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Ebay item number 190180313692

biggles3

CI-Supporter
Hi all,

Anyone ever heard of this '50th Anniversary' 139 version? Seems a bit unlikely to me but then no one has been able to explain my 139 Scientific as yet. My suspicion is that it is 'owner-customized' but then what do I know?

Cheers, Graham
 

jsmisc

Well-Known Member
Hi Graham,

It looks a bit like a "customised" version to me although you can't really see from the picture. I haven't heard of a 50th anniversary 139 although the fact that I haven't heard of it doesn't mean much!

I've had a quick look in Google and cannot find reference to another one.

The one on eBay looks rather as though it has a bit of tape attached to it with Anniversary details.

Maybe the seller could come up with some more details.

If all that lot goes for £49.99 and it all works, it would be a good deal. It will be interesting to see the final price.

Best wishes,

John
 

biggles3

CI-Supporter
Hi John,

Thanks for the input. I've seen a close up of the 'anniversary plate' which appears hallmarked so I guess it's silver. It looks as if its been glued in a slightly rudimentary manner - though to be fair attaching silver to plastic ain't easy!

The seller is getting back to the owner for more info - the fact that the plaque carries the number 191 is odd too as it would suggest a run of a significant number of bodies - that being so, I can't believe we would not have heard of such a 139!

I'll let you know what I hear over the coming days.

And I'm still waiting for an explanation of my 139 Scientific!

Best wishes,

Graham
 

jsmisc

Well-Known Member
Hi Graham,
I have just found this link to an RTS Scientific on eBay but it doesn't explain why it is scientific!

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No signs of a Scientific 139 though.

All the best,

John
 

biggles3

CI-Supporter
Hi John,
Thanks for the link to the RTS. This is a delightful variant of the RTS called the RTS Fundus or RTS Scientific or RTS Medical. I love these bodies and have four of them. The main difference between these and the conventional RTS is the presence of the shutter speed lock button on the front of the camera - it stops the shutter dial from moving from the Flash setting without the button being depressed. Most (the ebay one does) but not all also have a raised surround to the actual shutter button that helps to prevent accidental tripping. Some also have d&ed mirrors. Again some but not all (I have variants of all of the above on my cameras) are marked 'Scientific/Medical' on the baseplate. These bodies are slightly heavier than the standard RTS.
Of course, the 137MD had its strange variants in the form of the different CGCM models. So far I have been unable to find any info on the other 10 or 11 (it's alleged that Contax made about a dozen) 139 Scientific bodies that also have d&ed mirrors, the heavy, durable covers that extend to the pentaprism and that unfathomable metal strip on the front plate.
Good night all...
 

jsmisc

Well-Known Member
Thanks Graham,
That's interesting. I didn't know about any of the variants apart from some anniversay models.
Cheers,
John
 
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