Thanks for this video. I’m pretty new to film photography but I love the look and feel of these older cameras. I had to sell a beautiful Praktica LB (with M-O Gorlitz Domiplan 50mm) but have now bought a lovely Pentacon with a “ZI” underneath the Pentacon icon on the prism face - with Helios 44m - 4. I believe (and I’m not 100% sure) this makes it the first line of East German made Pentacons from the old Zeiss Ikon factory in Jena, the same as the Contax D. The serial number indicates it is 36,174 from 69,599 made. Can’t wait to give it a last little clean before trying it out. Seems to work pretty well and is already very clean.
I have just received my version of this. The logo at the front of the prism is from Pentacon. The name Pentacon has been ground off the front plate on your model.
@@DavidHancock Yes, that is truly strange! I know that this model was sold under the Pentacon and Contax names. I took mine out on a shoot today with some Ilford HP5. It is still a truly great little camera to use.
Great video. I have one of these cameras and was looking for some info on the operation. Looking at the scratched off section I would say yours is probably the same as mine, which is labeled penticon not contax. Thanks again for the info
If your camera does not have a Zeiss Ikon symbol with a D under it, it is not a Contax D. The Design on yours appears to be a Contax "F", which was made from 1956 until 1961. It is more advanced than the "D" model. praktica.planetaclix.pt/M42.html
X flash synchronization at 1/20 sec.? That sounds like Ye Olde 1938 Leica IIIa, which had flash contacts added in the late 1960's. (It's better than nothing, but "flash ghosting" is guaranteed.)
Oh yeah. It's super slow. That's slow enough that it means the curtain travel speed is almost guaranteed to give rolling shutter effect on fast subjects with fast shutter speeds, too.
Thanks for this video. I’m pretty new to film photography but I love the look and feel of these older cameras. I had to sell a beautiful Praktica LB (with M-O Gorlitz Domiplan 50mm) but have now bought a lovely Pentacon with a “ZI” underneath the Pentacon icon on the prism face - with Helios 44m - 4. I believe (and I’m not 100% sure) this makes it the first line of East German made Pentacons from the old Zeiss Ikon factory in Jena, the same as the Contax D. The serial number indicates it is 36,174 from 69,599 made. Can’t wait to give it a last little clean before trying it out. Seems to work pretty well and is already very clean.
I have just received my version of this. The logo at the front of the prism is from Pentacon. The name Pentacon has been ground off the front plate on your model.
Thank you! The customs people here in the U.S. back in the day did that to the imports of these models.
@@DavidHancock Yes, that is truly strange! I know that this model was sold under the Pentacon and Contax names. I took mine out on a shoot today with some Ilford HP5. It is still a truly great little camera to use.
Great video. I have one of these cameras and was looking for some info on the operation. Looking at the scratched off section I would say yours is probably the same as mine, which is labeled penticon not contax. Thanks again for the info
Thank you!
If your camera does not have a Zeiss Ikon symbol with a D under it, it is not a Contax D. The Design on yours appears to be a Contax "F", which was made from 1956 until 1961. It is more advanced than the "D" model. praktica.planetaclix.pt/M42.html
Thank you!
Gorgeous camera. It's a beauty to see and enjoy. I'm just concerned that the mildew and the way it's advancing, it may need a bit of servicing.
Thank you! It needs some significant work.
X flash synchronization at 1/20 sec.? That sounds like Ye Olde 1938 Leica IIIa, which had flash contacts added in the late 1960's. (It's better than nothing, but "flash ghosting" is guaranteed.)
Oh yeah. It's super slow. That's slow enough that it means the curtain travel speed is almost guaranteed to give rolling shutter effect on fast subjects with fast shutter speeds, too.