Chris's camera pages

Zeiss Ikon Contessa-35 (type 533/24)

Manufactured from 1950 to 1955, fitted with a non-interchangeable Tessar 45mm f/2.8 lens in a Compur-Rapid or Synchro-Compur shutter and fitted with an uncoupled exposure meter.

This camera has an interesting rangefinder with a rotating "wedge" in the round window at the top of the lens standard.

The Contessa is a pleasant camera to use, and the Tessar lens is certainly capable of returning great results. As with many of the older folders, the shutter must be cocked manually for each exposure, and on this model the film is advanced with a knob on the camera base-plate.

Zeiss Ikon Contessa-35 folding 35mm rangefinder camera

Contessa 35 instruction manual on Mike Butkus' excellent website.

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