Contax 645 Shutter Test?

[Rayborn]

Having purchased a Contax 645 from an auction recently I was wondering if anyone could tell me how I could test if the shutter works without film in the film back.
The camera body, battery pack and eye finder are in absolute mint condition. I am using a Carl Zeiss 2.8/140 lens.

Having got to grips with a Canon DSLR I wanted to expand my knowledge to Medium Format. I quickly navigated the controls on the camera and then used the "Quick Guide to Shooting" to set up testing.

The Contax 645 starts up on the main power switch, I set the shutter speed to 1/4000, I set the Focus Dial to "S", I set the drive mode to "S", The exposure mode is set to AV, I remove the dark  slide from the film back and place it in the holding pocket.

I then use the Shutter release button half way to auto focus at aperture 22 which focuses fine. But when the fully press the shutter release button nothing happens?? No shutter is released.

Turning the preflash lever on seems to activate what seems to me as the shutter being released seen through the view finder but I may be wrong.

Please can someone tell me what I may be doing incorrectly I am extremely anxious that I may have purchased  an otherwise immaculate condition Contax 645 lemon.

Forgive my ignorance if it turns out to be a simple resolution.

Thank you

[tho_mas]

I then use the Shutter release button half way to auto focus at aperture 22 which focuses fine. But when the fully press the shutter release button nothing happens?? No shutter is released.

the Contax 645 will not release the shutter when the dark slide is inserted in the film back. Remove it and the camera should fire...

edit: sorry ... just re-read your post and saw you've removed the dark slide.
well, the Contax will relase the shutter even when no back (and/or lens) is attached.
When it releases the shutter without the film back attached try to clean the contacts on the camera interface and the film back and try again.
Also make sure that you use a fresh battery.

[drevil]

remove anything from the body, including the lens and then push the shutter button fully.
if nothing happens, try in manual mode.

[FredBGG]

It shutter should fire with the back off.
Once you see the shutter is firing you can also fo a quick test to see if the shutter is running at the right speeds (or at least close).

Connect a flash and look through the back of the camera as you shoot.
At 1/125th you should see the shutter open fully and see a white flash through the camera that is visible for the whole area of the open shutter.
At higher speeds you should see the shutter not open completely when the flash goes of. Use a flash set to manual and at minimum power.
For each set up to faster shutter speeds you should see the opening of the shutter reduce in size.

[amsp]

There are a number of things in your original post that makes me think you have very little experience using a camera on anything but fully auto. For example, you have set the camera to AV mode, which means the camera is selecting the speed based on the aperture you've selected, yet you claim to have set both the aperture (f/22) and the speed (1/4000), that makes no sense. Also, what aperture you select has nothing to do with how well the camera autofocus as it always uses the largest aperture for focusing before stopping down for the actual shot. Are there any warnings lighting up in the finder LED when pushing the shutter release? Have you tried setting it to fully manual?

[Cineski]

Keep us updated but yes, Contax and any modular system can easily suffer from dirty contacts.  As others have mentioned, take it all apart and clean it with a bit of 90% alcohol and a cloth.

[FredBGG]

There are a number of things in your original post that makes me think you have very little experience using a camera on anything but fully auto. For example, you have set the camera to AV mode, which means the camera is selecting the speed based on the aperture you've selected, yet you claim to have set both the aperture (f/22) and the speed (1/4000), that makes no sense. Also, what aperture you select has nothing to do with how well the camera autofocus as it always uses the largest aperture for focusing before stopping down for the actual shot. Are there any warnings lighting up in the finder LED when pushing the shutter release? Have you tried setting it to fully manual?

I think he is just referring to where the dials are positioned.
There is not auto setting on the shutter speed dial. It is a switch on the front of the dial.
Similar for the aperture ring. No auto setting there too.
Av will just over ride the shutter speed setting and Tv will over ride the aperture setting.