Zeiss Contessas

[titrisol]

I own and cherish a few non-Folding Contessas.
I believe these cameras are highly underrated, they brandish a 2.8 Tessar (50 or 45mm), a Pronto Shutter (several flavors) and some have rangefinders.
They are well built, and after 40+ years I have found that most lightmeters work after a little cleanup
Zeiss-Ikon Contessa LK by https://www.flickr.com/people/89853469@N00/

The lineage contains the following (original Websiote is defunct) :
Zeiss Nbr Model Years Lens Shutter Notes
10.0639 LBE 1965-1967 f2.8 50mm Tessar Prontor 500 LK range finder
10.0637 LK 1963-1965 f2.8 50mm Tessar Prontor 500 LK view finder
10.0638 LKE 1963-1965 f2.8 50mm Tessar Prontor 500 LK similar to LK but with range finder
10.0351 S-310 1971 f2.8 40mm Tessar Prontor 500 S viewfinder
10.0354 S-312 1971 f2.8 40mm Tessar Prontor 500 S similar to S-310 but with range finder
Contessamat 1964-1965 f2.8 45mm Color Pantar Prontormatic viewfinder
10.0652 Contessamat SBE 1963-1967 f2.8 50mm Tessar P-matic 500SL rangefinder
10.0654 Contessamat SE 1963-1965 f2.8 45mm Color Pantar Prontormatic 500 rangefinder
Contessamat STE 1965 f2.8 50mm Tessar P-matic 500SL rangefinder
Contessamatic 1960-1961 f2.8 50mm Tessar Prontor SLK viewfinder
10.0645 Contessamatic E 1960-1963 f2.8 50mm Tessar Pr SLK Spezial range finder


Any more comments on these?

Cherry Blossom DC 2006 by https://www.flickr.com/people/89853469@N00/

[Captain Slack]

Don't know if you are aware of the Pass The Camera project that's ongoing, but that's the exact model Contessa that's being used! I had it a few months ago. Nice camera! I like my folding RF Contessa better, but that's only cause I'm not great at scale focusing.

[titrisol]

I'm not aware of it... but yeah Contessas are fun.
You can always get the LKE or LBE that has a rangefinder
This contessamatic has the rangefinder, you can see the round hole in there..

Contessamatic E by titrisol

[PFMcFarland]

I get a 404 Error with the link, Pablo. Nice information in your list though.

Haven't had the pleasure yet of using a Contessa. Still haven't got my Contina and Contaflexes sorted out yet (well, the Contaflex II works).

PF

[Bennybee]

I once had a Contina. Contessas are great camera's. That's quite a range of Contessas that Zeiss had created there.
All Zeiss cameras are in fact, and if you can cope with the incredible wealth of models and model variations over the years, you should have a nice study object and enough to discover for a whole lifetime. They're well made cameras and they all have a nice design and features.

[Captain Slack]

I've got a Contaflex, too! Also a nice camera, but HEAVY!

[titrisol]

The old website is defunct ;(

Continas Ikontas and Contessas are almost the same, the variations are small and hard to keep track off
This is an Ikonta35, but a year or 2 later it was a Contina
Zeiss-Ikon Ikonta35 by titrisol