Contarex in the aero museum

[Santiago Montenegro]

Lovely pictures, Julio. You really captured atmosphere in those!

I really regret selling my C-Rex.

[Julio1fer]

Thanks Santiago! It is impossible to keep everything, at least that is what my wife says insistently. I would never have bought a Contarex myself, it is not my type - too heavy and complicated.

[PFMcFarland]

Not sure why the Contarex Bullseye is such a collector item, Julio, but I do know they grab your attention when one is pointed at you. It's great that you have your father's camera back in working condition in order to create your own memories with it. Those are some fine images of the aircraft museum.

PF

[Julio1fer]

Thanks PF, indeed not a camera for stealth. Not just because of the size and looks: the shutter sound is impressive, could be used for echo testing. The handling ergonomics are not too bad, though.

The main photo studio here used Contarexes 30 years ago. I asked why and was told that the lenses were the reason. Indeed, the aperture blades are in the body; the lens designers had a blank sheet to do what they wanted.

[titrisol]

Contarex was the camera of choice by NASA in the Mercury and Gemini programs
https://airandspace.si.edu/exhibitions/ ... fm?id=9786

[Julio1fer]

Contarex was the camera of choice by NASA in the Mercury and Gemini programs

Certainly it was not to save weight!

[melek]

These are somewhat odd to use and massive. It's larger and heavier than a Nikon F2A with the Photomic prism. I agree that the lenses are really good, starting with the standard f/2.0 50mm Planar. I had a 250mm Sonnnar at one time, but it was impractical because of its size. Plus, I needed the money, so I sold it. The aperture wheel is something that you'd expect to find on a Voigtlander.

[titrisol]

I knew I had a picture form the Smithsonian Display!
They had the Contarex used in GEMINI in a display case next to the SpaceShuttle in the Dulles Air-Space when I visited in 2013.

Contarek Smithsonian

The legend says that the original camera is in Dayton, but the lens flew in the mission
Background is Ed White during the space walk in Gemini 4


Ed White First American Spacewalker by NASA on The Commons, on Flickr

Nasa Gemini 4 album