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Can you help me find this cable for Contax 645?
- Thread starter jimcutlet
- Start date
buildbot
Well-known member
Oh wow, one of these in a new pin configuration! 10 vs 3 for canon flashes, 6 for bronica and hasselblad. 8 for phase one pre IQ4/XF, and 12 for those.
I’ve been trying to find the manufacturer or name of the connector for years. I asked phase one, but they wouldn’t say. I believe it may be a special connector originally created by metz, but clearly someone is able to make them as you can buy 3rd party canon cables with the very similar looking plug, just 3 pins though.
There was some discussion on reddit about this as well:
It seems like a relatively old design, that brown plastic might be bakelite even.
Maybe 2025 will be the year we collectively figure this out!
I’ve been trying to find the manufacturer or name of the connector for years. I asked phase one, but they wouldn’t say. I believe it may be a special connector originally created by metz, but clearly someone is able to make them as you can buy 3rd party canon cables with the very similar looking plug, just 3 pins though.
There was some discussion on reddit about this as well:
It seems like a relatively old design, that brown plastic might be bakelite even.
Maybe 2025 will be the year we collectively figure this out!
f6cvalkyrie
Well-known member
Doesn't this connector look like the old one we used to connect our mouse and keyboard to our PC ?
Good luck with your search !
Rafael
Good luck with your search !
Rafael
buildbot
Well-known member
It looks like a little like a PS2 port (I assume that’s what you are referring to?). However, sadly it is quite different, the connector locks and is a different shape.
Oh wow, thank you. glad i'm not the only one. From this brief search it really feels like a dead end.
I have a phase one 8pin cable on hand – they look identical bar the port configuration.
Judging by the 12 pin configuration (https://digitalback.com/products/phase-one-sync-cable-for-iq4-backs-12-pin) I'm wondering if it's possibly to swap the ends of a new cable onto my existing broken one. The pins appear to line up comparing the product image with my own.
At this stage I guessing I'll have better luck gluing it back together than trying to swap the ends (with my little to no experience)
I have a phase one 8pin cable on hand – they look identical bar the port configuration.
Judging by the 12 pin configuration (https://digitalback.com/products/phase-one-sync-cable-for-iq4-backs-12-pin) I'm wondering if it's possibly to swap the ends of a new cable onto my existing broken one. The pins appear to line up comparing the product image with my own.
At this stage I guessing I'll have better luck gluing it back together than trying to swap the ends (with my little to no experience)
Attachments
buildbot
Well-known member
Yeah I think you could get away with using the 12 pin version, it’ll be kinda a pain to swap the end indeed, but not impossible if you have soldering iron and some heat shrink. Glueing the connector back together isn’t the worst idea either.
I‘m also pretty sure the Mamiya bellows use this same 10 pin cable, if those are cheaper than the contax ones maybe just get a Mamiya one in rough shape for the cable?
The Mamiya motor cable is an 8pin unfortunately (unless there's another cable out there)
I did try to pull apart my 8pin phase cable (quite recklessly since I have no use for it)– I see no way I could replace the ends without ruining it.
Checked with CI as well, but unfortunately no luck. Gluing the old one back together is probably my best bet. May check if the 12pin works as well for future proofing. I'd hate to lose ability to use the bellows just because of this cable.
I did try to pull apart my 8pin phase cable (quite recklessly since I have no use for it)– I see no way I could replace the ends without ruining it.
Checked with CI as well, but unfortunately no luck. Gluing the old one back together is probably my best bet. May check if the 12pin works as well for future proofing. I'd hate to lose ability to use the bellows just because of this cable.
buildbot
Well-known member
OH - would an X shutter cable work? https://arca-swiss-usa.com/products...vwRSWs9BtG4GC-apJ7H52bywXtPY-wyccjXrDrDjDb3n8
The connector is called hirose.
Found this with Google but it doesn’t look quite right:
—Steve.
Found this with Google but it doesn’t look quite right:
Hirose 10 pin Female to 10pin Male Extension Cable | For Panasonic AJ-rc10 System | 10pin | Power Cable | China
Connector A: HR10A-10P-10S 10pin female Hirose. Custom high flex, lightweight cable for Panasonic AJ-rc10 system. Connector B: HR10A-10J-10P.
www.ebay.com
—Steve.
docholliday
Well-known member
Those connectors are nowhere near a Hirose pattern - the Hirose standard is a much larger, metal clad connector. with a lock ring fixation. The Contax Bellows/Hassellbad SCA type conectors are much, much older and very proprietary, most likely an original Metz or Agfa creation. These connectors are much smaller and an inverse pattern from Hirose that uses friction and a spring-ring to lock. But, Metz's flash/camera division is no more, so you won't get any info from them.
I spent years trying to source the 6-pin version from Metz to that I could make custom firing connections for the 503CW body. Ended up cutting off some Quantum SCA adapter cables to fulfill the project.
I never understood why they used these annoying unstable connectors (and at a 90° angle, no less) for SCA when the EL body remotes were simply XLR standard. The brown housing on these cables would chip, flake, or purely snap if you bumped them just right when on the 503 body. Even worse, if you didn't line it up perfectly and pushed, you'd just smash or torque a pin in the socket and have to find the tweezers to straighten them.
This one doesn’t have the metal ring. You would have to know which color wire goes to each pin.
10101510113 Circular Cable Connector 10 Pin Female Silver | eBay
(Specifications: 10 Pin, Female, Silver). At Dalbani we like to differentiate between new, previously installed parts (used), and parts made by 3rd party manufacturers. Dalbani is a national and international distributor of high quality electronic components and parts.
www.ebay.com
docholliday
Well-known member
That connector is 3x the size of the HB/Contax connectors. This connector, in the 4-pin variant, is most commonly used for CB radio handsets. And yes, it does have a large screw-down metal locking ring for fixation. The pins are also very large, around 2mm on these whereas the HB/Contax pins are wire-like.This one doesn’t have the metal ring. You would have to know which color wire goes to each pin.
10101510113 Circular Cable Connector 10 Pin Female Silver | eBay
(Specifications: 10 Pin, Female, Silver). At Dalbani we like to differentiate between new, previously installed parts (used), and parts made by 3rd party manufacturers. Dalbani is a national and international distributor of high quality electronic components and parts.www.ebay.com
buildbot
Well-known member
To head of further circular/hirose discussions, I’ve asked a few connector companies. They don’t think it’s anything close to a standard like hirose, lemo, the various m8/12/etc circular connectors, or other kinds of push pull/ locking connectors. I’ve spent hours looking through vaguely similar connectors with no luck. The fact that the x shutter cable exists is actually 1/2 the solution (for my needs), if I could find a source for the socket…
Unless I am mistaken, Phase One uses lemo connectors for their geospatial line. It would have been nice for them to switch over with the iq4/xf/x shutter, as we all know they did not.
Unless I am mistaken, Phase One uses lemo connectors for their geospatial line. It would have been nice for them to switch over with the iq4/xf/x shutter, as we all know they did not.
docholliday
Well-known member
My guess would be that the only modern company still operational which uses the type of connector is Quantum for the SCA adapter. Somebody could try to get a hold of them and see if they'd advise to the manufacturer or model. The SCA is the 6-pin version, but once somebody figures out who made it for the existing products, they could then get a lead on the 8/10/12 pin versions from that source.
buildbot
Well-known member
Oh yeah I forgot, it’s also weirdly used for a brand of gauges?
And a ten pin: https://www.spcanywhere.com/mitutoyo-spc-gage-cable-937386-10-pin-type-40/
I’ve actually found more hits using google search by image than before, and now I’m starting to re-asses if it’s really only metz/afga who make this connector still?
And a ten pin: https://www.spcanywhere.com/mitutoyo-spc-gage-cable-937386-10-pin-type-40/
I’ve actually found more hits using google search by image than before, and now I’m starting to re-asses if it’s really only metz/afga who make this connector still?
I'm just waiting on a reply from Digital Transitions– hopefully they'll just let me go in and try. If not i'll just buy one and hope for the best. I'll update!
As for gluing the end of my broken cable back together, does anyone have any recommendations for type of glue?
I thought epoxy makes most sense but I feel it may be too thick for such a small piece
docholliday
Well-known member
I forgot about that. I actually had one of those cables for my Mitu dial gauge years ago. I ended up hacking the end off to make a modified TTL cable for my 203FE. I hated it because it was straight instead of 90°. Some of the SCA390 adapters were straight and others were angled. But then again, the reason most of the angled connectors broke was because of the 90° angle - people would twist and turn them to remove instead of pulling straight out. That caused the plastic "nose" to shear, usually right at the base where the spring clips were.
As many years ago as Metz used these, any patent limitations would've expired so others could use them easily.
docholliday
Well-known member
I've glued the SCA adapters back before. I use Loctite 4310 with a 770 precure. It's thin enough, holds tight, slightly flexible to prevent future breaks, and UV cured so it's easy to work with. Use something like a 22ga Luer tip on the bottle to lay a thin fillm, align the two pieces, then cure it. Easiest to work under a microscope so that you can check the pins in each hole and that it's lined up correctly before curing.
I've also used 4314 as it's more flexible than 4310 and both seemed to work well.
Wow thank you!! - this is exactly what i've been looking for.
Sorry for the dumb questions / Just to double-check (i've never used/done anything like this before):
Is this the 4310: https://www.rshughes.com/p/Loctite-...dhesive-1-Oz-Bottle-IDH-1401792/079340_00001/
and the 770: https://www.rshughes.com/p/Loctite-...-LOCTITE-2759219-IDH-2759219/loctite_2759219/
Couldn't see anything on amazon!
and as for the instructions:
- Apply the 4310 with a Luertip to both (?) sides or just one?
- align/press together
- apply the precure afterwards on the outside? (or is it apply the precure over the 4310 then press together?)
and as it's UV cured, do I need a UV lamp afterward?
Thank you again!
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