| Author | Message | ||
     Likaleica1 Tinkerer Username: Likaleica1 Post Number: 8 Registered: 08-2007 Rating: N/A |
More on the Contax II I bought on eBay a while ago......with broken self timer and a shutter that jammed within days of purchase....the camera turned out to be a FAKE ! When sent to a Contax repairer, he found it was in fact an early Kiev with the name plate engraving rolled out to be replaced with "Contax." It had a fake Zeiss Ikon embossing on the leather back and a false 1937 Contax serial number inside the film back. When I sent all the photos and the e mail from the repairer to the seller, he refused to accept it was not a Contax ! So I was stuck with a fairly worthless camera needing major repair for a large anmount of money. The irony is that an undoctored early model KNEB Kiev might be worth more than a Contax II, so the faker was probably wasting his time. I did have the camera repaired in the former Soviet Union for a very good price and must say it has the smoothest, quietest shutter of any Contax or Kiev I have experienced and produces excellent photographs. Unfortunately to return the camera to KNEB status I would have to find the correct front plate with early engraving, remove the ZI serial number, fit new leather to the back etc - a big task! |