Pacific Rim Camera

WE BUY CAMERAS

Contarex

Sometime in the 1950's, the most powerful of the camera manufactures in a land with a rich history of camera manufacture, turned loose it's engineers to embark on what must have been the dream project. Design a 35MM SLR, the finest in the world, without regard to weight or cost. And they did. Yes, the result was heavy (910 grams, without lens), and extremely complex (1100 parts, requiring manufacturing tolerances of up to 0.001mm). And yes, they were very expensive.

Contarex I (Bullseye)

Contarex "Bullseye", shown without lens

The first model of Contarex, it was refered to as simply "The Contarex". It has somehow picked up the name "Bullseye", in reference to the round meter cell above the lens. This is the easiest model of Contarex to find today, as 32,000 were built. Fit and finish on these, as on all of the Contarex line, is impeccable.
The Bullseye was available from 1959-66. After 1964, they feature a few changes, the most important being the interchangeablity of focusing screens, and the data strip, for recording data onto the film as you expose it. $$$

Contarex Special

Designed without a built in meter, the Special features a removable prism, which can be replaced by a waist level finder. Screens are also interchangeable. Based on the Bullseye body. 1960-63. Production was 5000 units. $$$$

Contarex Professional

The first of a new generation of Contarexes, the Professional did not have a built in meter. Available in both black and chrome. it carries it's model designation on the front of the camera.Difficult to find, especially clean, as only 1500 were made, and most were proffesionally used. 1966-67. $$$$-$$$$$

Contarex Super

Styled much like the Proffesional, It is identified on the front of the camera. It feature the new CdS meter technology. Production was 13,400 cameras in two variations, from 1967-75. The early version, and more common, has the meter switch on the front of the camera, above and to the side of the lens, opposite the focusing wheel. This model is refered to as "front switch".
Later models have the meter switch located under the winding lever on the top of the camera, and are refered to as "top switch".
Either version $$$$

Contarex Super Electronic

This is the Super, equipted with an electronically timed shutter. It also accepts a motor drive, bulk film magazines, and a host of other electronic accessories. As all of the later models, it is identified on the front (as "Electronic") and was available in black or chrome. Produced from 1968-75, the last cameras were assembled from remaining parts after Zeiss Ikon left the camera market, and bear the simple "Zeiss" logo. Production reached 3100 units.
$$$$

Contarex Hologon

Based on the Contarex body, it is a non-SLR camera featuring a fixed 15/8 Hologon lens. To be complete, the camera must have the graduated filter that compensated for uneven light distibution by the lens, and the pistol grip with cable release. All were finished in black, 1400 were produced from 1969-75. Identified on front as "Hologon Ultrawide" $$$$

Contarex Microscope Camera

Contarex Microscope camera

A camera for scientific and technical work, it was not even listed in the camera catalogs, to find it you must look in the Microscope or Opthamology catalogs. Production figures and dates are unavailable. No viewfinder, lens moun t is for microcope adapters. All are finished in chrome, and identified only as "Zeiss Ikon" on top. $$

Lenses

16/2.8 Distagon -fiheye lens $$$$$
18/4 Distagon -supplied with rose colored focusing screen, $$$$
21/4.5 Biogon -mirror lock-up lens, with finder, $$$
25/2.8 Distagon -black or chrome $$$
35/4 Distagon -chrome, $$
35/4 Blitz Distagon -black, for flash automation, $$$
35/4 PA Curtagon -Schneider shift lens, $$$
35/2 Distagon -black, $$$
50/4 S-Planar -close-up lens, $$$
50/2 Planar -chrome, $$
50/2 Blitz Planar -flash automation, black, $$
50/1.4 Planar -black or chrome, $$
85/2 Sonnar -black or chrome,$$$
85/1.4 Sonnar -only 400 produced, $$$
115/3.5 Tessar--bellows lens, $$$$
135/4 Sonnar -black or chrome, $$
135/2.8 Olympia Sonnar -black, $$
180/2.8 Olympia Sonnar -very uncommon lens, $$$$$
250/4 Sonnar -preset, $$$
250/4 Olympia sonnar-knob focus, automatic diaphram, $$$$
400/5.6 Tele-Tessar -$$$$$
500/4.5 Mirotar -mirror lens, $$$$$
1000/5.6 Mirotar -mirror lens, $$$$$

40-120/2.8 Vario-Sonnar -zoom lens, $$$$$
85-250/4 Vario-Sonnar - zoom lens, $$$$$