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Brownbr
Tinkerer
Username: Brownbr
Post Number: 2
Registered: 10-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, January 03, 2008 - 08:10 am: | 
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I was given a Zeiss Ikon Contina I folding range finder for Christmas from my mother in law. It was purchased new by her father in Germany in 1954. It hasn't been used in years through, but has been carefully stored.
The camera is in great shape cosmetically, but I can't seem to get the shutter to fire. I pulled the charging lever, heard a click, but since then I've never been able to get the shutter to release.
I've been scouring the web for info, but most of what I can find is information on later fixed lens Contina models. Any suggestions on how to start going about getting this fixed? I'd love to put some film through it. |
Adrian
Tinkerer
Username: Adrian
Post Number: 118
Registered: 08-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, January 03, 2008 - 09:08 am: |
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If it is a model like this, I may be able to help a bit: http://www.lungov.com/wagner/c/013c.html
If not... You may have to be patient!
Does the "charging" lever stay where you put it when you pull it, or flick back with a click?
If it is the latter, you are experiencing a common 1950s German camera "gotcha" - they need film moving over the sprockets to work. In that case, open the back and turn the sprockets by hand until you hear a fairly heavy click - mine does a couple of little clicks, then the big one. Now try the shutter. If it works, try again and check that the speeds look OK. If they are - go shoot!
If not - come back, describe it again and see if it's a recognised problem. Tell us what the shutter is (I think they were built with Prontor shutters, but there may have been variations), and there are ways and means of dismantling them if you have a bit of mechanical nous and access to good tools. Hopefully it's the former problem.
Good luck - the Novar lens is good for a triplet, nice and sharp.
Adrian |
Brownbr
Tinkerer
Username: Brownbr
Post Number: 3
Registered: 10-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, January 03, 2008 - 09:42 am: |
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The charging level flicks back, but there isn't really a click, just the sound of the metal pieces touching each other.
I advanced the sprockets quite a bit, but never heard a click at all. It would be a real shame if something was wrong with this.
This camera has a Pronto-SV shutter. |
Adrian
Tinkerer
Username: Adrian
Post Number: 119
Registered: 08-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, January 03, 2008 - 10:29 am: |
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That sounds as though it isn't cocking - I am fairly certain (I am at work, so don't have the camera to hand) that when it cocks, it stays where you put it.
Try winding the knob as well (I don't think that there is a linkage to it, but I may be wrong, and give turning the sprockets by hand another go - it surprises me every time how much you have to turn them before you get the big click.
There are links if you search the forum to a website detailing how to dismantle a Prontor (and I think the Pronto is a simpler version of a Prontor) shutter, and there may be other Contina threads as well. I'm uncertain why it might not cock, though, and if it is the film spacing mechanism, I'm afraid I haven't a clue.
Adrian |
Brownbr
Tinkerer
Username: Brownbr
Post Number: 4
Registered: 10-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, January 03, 2008 - 12:12 pm: |
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I've turned the sprockets through an entire cycle of the film counter. Nothing seems to have worked. I was incorrect about the shutter before, it is indeed a Prontor-SV (not Pronto). I have found several threads about the shutters themselves (cleaning, repairing, etc), but I'm unclear as to how to remove it from the camera. The only screws I see are on the bottom of the camera, which is different from what I've seen in most other threads.
If anything, I'd like to be able to take it off to see if I can even tell whats wrong. If I can get it off, how should I go about cleaning it, or diagnosing the problem?
This is my first pre-1970 fully mechanical camera, so this is all a little new to me. |
Adrian
Tinkerer
Username: Adrian
Post Number: 120
Registered: 08-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, January 04, 2008 - 09:53 am: |
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Hmm. Doesn't sound good.
I do not know how the shutter release is connected to the wind mechanism - you may be better off posting, with a link to this thread, a query along the lines of "Prontor SV - link to wind mechanism?" and see what comes up - others may be more familiar with the mechanism than the model of camera. The Prontors were proprietary shutters, used on all sorts of models.
Wait and try other responses before you pile into the shutter at my say-so! I don't want you to knacker your camera because I've rushed you!
If you do have (and note I say have) to get into the shutter mechanism, it is accessed from the front, and those sites will tell you how. However to get the middle and rear elements out of the lens you will need to unscrew the slotted ring on the back of the lens that you should see when you look through the film gate at the lens.
You have three options:
1. A flat piece of metal that will span the ring and fit tightly between the grooves
2. A lens spanner - available from MicroTools. Not especially cheap, but made for the purpose.
3. Fourth picture down: http://www.rusted.free.fr/babysem.html
Fiddly and needs care - don't scratch the lens - but possible. I've used something similar a couple of times, including on my Contina.
There are lots of threads here on cleaning - in short, the easiest solvent to find/use is naptha (US) or lighter fuel (UK) - I use Ronsonol. But I don't know anything about the interlink... you have been warned.
Good luck. Be patient. Don't rush in!
Adrian
PS Just thought... On reassembly, tighten the slotted ring very carefully - too tight, too hard and you will twist the whole assembly against the bellows, and possibly pull them off! |
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