zeiss+f4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zeiss f/4 Mutar II</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidKu-WVy3b3IUuLmCOacXd0ae6tWXNYl2BerbzYLQxKLHhDoEEtdQwssNiRD53tixl7xHGlffMLnUjPdhP-GSWWf742ADToWE_R5h7iuoSRcQL0tUN_YPJIwhVZLQqvhbGZGWxOadDGNdT/s1600/Yashica+f8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="307" data-original-width="425" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidKu-WVy3b3IUuLmCOacXd0ae6tWXNYl2BerbzYLQxKLHhDoEEtdQwssNiRD53tixl7xHGlffMLnUjPdhP-GSWWf742ADToWE_R5h7iuoSRcQL0tUN_YPJIwhVZLQqvhbGZGWxOadDGNdT/s320/Yashica+f8.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yashica f/8 Mutar I</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxOIowKnDHSh_tMa_Pu70Z_Y1M-fMsS75EOWDA2WdiLm7WUJudkP8p-qd5eK8R3y4OfBQMxOLHZqL_EDDl4TMvHgwhgM3XcJq5nUc-gl4mAcpoucJqWoBps7Wk2t2e0UdEtjPFU4SDtR6A/s1600/Zeiss+f8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="307" data-original-width="425" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxOIowKnDHSh_tMa_Pu70Z_Y1M-fMsS75EOWDA2WdiLm7WUJudkP8p-qd5eK8R3y4OfBQMxOLHZqL_EDDl4TMvHgwhgM3XcJq5nUc-gl4mAcpoucJqWoBps7Wk2t2e0UdEtjPFU4SDtR6A/s320/Zeiss+f8.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zeiss f/8 Mutar II</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
My conclusion is that there is negligible difference between the two lenses. Yes, you could say one is better than the other in some instances but it's not always the case that the Zeiss is better than the Yashica which is what might be expected. In normal use, I would be happy to use either based on these results.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4063421031760090709.post-38148960537494403072019-04-21T16:18:00.000+00:002019-05-14T06:30:42.547+00:00FX-3 Super 2000 - spot the difference<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Can you spot three differences between these bodies? (click on the images for larger versions).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3p-r5Zu6zNNMgSHcH6GBpbYC8eGZup-forwq7YA-zQsbPTZpk9XPkJFBhFn3IIku-haO57jv8dEn4Ptco-b0UBGxwK4WH9r-mHiWCyM8Ri636H4F3JAD52oMGvOYFtXTCxicJSHOxFOMw/s1600/DSC03001_DxO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="687" data-original-width="1000" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3p-r5Zu6zNNMgSHcH6GBpbYC8eGZup-forwq7YA-zQsbPTZpk9XPkJFBhFn3IIku-haO57jv8dEn4Ptco-b0UBGxwK4WH9r-mHiWCyM8Ri636H4F3JAD52oMGvOYFtXTCxicJSHOxFOMw/s400/DSC03001_DxO.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfedyhxXOQZNEh-j34964QjY6jq5jFfBkaE9R-XsFa4xSDaEfVLEfxw45eoWuraCzN3RhMY47DJ6EcwsLOtH-ttzGbLb9rtThbqSIUfQDuHQSd2MGhXf5TB8bBPR2CqPAcd9Xx6Tb1CKNp/s1600/DSC03008_DxO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="744" data-original-width="1000" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfedyhxXOQZNEh-j34964QjY6jq5jFfBkaE9R-XsFa4xSDaEfVLEfxw45eoWuraCzN3RhMY47DJ6EcwsLOtH-ttzGbLb9rtThbqSIUfQDuHQSd2MGhXf5TB8bBPR2CqPAcd9Xx6Tb1CKNp/s400/DSC03008_DxO.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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So what's the difference and why.<br />
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The top one is the earlier version of the FX-3 Super 2000 (I call it the mk1), the bottom one is the later version (mk2). The visible differences are the strap lugs, the badge and the finish on the grip - the mk2 has a moulded finish to the grip while the mk1 has a stick on, leatherette, cover that matches the other covers.<br />
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There are a few internal differences as well but they are pretty insignificant. A few changes to the cover mouldings to reduce the part count mainly. I did replace the shutter in the top one of the two examples shown and found a slight difference between the one fitted and the spare one I had which may have come from a later camera. But it only required the swap of one gear to make it compatible.<br />
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I don't know why these changes were made. The later one appears slightly simpler in construction so it may have been a cost saving exercise to make assembly easier and quicker.<br />
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Anyone looking to buy an FX-3 shouldn't have any concern about the differences - they make no difference to the function or the reliability of the camera.<br />
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Note: In calling these two versions 'earlier' and 'later' or 'mk1' and 'mk2' I'm making assumptions about their age. I might be wrong. It's possible what I consider to be the later one might be the earlier one. But as the mk1 is more similar to the earlier versions of the FX-3 I'm assuming that one came first. It's also possible they were made in parallel but in different factories. If anyone has any information, I would be interested to see it.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4063421031760090709.post-48524278375422594732019-04-17T15:07:00.003+00:002019-04-18T15:43:50.050+00:00Documents updateI've just added the Yashica FX-D repair manual to my documents page.<br />
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One useful item in it is a clear description of how to align the viewfinder LEDs. This is just as relevant to the 139 and as I always end up turning the wrong screw in the wrong direction, I'll be keeping a copy of this somewhere to hand.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-4wLxjvogH5Vfp2lWOgWAeQxkna8QFaPEImUKbe8RUvuJsETqN43PqQ1TwwFAZVZAlZA9rN3SA8S43JhXqx3LN45b6TSzeCQVhBBRJeArEqAYddSQm8MUk422CgimWq8hWk05vXOkCB7I/s1600/leds+adjust.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="368" data-original-width="628" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-4wLxjvogH5Vfp2lWOgWAeQxkna8QFaPEImUKbe8RUvuJsETqN43PqQ1TwwFAZVZAlZA9rN3SA8S43JhXqx3LN45b6TSzeCQVhBBRJeArEqAYddSQm8MUk422CgimWq8hWk05vXOkCB7I/s1600/leds+adjust.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4063421031760090709.post-37335107223015438052019-02-13T15:38:00.000+00:002020-04-01T20:57:14.502+00:00Is your 139 locked up? This may help.The Contax 139 is an electronically controlled mechanical camera. 'Mechanical' in that all the physical operations are driven directly by operating the film advance lever or by springs that are tensioned by the same action. Those springs subsequently drive the mirror up, rotate the shutter main shaft, drive the shutter curtains and return the mirror back to its normal position - in that order. Without any electronic control, all the steps in the sequence will still happen if manually triggered. The electronics just introduce a delay between the release of the first and second curtains by blocking the release of the second curtain with an electro-magnet and so controlling the period the shutter is open for.<br />
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Sometimes the sequence might not complete, or maybe fails to start, leaving the camera in a blocked condition where it's not possible to operate the film advance lever and the shutter release does nothing. Here's some tips on identifying where the problem could be and what might be done about it.<br />
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The first step is to identify if the sequence has started and, if so, at what point it has stalled. This is done by inspecting the position of the mirror and the shutter curtains. Check if the mirror is up or down. Also check if the shutter is open or closed and, if closed, whether it is still cocked or not. The following two pictures show the shutter in both cocked and released condition looking at the back of the shutter.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4d2Q2y83NBLW2KvCTwOI50Qh91KcSR-8N6aYEn7wbmGoP5WscLqPiEfLrpKUWRrf1cRj6FEYc0YpNjwV2T68iahKl5Fp2XXCEWc7GpM5rnoObGOEKG_pI-TYMxWGi3yK3FONNPd8s9zVp/s1600/cocked.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="262" data-original-width="350" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4d2Q2y83NBLW2KvCTwOI50Qh91KcSR-8N6aYEn7wbmGoP5WscLqPiEfLrpKUWRrf1cRj6FEYc0YpNjwV2T68iahKl5Fp2XXCEWc7GpM5rnoObGOEKG_pI-TYMxWGi3yK3FONNPd8s9zVp/s400/cocked.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Shutter cocked</i></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5gGxwyobvEQH7nZ0FaecUBS24jeO7STAyFuTNFrOOyUTRnS3CCFDLSL_vvG4BExI5-6k9XT7uycr8KpSWnnrJihfHhguVer-zLMVbNAzUqsPvde-k9SQqiPvcDE-49pb3Lu0u7vkXT5-E/s1600/cocked+not.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="262" data-original-width="350" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5gGxwyobvEQH7nZ0FaecUBS24jeO7STAyFuTNFrOOyUTRnS3CCFDLSL_vvG4BExI5-6k9XT7uycr8KpSWnnrJihfHhguVer-zLMVbNAzUqsPvde-k9SQqiPvcDE-49pb3Lu0u7vkXT5-E/s400/cocked+not.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Shutter released</i></td></tr>
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<b>Possible scenarios:</b><br />
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1. Mirror is down and shutter is still cocked.<br />
The sequence hasn't started. Watch the data back LED located at the bottom left of the shutter (visible in above pictures) and press the shutter release. If the LED flashes, the most likely fault is the release magnet is stuck. The release magnet is a permanent magnet which holds the mirror mechanism in its cocked condition. To release the mirror, an electro-magnet, wound around the permanent magnet and in opposition to it, is energised so cancelling the permanent magnet field and releasing the mechanism. The face of the magnet can become contaminated causing the release lever to stick to it even when the magnetic field is cancelled. The solution is to clean the magnet and release lever faces. There is more information on this on my DIY page. If the data back LED doesn't flash, the release signal is not getting through to the magnet driver circuit. Most likely cause is the transfer switch but there could be other reasons. More investigation is required.<br />
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2. Mirror is up and shutter is still cocked.<br />
When the mirror reaches its up position, the mirror mechanism triggers the shutter. See the bottom of the page for a description of the couplings between the mirror mechanism and the shutter. With care, it is possible to manually trigger the shutter.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdZiF04KTLqPFBBKBw8yt6bIIJkN6g7Sntx_rQxgz-3cvkU7lb-7BD5pCcIc-z1HjobJy2SnWLcOMcPFseZyPaVSevxqMaZ5INegibrgj80dUty1NUBhvSiJYaJDvg5EIcnfhP3Uww1cl6/s1600/trigger+shutter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="581" data-original-width="1000" height="369" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdZiF04KTLqPFBBKBw8yt6bIIJkN6g7Sntx_rQxgz-3cvkU7lb-7BD5pCcIc-z1HjobJy2SnWLcOMcPFseZyPaVSevxqMaZ5INegibrgj80dUty1NUBhvSiJYaJDvg5EIcnfhP3Uww1cl6/s640/trigger+shutter.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Triggering shutter</i></td></tr>
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If the shutter triggers, the shutter is not at fault and the problem is with the mirror mechanism. Most likely cause is the lever of the mirror mechanism that contacts the shutter release lever is seized due to corrosion of the snap rings holding the lever onto its pivot. Another possible cause is that the mirror has not moved up far enough to trigger the shutter. This can be caused by the mirror foam being too thick.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV35XvTC7g8zDeAuR2ca2SQXxGETSm-vMv0iCxv39cZskLTE-8hsN7MxtIdivEuh9irU0uI31cHqrHFC9b4Mfity-PX2VnzDXSY8txJK3hnRS58u9nQCN7TpDdiejmdClBMuwIqw0rrNcF/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="431" data-original-width="600" height="457" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV35XvTC7g8zDeAuR2ca2SQXxGETSm-vMv0iCxv39cZskLTE-8hsN7MxtIdivEuh9irU0uI31cHqrHFC9b4Mfity-PX2VnzDXSY8txJK3hnRS58u9nQCN7TpDdiejmdClBMuwIqw0rrNcF/s640/1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Corroded snap rings</i></td></tr>
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If the shutter doesn't release even when manually moving the release lever, there is a fault with the shutter. It's possible something is blocking the shutter, such as a piece of broken film, so it's worth trying to blow any debris out of the shutter with a can of compressed air. Other than that, the shutter needs removing for investigation.<br />
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3. Mirror is up and shutter is open.<br />
The first shutter curtain opens immediately the shutter is triggered. The second curtain is held by the shutter magnet. If the second curtain fails to close the magnet may be contaminated and the lever that releases the curtain is stuck to it. This is easy to check visually. See the '<i>Triggering shutter</i>' picture above. The white plastic lever that is held in position by the magnet is clearly visible. In the picture, the lever is in its released position. If the magnet has released the lever but the second curtain doesn't close, there is a fault with the shutter. See previous scenario.<br />
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4. Mirror is up and shutter is closed but not cocked.<br />
In this instance, the first thing to check is if the shutter has fully closed. Compare the shutter with the '<i>Shutter released</i>' picture above. There may only be a millimetre of difference in the position of the shutter blades but that is enough to cause a problem. If the curtain isn't fully closed, it may be pushed upwards by pushing against one of the rivets. This may close the curtain and release the mirror. If this happens, the problem is likely to be the second curtain brake which can become seized, or very tight, and prevent the curtain from fully closing. There is information on my DIY page about this issue. If the shutter is fully closed but the mirror hasn't returned then the problem is likely to be with the mirror mechanism again as in 2 above.<br />
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5. Mirror is down and shutter is not cocked.<br />
The sequence has completed normally.<br />
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<b>Mirror box/shutter couplings</b><br />
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These pictures of the shutter and mirror box show the two points of contact between them. The green arrows show the coupling used to trigger the shutter and the red arrows show the coupling used to lower the mirror.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs2s2zHl46CntxTf8hR1jrcYsITSQDjpNDyoVHsia0DKq1E_mcAJFe9hYEPjRkqMpfFf7Sgi04LSrvirtHLMAEn9Rs3bn5YtjorQ0XAJne89ZDEZfc7DC4Jc-TgH7gDTzqOx5735HpTkj-/s1600/mirror+shutter+linkage+-+mirror+box.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1123" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs2s2zHl46CntxTf8hR1jrcYsITSQDjpNDyoVHsia0DKq1E_mcAJFe9hYEPjRkqMpfFf7Sgi04LSrvirtHLMAEn9Rs3bn5YtjorQ0XAJne89ZDEZfc7DC4Jc-TgH7gDTzqOx5735HpTkj-/s640/mirror+shutter+linkage+-+mirror+box.jpg" width="454" /></a></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4063421031760090709.post-75415129356830443542019-02-09T13:54:00.000+00:002019-09-26T15:18:42.456+00:00Does your 139 over expose?If your 139 has never been serviced or had its meter adjusted, chances are it will over expose.<br />
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Almost every 139 I've seen has had a degree of over exposure. Usually between a half and one stop but sometimes more. Recently I had a 139 that overexposed by a couple of stops and decided to investigate further. This lead to me discovering that the meter sensor had become cloudy. Checking the sensors in some other cameras I found nearly all of them were cloudy to some extent and this seems to be the reason why 139s generally over expose. Looking closely at the sensors, there is a glass filter fitted over the sensor and the cloudiness is under the glass. It's impossible to remove. The glass filter is very thin and is stuck down and any attempt to remove it results in its destruction. Under the glass is a clear compound - could be silicone or something similar. It seems it's this which is going cloudy.<br />
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Here's just three I picked at random from my collection of donor cameras. You'll see two have cracked filters also although I don't think that's a problem.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguDJZaSsYBOhCVrqaZJkNNQGWGwWsQNwFJL33CVmCwIXTmUhaZGLeDVnhI6LeM1sTvEdZo628CUBceG4VcD2WwUyOzLil8BcWs8KQeU67C1ZpRnp-XnjLuptKyjWfsAbRYd43yNHIEHdUx/s1600/DSC02689.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="490" data-original-width="600" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguDJZaSsYBOhCVrqaZJkNNQGWGwWsQNwFJL33CVmCwIXTmUhaZGLeDVnhI6LeM1sTvEdZo628CUBceG4VcD2WwUyOzLil8BcWs8KQeU67C1ZpRnp-XnjLuptKyjWfsAbRYd43yNHIEHdUx/s400/DSC02689.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx1nUH9aWUwHmrnfbA-KUz1-zBc3AN5tF842C1lanEJpyL3nsyj0C9WNoPBQ1baN-X0TJat0VN12D3TNbKnN894hWzYNrmjeXr0i7ysyt6Sx5NMpAaFqDdW3Tvj8TINPqE2uItJoT8KC0o/s1600/DSC02690.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="490" data-original-width="600" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx1nUH9aWUwHmrnfbA-KUz1-zBc3AN5tF842C1lanEJpyL3nsyj0C9WNoPBQ1baN-X0TJat0VN12D3TNbKnN894hWzYNrmjeXr0i7ysyt6Sx5NMpAaFqDdW3Tvj8TINPqE2uItJoT8KC0o/s400/DSC02690.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoZyWe1saQyjhu-AbtuYFvNQTjYGS4uOHI_Po3ZvNRPbR509qI_mDLsWO5UPYrQmMIj0gI1PiC-Kw6dR5NMheuRWJ8ArSmDQMGOKSOKUanmOBIBySHMDr4pv32rKgXDjiyoYfxlaO16alf/s1600/DSC02691.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="490" data-original-width="600" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoZyWe1saQyjhu-AbtuYFvNQTjYGS4uOHI_Po3ZvNRPbR509qI_mDLsWO5UPYrQmMIj0gI1PiC-Kw6dR5NMheuRWJ8ArSmDQMGOKSOKUanmOBIBySHMDr4pv32rKgXDjiyoYfxlaO16alf/s400/DSC02691.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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To compare, here's a clear one.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIo0V38YQVQ9hFsiHkpYaNcilinUHHjoZRJriCEJ7nhXUyHa_eyOtz7r8ZkVPpddGEsgb9B-GcV-cKRSEvGH42HTSIg28-O_EYs6Q2AC4F5otp1wEJ_Q6YWjxTv_Uf_TWkWsNyEh3Rn_oN/s1600/DSC02692.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="490" data-original-width="600" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIo0V38YQVQ9hFsiHkpYaNcilinUHHjoZRJriCEJ7nhXUyHa_eyOtz7r8ZkVPpddGEsgb9B-GcV-cKRSEvGH42HTSIg28-O_EYs6Q2AC4F5otp1wEJ_Q6YWjxTv_Uf_TWkWsNyEh3Rn_oN/s400/DSC02692.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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In a few cameras where the cloudiness has been quite bad, I've replaced the sensors but I only had ones removed from donor cameras and they were also cloudy to some extent. What I needed was a new replacement and, amazingly, I seem to have found one.<br />
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The sensor I found is mechanically identical and has the same glass filter on it. The specification says it's sensitive to the visible spectrum with the filter removing an extended sensitivity into the IR region. As I had no specification for the original, the only way to find out if the new sensor was a good replacement was to try it. I removed a sensor from a working camera, having first done some exposure checks, then replaced it with the new one. Repeating the exposure checks gave almost identical results but probably half a stop less exposure which would be about correct as the original sensor I removed was cloudy.<br />
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For anyone who wants to replace their own sensor, the replacement I found is part number <a href="https://www.excelitas.com/product/vtb8440bh-si-pd-8mm-ceramic-516mm2-ir-filter" target="_blank">VTB8440BH from Excelitas Technologies</a>. I bought mine from <a href="https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/photodiodes/6278366/" target="_blank">RS-Online</a> (UK).<br />
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Edit: Couldn't resist adding this picture of a sensor removed from a 159. The 159 clearly also suffers the same problem. This one appears to have flowers growing in it and it was over exposing by one stop.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqBcMUq9Yqjb_Pqz1IsT7xoioFw7mpKfwZxNXa9xBbSVvbXZPOrA3g5O4xoHvFJ1EWfYoWVGBcSGqtSQxOkTEa9lT9Fc1ziz46A__6Ha59Nwlb0RQ9Xleget66OCfA0fkWdGt2GPFoN7VC/s1600/DSC02923_DxO-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="809" data-original-width="1000" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqBcMUq9Yqjb_Pqz1IsT7xoioFw7mpKfwZxNXa9xBbSVvbXZPOrA3g5O4xoHvFJ1EWfYoWVGBcSGqtSQxOkTEa9lT9Fc1ziz46A__6Ha59Nwlb0RQ9Xleget66OCfA0fkWdGt2GPFoN7VC/s400/DSC02923_DxO-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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And in case anyone is wondering if the flash meter sensor also has the same problem, it seems it doesn't. The flash meter sensor appears to be the same, or a similar, sensor but there is no filter on it and the ones I've checked are perfectly clear.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4063421031760090709.post-10295908567691496412019-01-30T18:26:00.002+00:002021-05-31T09:44:39.895+00:00Some Zeiss/Contax lenses under expose by half a stop!This is a continuation of a <a href="https://contax139.blogspot.com/2018/12/the-contaxyashica-bayonet.html" target="_blank">previous post</a> on how the Contax lenses communicate to the camera body in which I mentioned I was doing some investigation into some questions I had and also some forum posts that suggested some lenses had compatibility issues with some Contax bodies.<br />
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To deal with the second issue first - I've not been able to duplicate any of the problems I've seen mentioned that might suggest some incompatibility between some lenses and bodies. I suspect these problems were due to individual lenses or bodies that had one or more faults.<br />
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I have, however, determined that the information passed from the lens to the body differs between lenses and that means, in some cases, certain lenses will cause a half stop under exposure.<br />
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The questions I had were raised by references in a few different Contax body service manuals to a feature called 'theta compensation'. This is something that appeared to relate only to some lenses. I initially tried to discover what theta compensation was but have been unable to find anything. Even an email to Zeiss was unproductive with Zeiss saying all the information was passed to Yashica. So I took a different approach and started to look at individual lenses that appeared to have theta compensation to see if I could find a difference between them and other lenses.<br />
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I was able to identify two lenses in my collection that have theta compensation. I was able to do this because those lenses have a different tab that couples to the AE/MM switch on the body. The AE/MM switch on the body is usually referred to as the 'theta switch' in the service manuals and it has three positions. The first, normal, position indicates an AE lens is fitted, the third position indicates an MM lens is fitted, but there is a second, middle, position that indicates an MM lens with theta compensation is fitted. So lenses that have theta compensation have a narrow tab that only moves the switch to the middle position.<br />
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Here's a couple of pictures of two of my lenses that show the difference. I've outlined the tag on the lens in red and the switch lever in green so their shapes and positions are more clear. The first is a 85mm f/2.8 MM lens. Note the tag is pushing the switch all the way to the end of its travel.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIOoJJPoXx0fhbrz3FaxnLybtnEo9294YNjNLgWe-rkpnxXZQ7hLFIAFLXZy2Vc7FNzEISqRe5CjnmB_cZiUOceb3dR-QUO6rimkYU3t8gP9aCSThmBS98Jv2T2kCLBMD7hO0_45NmaP28/s1600/85mm.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="288" data-original-width="500" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIOoJJPoXx0fhbrz3FaxnLybtnEo9294YNjNLgWe-rkpnxXZQ7hLFIAFLXZy2Vc7FNzEISqRe5CjnmB_cZiUOceb3dR-QUO6rimkYU3t8gP9aCSThmBS98Jv2T2kCLBMD7hO0_45NmaP28/s400/85mm.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The second is a 50mm f/1.7 MM lens. Note the tag on the lens is notched and it only pushes the switch half way.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAp5bcV379L8peB6GbWg_vFDUolfzbge422fldEt5UNvkOhEfZYIITbhrHAEQ5un8qBANetz7c5BIVvcWmJlE3vmHwcakW19ty_HuWS9vzYF4_3Sw3cJ1tlHzp9PYV9wjPiMWCqgoNqHXV/s1600/50mm.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="288" data-original-width="500" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAp5bcV379L8peB6GbWg_vFDUolfzbge422fldEt5UNvkOhEfZYIITbhrHAEQ5un8qBANetz7c5BIVvcWmJlE3vmHwcakW19ty_HuWS9vzYF4_3Sw3cJ1tlHzp9PYV9wjPiMWCqgoNqHXV/s400/50mm.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Besides the 50mm f/1.7 MM, I also found the 18mm f/4 MM had the same shaped tag so that is the second lens I have that has the feature.<br />
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To try and ascertain if there were any differences between lenses with and without theta compensation, I set up a test rig using the mirror box from a 139. The mirror box has the lens mount attached and the various couplings to the lens and has a potentiometer (variable resistor) directly coupled to the aperture stop down ring of the lens mount. By measuring the resistance of the potentiometer with various lenses attached and at all apertures, I was able to plot graphs of resistance against the number of stops the lens was stopped down. Here's a picture of the rig and the results.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCooo6glqQrET9v8gxEXA9bcXOclBWKKwg6BvqDXbm8IZutOwIo5YsVdCECagNdFZW1Z9Z8FRW12nvCWWnH1wQ0I3UT8NlSOpOjkgOOsFSIYjjymavA4fWOdP-VDJAxdHnN2ppUNVe3wzu/s1600/IMG_2836.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="879" data-original-width="1000" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCooo6glqQrET9v8gxEXA9bcXOclBWKKwg6BvqDXbm8IZutOwIo5YsVdCECagNdFZW1Z9Z8FRW12nvCWWnH1wQ0I3UT8NlSOpOjkgOOsFSIYjjymavA4fWOdP-VDJAxdHnN2ppUNVe3wzu/s400/IMG_2836.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzPV5M3zD_oSJ7zn8hQpCItrssFpj3Y4WCbuJBcVeVtgMOUKNHxj6-y0N-i9oYLS4ii7cUSXlBoqObTKpYstoR54D2rQ-baW1c_xYGaICfOJOaPNUpZxts-7XIBtmB4CxH8Kxk4AYdC3Cr/s1600/Aperture+data+2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="464" data-original-width="624" height="473" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzPV5M3zD_oSJ7zn8hQpCItrssFpj3Y4WCbuJBcVeVtgMOUKNHxj6-y0N-i9oYLS4ii7cUSXlBoqObTKpYstoR54D2rQ-baW1c_xYGaICfOJOaPNUpZxts-7XIBtmB4CxH8Kxk4AYdC3Cr/s640/Aperture+data+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<i>The X axis is the number of stops the lens is stopped down. The Y axis is the measured resistance.</i><br />
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What is clear from this is there are two distinct groups of results with one group shifted by half a stop from the other. Two of the lenses in the group shifted to the right are the 50mm f/1.7 MM and the 18mm f/4 MM which had previously been identified as having theta compensation. Surprisingly, the third lens in this group is a 50mm f/1.7 AE lens. This is surprising as the AE lenses were designed and manufactured before MM cameras were brought out and before there was any method of detecting that such a lens had been fitted to the body. As a check that this wasn't just a fault of the individual lens, I tested a second 50mm f/1.7 AE lens and got identical results.<br />
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The second test I did was to check the position of the maximum aperture lever for each lens. In the 139 the lever is coupled mechanically to the aperture display so there's nothing that could be measured other than physical position but it was clear that the lenses that exhibited the half stop shift in the aperture stop down lever, also had a half stop shift in the position of the maximum aperture lever.<br />
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Here's the inside view of the maximum aperture lever (arrowed). You can see the black marks on the chassis where I've recorded the position for different lenses.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG3h8WWjjKhFOJ_Ps1FSO-zIs6bX9Kr2kTuoPFGAOFzskv3g1YlYwGJQNl3FRaHBuw8ALk7T_Th3f6KorGVR7K25NpJJZVyCzuBkg8ERv1EZUfQNR6StdDBgYqukuhpgB89wPoIoY3itvQ/s1600/IMG_2838.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG3h8WWjjKhFOJ_Ps1FSO-zIs6bX9Kr2kTuoPFGAOFzskv3g1YlYwGJQNl3FRaHBuw8ALk7T_Th3f6KorGVR7K25NpJJZVyCzuBkg8ERv1EZUfQNR6StdDBgYqukuhpgB89wPoIoY3itvQ/s640/IMG_2838.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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My first thought was that these two half stop shifts would cancel each other out so there would be no effect on the metering but it's not that simple. In the 139, for instance, the maximum aperture lever plays no part in the metering, it is only used to display the correct aperture in the viewfinder. The metering is done purely from the potentiometer coupled to the aperture stop down ring. So, not unsurprisingly, lenses that have theta compensation under expose by half a stop when used on a 139. This is easily confirmed by metering a scene with a lens with theta compensation then again with a lens that doesn't. The half stop difference in the meter reading is quite obvious.<br />
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With other MM bodies I thought the exposure error might not happen but I tested an RX, RXII and a 167 and it does happen and in all metering modes.<br />
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<b>Conclusions</b><br />
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In the 167MT service manual there are some tables that show the aperture associated with each position of the aperture stop down lever and the maximum aperture lever. The tables have two different values, with a half stop difference, for lenses with and without theta compensation. This effectively confirms my findings that the physical position of these levers differ on lenses with theta compensation. Or, put another way, any particular position represents a different value on lenses with theta compensation to ones that don't.<br />
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You would think, therefore, that the MM bodies would carry out a different exposure calculation depending on the position of the AE/MM switch. I have tried manually changing the position of the switch but it makes no difference to the meter reading. Either my expectations are inaccurate, or the bodies don't have the theta compensation feature fully implemented.<br />
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Clearly I'm not able to test every combination of lens and body in every metering mode - I don't have examples or the time - and it may be that the half stop change in metering only affects a few lenses, but the phenomenon definitely exists. Whether it's a problem is for individuals to decide. Does half a stop error in metering matter? In the days when I used to use transparency film, I would have said it does.<br />
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If anyone has anything to add to this I would be very interested to hear from them. If you have seen the issue with particular lenses then which ones and with which bodies and in what metering mode? Also, if you find any lenses that display the wrong aperture in the viewfinder when other lenses are OK, I would be interested in the same information. And, finally, if anyone has any idea what theta compensation is (specifically related to the lenses under discussion), please let me know.<br />
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<b>(Edit)</b><br />
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There was one other test I did which I failed to mention above, probably because it produced no useful information at the time. However, on reflection, the fact it showed no difference between lenses with theta compensation and those without is relevant. The test was to attach the lenses to my A7, digital camera, and check for differences in meter readings. The A7 has no connections to the lens and simply measures the light passing through it. The result was there is no difference in the light transmitted between lenses with, or without, theta compensation. This is significant because, if the lenses with theta compensation did transmit a half stop more light, the apparent half stop under exposure would be correct and make all the above rather inane.<br />
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<br /></div><div><b>(Edit 2)</b></div><div><br /></div><div>I recently discovered the 50/1.7 MM lens, when attached to an RTS body, will cause the aperture readout in the viewfinder to be half a stop out. So, for example, with the lens set to f/5.6 the aperture display will show the aperture as between f/4 and f/5.6.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4063421031760090709.post-49479561776979894362019-01-27T17:59:00.000+00:002019-02-09T14:07:06.513+00:00The Bitser<i>Bitser (Bitzer): "A thing that is made from parts that originally did not belong together."</i><br />
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I acquired another 139 parts camera recently. These are cameras that have too many problems to make it economical to repair. They end up in my 'parts camera' drawer and get regularly picked over when I'm in need of a part to repair another camera. I have nine or ten I guess, some of which are little more than a chassis with a few parts left attached. As I was adding the most recent one to my collection, I thought about the possibility of making a complete, working, camera out of the various bits and pieces.<br />
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Always up for a challenge, I picked out the best chassis I could find as a starting point. The chassis had a shutter, which tested as OK, along with the film advance mechanism, which had a problem, and the electronic PCB. A mirror box with a clean viewfinder came from another camera. The top plate and all the other parts came from several other donors.<br />
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With the film advance issue resolved, I assembled all the parts onto the chassis, cleaning and lubricating etc. along the way. I wanted to fit a base plate with a serial number that was of the correct period for the modification level of the camera. The chassis I used had the last version of the transfer switch and the mirror box had the later version of the release magnet and associated mechanism, so I needed a base plate with a high(ish) serial number. I found just one that fitted the bill. It was a bit bent and dented but a couple of blocks of wood and a hammer got it into shape and soon fitted.<br />
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The final thing, after a full function and film test, was to add some covers. I had some freebies supplied by Aki-Asahi and, in the spirit of using up what I had, I fitted those. I actually think they are OK though not a colour I would normally use. I also had some matching winder covers and so a winder I acquired with a camera recently got a quick overhaul and new covers fitted to complete the look.<br />
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I'm not sure I'm going to give it much use but I like how it looks and find it satisfying to have built a complete camera from spare parts. It will sit on the shelf for a while until I decide what to do with it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyDaqlc2QB70G88Z7lVqarT_CTkyeRIvWwqVOajm2Utc3oSi4aBKM7DDemlfuPmcofp6U_-A_3wcUEO_1r1v7T4GyKLM6jLwNUN_URiTLOIA_TTDtYtsCyCzU1k_SgfTy8OOUyzMdDs9We/s1600/IMG_2760a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="607" data-original-width="689" height="563" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyDaqlc2QB70G88Z7lVqarT_CTkyeRIvWwqVOajm2Utc3oSi4aBKM7DDemlfuPmcofp6U_-A_3wcUEO_1r1v7T4GyKLM6jLwNUN_URiTLOIA_TTDtYtsCyCzU1k_SgfTy8OOUyzMdDs9We/s640/IMG_2760a.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4063421031760090709.post-75075286416815124992019-01-01T11:44:00.001+00:002019-02-09T14:07:50.523+00:00Documents UpdateI've added the 167MT service/repair manual to my documents page.<br />
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Also a couple of other lens data sheets and some Yashica service info.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4063421031760090709.post-34158594429763485512018-12-29T14:21:00.000+00:002019-02-09T14:08:23.997+00:00Zeiss Contax 18mm f/4 Lens Hood - part 2I managed to get a few example images of the lens with and without the hood.<br />
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This one is indoors with the sun coming through a window and falling onto a plain wall. I folded the hood back then just angled the camera until I saw the flare, took one picture then pulled the hood forward - flare gone.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBtM0MVQ7hsw0LKo0xUW4T0WOnwwExSaizn8gAL5zOfXr8rBWK9bISootlSFQBfCblcMw5PpM37QQsErd8xi9wpDsMYTCJDnIvD67em_Ykps7x4QvrBUuXuGeW9xwPhbRxiyI1VgSK6LF5/s1600/DSC02580.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBtM0MVQ7hsw0LKo0xUW4T0WOnwwExSaizn8gAL5zOfXr8rBWK9bISootlSFQBfCblcMw5PpM37QQsErd8xi9wpDsMYTCJDnIvD67em_Ykps7x4QvrBUuXuGeW9xwPhbRxiyI1VgSK6LF5/s320/DSC02580.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-5iwtJ43vle7CqoCG5HsSZCoYBxTxaadT4DO8ksrNC7jJ7ElrSJFkM8paVLG7-6GrwOrZ8FAqcO4xew-X38XqGVk6KTaSnJAVjnbjxqfx1GeAQuMSqpFJwhqqvcRy-VJY-Qscd3WCebxs/s1600/DSC02581.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-5iwtJ43vle7CqoCG5HsSZCoYBxTxaadT4DO8ksrNC7jJ7ElrSJFkM8paVLG7-6GrwOrZ8FAqcO4xew-X38XqGVk6KTaSnJAVjnbjxqfx1GeAQuMSqpFJwhqqvcRy-VJY-Qscd3WCebxs/s320/DSC02581.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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This second example was taken outside. I did the same procedure as before.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFdxeuwHtXyUC0lAMCC423oyRGNOxGJBNICYyZih9izHINkCd9Bx6ZQiiBJonYulE5gUVBsHXNh3BcXK_8NJp0TLmeGviq2RGJs3uBzH6r3y-OAdbFOaYa0R-y7rGjSMVUr0mcAajGzr0H/s1600/DSC02584.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFdxeuwHtXyUC0lAMCC423oyRGNOxGJBNICYyZih9izHINkCd9Bx6ZQiiBJonYulE5gUVBsHXNh3BcXK_8NJp0TLmeGviq2RGJs3uBzH6r3y-OAdbFOaYa0R-y7rGjSMVUr0mcAajGzr0H/s320/DSC02584.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The second pair of pictures have another area of flare that wasn't removed by the hood. It's not obvious so I've ringed it in the next picture.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw5m3XJJUJTbq4_NHUho_s4G-DdcyMCknbzhR1NVVz8HVCtNj0XktNQxartSEH794Vpq7bTeSNZsWayK-I93YqvdLtjWZAGIniA2sMGz0271vHKxSR0kzBP67PL3iIv1_0SUpScCO5PNPt/s1600/DSC02585.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw5m3XJJUJTbq4_NHUho_s4G-DdcyMCknbzhR1NVVz8HVCtNj0XktNQxartSEH794Vpq7bTeSNZsWayK-I93YqvdLtjWZAGIniA2sMGz0271vHKxSR0kzBP67PL3iIv1_0SUpScCO5PNPt/s320/DSC02585.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I could also get the lens to produce some more obvious flare even with the hood in place so it's not a 100% solution, but hoods never are. But I think it's a worthwhile addition.<br />
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I also wanted to add a note to say that the lens I have is an MM type with a serial 72*****. There was, apparently, an earlier version of the 18mm which may behave completely differently.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4063421031760090709.post-38435603516067188892018-12-28T16:58:00.000+00:002019-02-09T14:08:35.947+00:00Zeiss Contax 18mm f/4 Lens HoodThe 18mm f/4 doesn't have a filter thread. It takes 70mm push-fit accessories and Zeiss made a 70mm to 86mm ring to take 86mm filters and which they also suggest will act as a hood. The problem now is the difficulty in finding one and then the probably extortionate cost you'll have to pay for it. At the time of writing, there is one on ebay with a buy-it-now price of $110 with shipping from Japan so, in the UK at least, there will also be VAT and import duty etc. to pay on top - no thanks.<br />
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As I've found the 18mm is a bit prone to flare, I thought I would look for an alternative. What I found was a hood for a Mamiya 45mm lens for the 645 system. It is a 70mm push fit hood and fits perfectly straight onto the 18mm. I paid about £20 for mine including postage. This seems a typical price. The only problem is is that it's a bit deep so I took a knife to it and cut it back (rather badly as it happens).<br />
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The hood has a square section on the front. Not a lot of use with the 18mm as the front of the lens rotates so it's impossible to keep the hood square. Some experimentation suggested the whole square section needed removing anyway to stop vignetting on the 18mm so that's what I did. You end up with a round hood so it doesn't matter that it rotates.<br />
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Here's a few pics.<br />
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Some testing afterwards showed there was a tiny amount of vignetting in the corners so I trimmed another, maybe, 3mm off it which cleaned up the cut edge and got rid of the last bit of vignetting.</div>
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Being such a wide angle lens, a hood is never going to be very effective but it's better than nothing. I'll see if I can get some example shots with and without the hood to show the difference.</div>
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Just one thing of note, there is a Mamiya hood available that is said to fit the 645 45mm lens and also the 65mm RB67 lens. This is not the correct hood. The original version of the 45mm had an 80mm diameter front and that hood is for the original version lens. Check what is written on the side of the hood. It should be as shown in my picture above. If it mentions RB67 lenses, it's the wrong one.</div>
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<i>(Edit: There is now a second part to this post with some examples).</i></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4063421031760090709.post-48344493677676799972018-12-27T13:45:00.000+00:002019-02-09T14:08:49.686+00:00The Contax/Yashica BayonetThis might seem a particularly boring subject to write a blog post about but it's intended to be the first of a few posts regarding the information that get's passed to the camera body from the lens. This has been prompted by some questions I had and which I'm in the process of doing some investigation of. Also, the suspected incompatibility between some lenses and camera bodies suggested by some forum posts but yet to be confirmed.<br />
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Rather than try and cover everything in one long post I thought I would split it up and start here with a general explanation of the linkage between lens and camera.<br />
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Besides the bayonet itself, there are, up to, four points where the lens and body couple together. Earlier AE lenses had three then a fourth was added to MM lenses to tell the camera a MM lens is attached. The diagrams show the points of contact on the body and the lens with a description of each below.<br />
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<b>Aperture Linkage Pin/Lever</b> (<i>Aperture stop down lever</i>). The pin on the lens rotates as the lens aperture is changed and couples to a lug (described as a lever in the diagram) on a ring that rotates around the camera lens mount and which, in turn, couples to a device that converts the position of the ring into an electrical signal. On earlier cameras this was done using a potentiometer (variable resistor) which was part of the metering circuit. On later cameras, the potentiometer was replaced by an encoder that outputs a digital code.<br />
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The value passed to the camera represents the number of stops that the lens has been stopped down from maximum. It doesn't represent an actual aperture value.<br />
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<b>Aperture Scale Coupling Pin/Lever</b> (<i>Maximum aperture lever</i>). The 'pin' on the lens may actually be a lever or a shaped lug depending on the lens. It is in a fixed position that represents the maximum aperture of the lens. It couples with a lever on the body to transfer this information to the camera so that it can display the actual aperture in use. On earlier cameras a mechanical system, that linked the maximum aperture information and the number of stops the lens has been stopped down, was used to display the aperture in use. On later cameras with electronic displays it is done electronically.<br />
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The Contax S2/S2b and some Yashica cameras that don't have an aperture display in the viewfinder, don't use this feature.<br />
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<b>Automatic Diaphragm Action Pin/Lever. </b>This lever is driven from the camera and causes the lens to stop down to the selected aperture. On later MM cameras when used in shutter priority or program modes, this lever will move just the correct amount to stop the lens down to the required aperture.<br />
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<b>AE/MM switch</b> (not shown on diagram). On MM lenses, an extra lug was added which extends just beyond the bayonet mount and engages with the switch on the camera. The switch is a three position switch. The first, default, position is for AE lenses (AE lenses don't have the extra lug so the switch doesn't move). The third position is for MM lenses but there is also a mid position which I intend to be the subject of one of my following posts.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4063421031760090709.post-70608951079308601932018-04-08T15:51:00.001+00:002019-02-09T14:09:07.055+00:00DIY repairs updateJust updated my DIY repairs page with some information regarding reassembly. An area I've generally ignored in the past but I've had a few people contact me with reassembly issues and this covers those issues.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4