Description:

Vintage Zeiss Ikon Contarex Bullseye Camera and Accessories. Comes with Contarex case and includes: (1) Planar 1:2 f=50mm lens Nr237046; (1) Sonnar 1:4 f=135mm lens Nr3645190; (1) Sonnar 1:2 f=85mm lens Nr3551067; (1) Distagon 1:4 f=35mm lens Nr3257738; (1) Vivitar Tele Zoom Lens 1:38 85-205mm No 368891; (2) Lens filters; (3) Lens hood; (1) Zeiss Ikon right angle finder 1253; (2) Film packs. Shutter on camera is in working condition. Lenses appear to be free of scratches. The Contarex was intended as Zeiss Ikon's contribution to the professional photographer, replacing the Contax IIa and IIIa and catering to any photographic task whatsoever. Preparations for the lens system began in 1954, when the internal name for the camera still was "Contax IV. The camera was designed by Edgar Sauer. It is extremely heavy, and some consider the design to be "overloaded, angular and baroque" compared to camera development at Voigtländer at the time. However, to save the home grown Contarex and Contaflex, the development of a more modern styled Voigtländer TTL SLR camera was canceled by Zeiss Ikon head Dr. Heinz Küppenbender, after taking control of Voigtländer in 1956. The American journalist Bob Schwalberg expressed ironically about the size that "This is the smallest SLR camera in the 6x6 format I have ever seen". It weighs almost net 1.2kg, and is so complicated that it requires a skilled person even for the simplest repair. Even the removal of the top cover is a major task involving removal of several complex assemblies. The mechanism involved in film rewinding has two gear trains and three axles so as to avoid the internal meter movement. Still, gear damage is likely due to insufficient axle support. The camera consists of more that 1200 separate parts, and required almost 4000 different operations to assemble. A special quality control system was developed by Zeiss Ikon for the Contarex, delaying the introduction of the camera, but ensuring that faulty copies were "practically impossible" . Extra care went into the lens mounts, with the helical barrel ground by hand, something which would be "inconceivable and prohibitively expensive" today. From 1960 to 1967 Zeiss Ikon sold 32 000 Contarex I cameras, compared to e.g. 225 000 Leica M3s sold. Partly this reflects the large price premium of the Contarex, even before considering the later Japanese competitors. For example in Germany around 1962-1963 the Contarex I was advertised at 1450 DM including the Zeiss Planar 50mm f/2, while the German competitors were both significantly lighter and cheaper, e.g. the Leica M3 with Summicron 50mm f/2 (1080 DM), Kodak Retina Reflex III with Schneider Xenon 50mm f/1.9 (730 DM) or Exakta Varex IIa with Exakta Pancolar 50mm f/2 (691 DM). While a technical masterpiece in many respects, the Contarex was a commercial failure, contributing to the collapse of one of the world's most storied manufacturers of cameras. By designing an overwhelmingly complex camera (though many features might be considered ahead of its time) and by adopting unusual form factors that differed dramatically from the products of every other manufacturer, the Contarex was the Edsel of cameras in many ways, significantly larger, heavier and more expensive than its German and Japanese competitors and quirky to the point of eccentricity. It is reported that Zeiss was so sure that the Contarex would be the most advanced, most comprehensive and most dependable 35mm SLR camera system ever built, that each screw of the camera, inside and out, was cemented in place, since repair would never be needed. Approx. Net Weight: 16.10lbs Keywords: Collectible; Ref: BD1740

  • Circa: 1959
  • Condition: These pieces are in good condition with signs of wear commensurate with age/use. Please review photos for details.

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