Contax CGCM Oscilloscope Camera - The World's Most Useless Camera!!!

[@Kalvinjj]

I can see reasons for keeping the shutter open for longer than a fixed time: registering jitter in waves for example, you could see it on a longer exposure, when the subsequent waves start to pile up.

[@GrumpyTim]

Yeah, I'd love to see the entire setup that this camera was used in - was there the additional leaf shutter within the lens unit? Did it only have one shutter speed? etc etc. I should be able to determine exactly how the camera itself operated once I've done some more stripping down to find out what the mysterious signal at the one second mark was for. It is still possible that signal wasn't used in the particular configuration that my camera was used for - there's clearly at least one feature that isn't used because the output from pin 6 on chip TC4050 just goes through a resistor to an unused tab on the PCB. It definitely makes sense that they would configure the cameras for a particular customer's needs because it was after all, a pretty specialised unit, and probably pretty expensive too.

[@zjohn6879]

Interesting find! It's easy to forget that nigh every image of screens, from instruments like a scope to video game promo stills, used to be taken using film! I remember someone talking about how they used to capture arcade machine screens; lots of talk of masks and exposure and other stuff over my head!

[@GrumpyTim]

Hi Zed John, it's not even that long ago yet so easily forgotten - I love some of the specialised equipment like this. I've heard of a Praktica camera that was heavily modified with a half frame film gate and only one shutter speed - it was used for Police mug shots - I'd love to get my hands on one of those (and I'm sure the same thing applied to other brands, not just Praktica).

[@zjohn6879]

You learn something new every day! I can see why that would make sense. Now I'll have to find more information about those. The only purpose built cameras I recall seeing personally were those dental cameras with the ring light. Apparently they are great for macro photography

[@GrumpyTim]

I very nearly clicked on the "buy" button a couple of months ago for one of those Dental Eye cameras but I resisted the temptation on that occasion. It's another really interesting specialist camera that might well make it into the collection one day.....

[@MM.]

I'm almost a bit disappointed that tantalum capacitor didn't enthusiastically explode when you put in the full 6V, in keeping with retro electronics tradition.

[@GrumpyTim]

Hi MM, yes, I think everyone dreams of the Electroboom moment!!! I've not had it happen on any vintage electronics that I've worked on, only on brand new stuff where they've managed to insert an electrolytic the wrong way round - quality!!!!!

[@nevillewatkins4997]

Strangely intriguing viewing Tim. You certainly do find them.

[@GrumpyTim]

Hi Neville, I saw this one, it was cheap, and far too interesting to pass by!!! Once I've decided exactly what I'm going to do with it I'll have fun taking it out and about because most folks won't have a clue what type of camera I'm using.

[@nevillewatkins4997]

@@GrumpyTim Hah! I like your thinking. 😁

[@axelbostrom3606]

Very interesting! I recently found a Nikon camera likely used for this or more likely for microscope attachment. Got all sorts of weird modifications and the shutter is just a single blade you manually push and pull! 😄

[@GrumpyTim]

Hi Axel, yeah I'd heard about some Nikon cameras being modified in a similar way - very interesting items to have in the collection - the shutter on yours sounds fantastic!

[@Gannett2011]

Very intriguing. I see the date codes on the chips is 1984, if that has any significance.

[@GrumpyTim]

Hi John, I had intended to see if there were any traceable date codes so you've saved me the effort, thanks for that. So the camera is probably a couple of years younger than I thought. If the serial number is anything to go by, they made a fair few of these custom versions, probably with many different tweaks depending on the particular application they were being used for.

[@ohjajohh]

It all sounds a bit useless indeed, but I spotted a 24mm lens! I like that focal length :)

[@GrumpyTim]

Hi ohjajohh, I bought that 24mm lens a couple of years ago and haven't actually used it yet - I got the CGCM as a body only but I already have a few Contax/Yashica bayonet lenses to throw on it, and the 24mm was just sitting there.........

[@migsvensurfing6310]

Could it be that it is a prototype ?

[@GrumpyTim]

Hi migsven surfing, I don't think it'll be a prototype for a few reasons: There are a fair few of the Contax CGCM cameras around and there would be little reason to make that many, more or less the same, prototypes. It would be unusual to blank off so many regular features for a prototype, and also the earlier RTS had a much more advanced control system than the relatively agricultural system in the CGCM. If the serial number is anything to go by they probably made a fair few of these customised CGCM cameras, and I bet they sold them for a whole lot more than the standard camera - or at least by the time it got to the end user it would be expensive. Say for instance they were used with high end HP oscilloscopes, you can bet your life that the hood complete with camera and special lens was a really expensive accessory. I'd love to see a sales brochure to find out exactly how much they were. Looking at the PCB, most of the soldering looks like it might have been done in a semi automated process, and then the two smd (surface mounted device) components were soldered by hand afterwards, and they're pretty scrappily soldered - no idea why those two are smd when the rest are through hole components, maybe I need to collect more CGCM cameras to see how others differ......