Contaprox and the Nikon Zf

 One of things I like about the new Z-mount, mirrorless cameras is their ability to mount many different vintage lenses and still retain infinity focus.

 

Here is an example. Zeiss-Ikon offered a number of different options for closeup work with their Contax rangefinder cameras. Since photographers seldom think of a Contax as a camera for closeup work, these accessories are rare and seldom seen. One such accessory is the Contaprox, sold for use with the Contax IIa and IIIa in the 1950s. It came as a kit in a faux leather box complete with an extension tube, a ground glass and focuser. The lens is a 50mm f3.5 Tessar offering a focus range from infinity to approximately 1:2 reduction. To use it on a Contax, one mounts it on a tripod, focuses with the ground glass, removes the glass and mounts the camera on the lens, calculates the exposure compensation, if going really close, then takes the picture.

However, on a Nikon Zf, all is easy. I mount the lens on a Nikon S converter tube, set camera controls to manual, focus and shoot. I do not have to concern myself with exposure and handheld shots are easy.

 

Lamb's ears in bloom

Dancing Columbine

Milkweed in bloom

80~200mm ZoomNikkor variations

Differences between an early and late model 80~200 Zoom-Nikkor f4.5 from the 1970s. 

Nikon has never been afraid to make changes to its products, often without any public acknowledgement that a change has occurred. Here our two lenses with the same product description, yet they differ in many ways. 

Numbers 
116946 vs. 773958

Older lens on right

Physically, the two lenses appear similar. Both are the same length and have the same girth. Both focus down to the a little less than six feet or 1.8 meters.
Yet they are very different in many small ways.
• The early lens weighs 29.45 ounces. 
    The later one, 27.65 ounces—a noticeable difference.
• Early lens is 68mm across the front.
    Later lens is 64mm across front, and it looks slimmer.
• The older lens has a separate ring in front flush with main lens body—locked in place with one tiny screw.
    Newer lens is one part from face ring all the way back under focus/zoom ring.
Neither lens uses the NKJ mark. They are just marked Nikon.
• The finish of the early lens is a black, high gloss.
    Later lens has a duller shine.
• The early marking is “ Nikon Zoom – Nikkor Auto 1:4.5 f = 80mm~ f = 200mm 116946.
    Later one is marked just: Nikon Zoom–Nikkor  80~200mm 1:4.5 773958.
    The “Auto” is gone and the aperture/focal length information is reversed and only the 200 length shows “mm.”
• The lettering on the newer lens is at least half a millimeter smaller—a noticeable difference.

Older lens on right 

• Distance on older lens is in ‘feet’ and ‘m’. 
    Newer lens: ‘ft’ and ‘m.’
• Both have apertures down to f32. 
    Older one has color-coded apertures for f32: pale blue, f22: yellow, f16: pink, f11: tan, 
    and f4.5: pale green.
    Newer lens apertures are color-coded for f32: pale blue, f22: yellow, f8: pink and f4.5: pale green. Other apertures are in white.
• Diamond pattern aperture ring is part of the aperture numbers for older lens.
    Parallel with meter prong on the newer. 
    Newer one has slightly higher prong
• Older: Milled chrome attachment ring is 75mm wide with black dot to mark aperture setting.
    Newer: Milled chrome ring is all milling and half a centimeter wide, Instead, a black ring lies between the milled ring and the aperture ring and has a white line as an index mark.
• Distance setting mark on older lens is a white line that ends in a arrow-like point
    On Newer one, the white line extends to the milled ring and then continues through to the line for the aperture setting.
• Older one steps out as 5mm ring, small step-out, angled slope, another step out to finally get to the focus ring.
    Newer one rises up past the distance settings before angling out to the focus ring. As a result, the distance settings appear less crowded, although the lettering is the same height. 
• Older lens: `“LENS MADE IN JAPAN” in white letters on back of distance ring.
    “MADE in JAPAN” engraved on black indexing ring above chrome milled ring on back. Not white filled and difficult to see.
• Focus/zoom ring on older lens is a raised dot pattern in a diamond pattern. Smooth front part of the focus/zoom ring 5mm wide.
    Newer lens focus/zoom ring is in a square criss-cross pattern. Smooth part 7mm wide.
Lens coating
• Older lens has a distinct amber color.
    Newer lens has a bluish coating color.
    Neither appear to be multi-coated.

Older lens coating color

Newer lens coating color