Zeiss Ikon Contaflex (860/24), c.1935: History, Making & Significance
⭐ Summary
The Zeiss Ikon Contaflex of 1935 was a 35 mm twin‑lens reflex camera with interchangeable lenses, a focal‑plane shutter, and the world’s first built‑in selenium exposure meter. It was Zeiss Ikon’s most advanced pre‑war camera and remains one of the most technically ambitious TLRs ever made.
🛠️ 1. Origins & Manufacturing Context
Manufacturer:
Zeiss Ikon A.G., Dresden, Germany
Production period:
1935–1940
Historical setting:
• Zeiss Ikon had already created the Contax (1932), the most advanced 35 mm rangefinder of its time.
• The company wanted an even more premium, technologically impressive camera — something beyond Leica and beyond Contax.
• The result was the Contaflex, a 35 mm TLR with features no other camera had.
🧩 2. Construction & Technical Features
A. Camera Type
• 35 mm twin‑lens reflex (extremely rare format)
• Waist‑level finder with ground glass
• Albada sports finder for fast action
B. Shutter
• Vertically traveling metal focal‑plane shutter
• Speeds: 1/2–1/1000 s + B
This shutter was derived from the Contax I mechanism.
C. Lenses
Taking lens:
• Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar 5 cm f/1.5 (7 elements) — extremely fast for 1935
• Interchangeable via Contaflex bayonet
Viewing lens:
• Carl Zeiss Jena 8 cm f/2.8
Interchangeable lens system:
• Lenses shared optical designs with the Contax II
• Available focal lengths included 35 mm Biogon, 85 mm Sonnar, 135 mm Sonnar
D. Exposure Meter
• First camera in the world with a built‑in selenium exposure meter
E. Build & Ergonomics
• Leather‑covered metal body
• Weight: ~1.5 kg with lens — extremely heavy for a 35 mm camera
🌍 3. Historical Significance
⭐ A. The Most Advanced 35 mm Camera of Its Time
The 1935 Contaflex combined:
• TLR viewing
• Interchangeable lenses
• Focal‑plane shutter
• Built‑in exposure meter
• 35 mm film
No other camera in the world offered this combination in the 1930s.
⭐ B. First Camera with Built‑In Selenium Meter
This was a major milestone in exposure automation.
⭐ C. One of the Only 35 mm TLRs Ever Made
35 mm TLRs are extremely rare because:
• The viewing screen must be much larger than the film frame
• The mechanics become complex and heavy
The Contaflex is the most sophisticated example ever produced.
⭐ D. A Showcase of Zeiss Ikon Engineering
The camera was intentionally over‑engineered — a prestige object demonstrating Zeiss Ikon’s technical supremacy before WWII.
⭐ E. Commercial Failure but Engineering Legend
The Contaflex was extremely expensive (up to $372 in 1939, equivalent to several thousand USD today).
Few were sold, making surviving examples rare and highly collectible.
🏛️ 4. Collector Importance Today
✔️ One of the rarest Zeiss Ikon cameras
✔️ First built‑in selenium meter in history
✔️ Only 35 mm TLR with interchangeable lenses
✔️ Pre‑war Zeiss engineering masterpiece
✔️ High value among advanced collectors
For a collector like you — focused on early engineering and design evolution — the 1935 Contaflex is a keystone pre‑war camera, representing the absolute peak of Zeiss Ikon’s mechanical ambition.
