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Contax Tix Help Needed!

Maximus2308

New Member
Hi Everyone
Firstly, as you can see, new to the group, so if this is in the wrong area please correct me.
Secondly thanks for having me!
I was hoping someone might be able to assist. There are very few resources online so this seems to be the most abundant source of knowledge for Contax camera info.
I recent bough a Contax Tix for a (fairly) reasonable price from a local auction, the buying format being important as there is no possibility of returns/refunds as all sales are final, sold as seen etc etc.
I inserted a new battery and was met with "00" reading on the digital display and the lens will not open or fire when the power button is pressed. Oddly enough the film will attempt to feed if I open and close the film door, so I know power isn't an issue (Or at the very least the new battery is enough to power this specific function) . In addition I can flick through the date/time menus and can edit this info.
If any of you are also in the APS photography group on Facebook you may have already seen me try and troubleshoot this with the group.
Absolutely any assistance or suggestions would be appreciated as I'm really hoping I've not gone and got myself an expensive paperweight or a costly repair in my first attempt at analogue photography.
Thanks in advance
 
Hi. I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings but I fear you are the owner of a beautiful little paperweight. It sounds like there's a component failure in the circuitry of the Tix and it's quite a common occurrence with a number of Kyocera compact cameras. An identical problem has bricked about 40% of the lovely Yashica T Zooms with their Zeiss Vario-Tessar lenses. You can switch the power on, get 00 on the digital display, and that's your lot as the lens refuses to open. I suspect there's a common component that's causing the problem. Mark Hama in the US may be your best opportunity for advice or perhaps even a remedy.

I am surprised to find anyone buying APS cameras as I didn't realise that there must be a method of being able to use those film cannisters. I never looked at buying a s/h Tix despite its sheer quality (current problem excepted) simply because I could not see a way of bypassing those coded film cannisters. I have a few APS cameras acquired as part of lots at auctions and they remain untouched... I must check out you guys on Facebook. If there is a work-around for the film, a Tix is definitely on my shopping list. Do try Mark Hama as a first port of call, unless someone here knows how to circumvent your problem. Fingers crossed....
 
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