AEG, MMJ, maintenance of the lense...how the front/rear elements look...the ebay ones from HK and japan typically are a bit more than the ones listed on FM but you get peace of mind. Keep in mind though if you buy from out of country you will have to pay a US tariff, at least I did...
That's about the price, maybe a little less. Agree re HK gear, have several from there, all good. The CY has a certain je ne c'est quoi, IMHO, the ZE is a thoroughly modern Zeiss by contrast, complete with giant weight/bulk. It's still many hundreds more as well. $1843 at B&H. 830 grams. Pay more, get more!
crazeazn, take a lot of care and time with these countersunk screws when you do your next Contax, OK? Ensure the driver is perfectly on axis and a very snug fit, and impart a *great deal of downforce* on the top of the driver before you even think about turning it.
For difficult cases, use a good pair of pliers and grip the driver handle with them from the side, then unscrew firmly with increasing pressure, with the extra leverage you have. The driver must never jump up or out of the screw, or it's gonners for the screw head. They all have a uniform torque from the factory.
Never relent with the downforce and you will be rewarded with a satisfying click as the sucker undoes itself. Hope you enjoy the Distagon.
philip_pj wrote:
That's about the price, maybe a little less. Agree re HK gear, have several from there, all good. The CY has a certain je ne c'est quoi, IMHO, the ZE is a thoroughly modern Zeiss by contrast, complete with giant weight/bulk. It's still many hundreds more as well. $1843 at B&H. 830 grams. Pay more, get more!
crazeazn, take a lot of care and time with these countersunk screws when you do your next Contax, OK? Ensure the driver is perfectly on axis and a very snug fit, and impart a *great deal of downforce* on the top of the driver before you even think about turning it.
For difficult cases, use a good pair of pliers and grip the driver handle with them from the side, then unscrew firmly with increasing pressure, with the extra leverage you have. The driver must never jump up or out of the screw, or it's gonners for the screw head. They all have a uniform torque from the factory.
Never relent with the downforce and you will be rewarded with a satisfying click as the sucker undoes itself. Hope you enjoy the Distagon....Show more →
I think this is my last Contax... as I sold my 50 1.4 and 85 1.4 but I have totally learned my lesson. I have enjoyed my distagon for a while now, just irritated by the wobbly adapter over the years. Perhaps a move to some Leicas?
Use a cutting wheel on a Dremel (these wheels cut an incredibly fine line, about 1mm, and extremely clean); the use a flat-blade driver to extract. I have done this a number of times, and it works well.
crazeazn wrote:
Ordered a leitax adapter and was scared that I would strip a screw (so ordered David's screwdriver). Lo and behold I have no difficulty with all but one (3/4 are okay)...help!
I did the same when installing the Leitax adapter on my CZ35-70. First three screws came out nicely...fourth ended up getting stripped out. I took mine to a camera/lens repair shop in Fort Worth...cost me $20 to have the screw drilled out. With my eyes and bifocals, didn't want to attempt chiseling or Dremeling such a small object as the screw. I would imagine that there's a similar type repair shop in your neck of the woods.
I wanted that lens. 
Glad you got it fixed.